Clarissa Baez, 19, and Calie Murray, 18, both retail clerks at Chocoholics in Clements, show off some of the wares of the factory including sauces and rocky road. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

Chocolate lovers welcome

Chocoholics Divine Desserts in Clements offers a sweet tour

CLEMENTS — Tucked away on a quiet corner in this small town sits a miniature version of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, complete with its own Mr. Wonka tour guide and a hand-mixed, fan-cooled chocolate making process.

Chocoholics Divine Desserts entertains and educates visitors daily, providing them with information about the cocoa bean and how the popular delicacy goes from being a bag of beans to the sweet treats Chocoholics is known for.

"It really gives visitors a fun and educational experience," said Rachel Grastyan, account executive for Chocoholics.

Visitors entering the historic retail store are greeted with soft lighting, cheerful jazz music and shelf upon shelf of giant lollipops, smiling gummy bears and jumbo chocolate wedges.

At the counter, glass display cases filled with the company's prized truffles and chocolate mousse entice buyers with a sweet tooth.

There are even treats for visitors' pooches, like the "candy collar," advertised with signs saying things like "even pets deserve a snack."

Also sold in the retail store are specialty coffee drinks and ice cream sundaes, with toppings from the desserts and candies made at the factory.

Taking a tour

Basic tours: The basic tour is self-guided and offered seven days a week. Visitors can walk through the building's observation hall and view the chocolate making and gift wrapping process. These tours are offered Monday through Friday between 11 and 4:30.

Guided tours with dessert: The guided tour includes a walk through the factory as well as ice cream in a chocolate bowl with all the toppings Chocoholics sells to customers. These tours are offered Monday through Friday between 11 and 3:30 and cost $9.

Guided tours with box lunch and dessert: These guided tours offer a walk through the factory and a sit down lunch of either sandwiches or pizza with ice cream in a chocolate bowl with toppings to finish it all off. They are offered between 11 and 3:30 and cost $15.

Classroom tours: The tours are offered Monday through Friday between 11 and 3:30 and trips follow guidelines set up by the California Educational Standards.

For more information or to book a tour before arriving, call (209) 759-3340.

Products offered

Chocoholics offers a variety of products aimed at satisfying even the strangest of cravings. Mood chocolates with names like Crazy Nuts, Romance Truffles, Passion Cashews and covered cherries, and Tranquility English toffee, cookies and cream caramel.

Chocoholics pasta is infused with cocoa and can be served as a dessert or warm with pasta sauce. (Jennifer M. Howell/News-Sentinel)

Other unique treats include Chocolate pasta, real pasta flavored with cocoa, and various sensual products such as body frosting and chocolate lover's dice.

Other items include traditional chocolate treats such as chocolate truffles, peppermint bark, and mixed boxes of chocolate chews.

Chocoholics also sells their own dessert sauces that combine flavors of popular wines with chocolate: Caramel Chardonnay, Chocolate Espresso Merlot, and Strawberry Champagne, Raspberry Cabernet, and Extreme Dark Chocolate Decadence.

Sources: Chocoholics Divine Deserts, http://www.gourmetchocolate.com.

The factory has two buildings. The first is 20,000 square feet and has all the equipment used for candy making and storing. The second building is a brick building from 1917, and once served as the International Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 355.

Tour guides dressed up as Willy Wonka lead visitors through the factory, where they witness the chocolate making, decorating and wrapping process.

The process, which includes hand mixing and blending the factory's unique combinations of chocolates, can all be viewed through glass windows throughout the building.

"It is better to get a guided tour because you are more informed," said Grastyn. "The self-guided tours are good, but you get so much more (on a guided tour)."

There is only one machine used in the entire process and it is only needed for screwing lids on the specialty sauces. Other than that, everything is mixed in baking mixers or with bowls and spoons.

Outside, in the factory's quiet, rose-lined courtyard, visitors can enjoy their food, the weather and horseshoe games on the small grass area.

According to Grastyan, the factory sees more than a thousand visitors a year.

And, for two years, Chocoholics has been on the Inc500 list, a list that highlights the fastest growing companies in the United States.

Grastyan feels the best part of the factory for visitors is the education they experience behind the chocolate making process and the good times visitors have while touring.

"It's becoming a big event. People love to come," said Grastyan. "This is the new factory that everybody wants to join," Grastyan said.