Chocolate is a universally loved sweet, but its taste and creation is inspired by where it comes from in the world.

For Chapel Hill-based chocolatier Choco Sweetness, their unique style of chocolate comes from Brazil in the form of authentic brigadeiros.

Daniela Waterhouse started Choco Sweetness with her business partner, Carol Spremberg, in October 2017. Both women grew up in Brazil and met in Chapel Hill when Waterhouse had owned another company and worked with Spremberg. She appreciated the way Spremberg packaged her chocolates, and both women wanted to build a business that they could grow to a national level. Add in their shared Brazilian culture, and everything worked out perfectly.

That led them to brigadeiros.

“Brigadeiros are the most popular sweet in our country, and that makes us different from other chocolatiers,” Waterhouse said.

The origins of the brigadeiro dates back to a 1940 election in Brazil. A brigadier in the military was running for office, and women in São Paulo started producing chocolates to hand out in support of his campaign. But World War II was happening at the same time, so there was a shortage of traditionally-used supplies for chocolate making.

The women had to use different ingredients that were less likely to spoil. As legend would have it, that is how the brigadeiro was invented. The brigadier’s supporters passed them out and said that they were his favorite treat, and they’ve been popular in Brazil ever since.

Waterhouse and Spremberg stand out in the unique chocolates they offer – but they don’t stop there. They like to make their packaging unique and special for their clients, too.

“We package them into elegant and personalized gift boxes that are perfect for any personal or especially corporate gift giving needs,” Waterhouse said.

Waterhouse and Spremberg put a lot of thought into the packaging, all the way down to the seals on the boxes. For their clients, instead of the Choco Sweetness logo, they use the client’s own logo for the wax seal. They also use different colored boxes and ribbon to personalize the chocolates for whatever company they’re working with.

“Corporate gift-giving is a big part of our business,” Waterhouse said.

Choco Sweetness prides itself on listening to client needs. Sometimes, the businesses they work with just send a list of clients they would like to send gifts to, so Choco Sweetness ships all over the country.

Each brigadeiro is handcrafted and weighed individually, made with high-quality chocolate imported from Belgium. They then add specific toppings like crushed nuts or sprinkles for each flavor. Their flavors include coconut, passionfruit, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, pistachio, almond, coffee, whiskey and one they call “sweet lovers,” a combination of white and dark chocolate.

“It is a type of chocolate that you’re going to sit down and have a cup of coffee, tea and enjoy the experience,” Waterhouse said.

Opening a box of Choco Sweet’s brigadeiros is a visual experience too, Waterhouse said, because the box is beautiful, the wax seal is elegant and the chocolates look perfect.

“What makes us most excited about the business, is that it’s a chance to share something that’s important for both of us,” Waterhouse said. “It’s a sweet treat that has been part of our lives, and it is still part of our lives.”

By Brittney Nguyen

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