Joseph Schmidt Confections facts for kids

Joseph Schmidt Confections was a company from San Francisco that made fancy chocolates. They used special chocolate from Belgium. Their treats included different kinds of truffles, which are small, rich chocolate candies. The company stopped making chocolates in 2009.

History of Joseph Schmidt Chocolates

How the Company Started

Joseph Schmidt Confections began in San Francisco in 1983. A baker named Joseph Schmidt started the store. He had learned his baking skills in Europe. His partner, Audrey Ryan, was also trained in Europe and made sweets. Together, they sold baked goods and chocolates.

Joseph Schmidt became famous for his special egg-shaped truffles. These truffles were a unique sign of his company.

Growing the Business

In 1985, Joseph and Audrey added two new partners. These partners helped the business grow even more. Their names were Jeff Smith and Duane Papierniak. They helped run the company until 2005.

The company grew a lot, selling chocolates across the country and even around the world. Joseph Schmidt products were sold in famous department stores like Harrod's in the UK. You could also find them in Australia, Tokyo, and Canada.

In North America, their chocolates were in stores like Macy's and Bloomingdales. They were also sold in special grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

The company had its own stores too. You could visit them in the Castro area of San Francisco. There was also a store in San Jose.

The Company's End

In November 2005, a company called Artisan Confections bought Joseph Schmidt Confections. Artisan Confections was part of Hershey's, a very large chocolate maker. Hershey's had also bought another chocolate company nearby.

Later, in early 2009, Hershey's announced a plan. They decided to stop making the Joseph Schmidt brand chocolates. By July 2009, the factory and the store in San Francisco closed down. This meant the end of Joseph Schmidt Confections.