The only thing better than a company that satisfies its customers’ sweet tooth is one that also sweetens the lives of those in need. Add in a headquarters in the South Side of Pittsburgh, PA, and there’s a lot to love about Challenger Brand Edward Marc Chocolatier, a company that is “committed to delicious perfection and ultimate customer satisfaction.”

Edward Marc can trace its roots back to 1914, when a young Greek couple landed in Pittsburgh, bringing with them their skill of making handcrafted chocolates. In an era when family-owned companies are increasingly rare, this one has persevered for 95 years. With the founders’ great-grandchildren now at the helm, the original family recipe for chocolate continues to be the company’s recipe for success. 

The company is committed to using the finest ingredients: cocoa from West Africa and Indonesia, vanilla beans and spices from the South Pacific, citrus fruits from the Mediterranean and Middle East, coconuts from the Caribbean and cream from good old American farms. These ingredients are used in a wide variety of chocolate products:

• Prices range from a three-piece box of gourmet assorted chocolates for $5 to the $150 Diamond Tower, which features four boxes of the most popular products, totaling nine pounds of sweetness
• There’s also an option of sending a box of chocolates monthly for six or 12 months for up to $450

An online chocolate guide avoids Forrest Gump’s pronouncement that you “never know what you’re gonna get.” By pointing at pieces in a virtual box of chocolates, visitors to the website get a mouth-watering description of available varieties.

For those who like their indulgences in liquid or frozen form, the company’s store, The Milk Shake Factory, is also located in Pittsburgh’s South Side. Back in 1914, when refrigeration was a rarity, shakes and ice cream were luxury items. Today, the milkshakes continue to be hand-made in old-fashioned machines; 55 flavors as well as sundaes are offered.

Along with its palate-pleasing products, Edward Marc offers “One Sweet Gesture,” a program that is designed to “transform social and corporate responsibility in America.” The company donates 20% of any purchase in the catalog to one of three charities chosen by the customer: Make a Wish Foundation, The Children’s Institute or the Wounded Warrior Project.

With attention to quality ingredients, old-fashioned values and a charitable focus, Edward Marc Chocolatier is hoping its customers are impressed by its finest attribute: it is one sweet company.