Bissinger's Manifesto

Our Story Begins In 1668 Paris, France

Karl BissingerAt Bissinger's, we take our profound love of chocolate very seriously. Our rich history of confection craftsmanship has endured for over 350 years, and the Bissinger family's singular passion and privilege to hand craft the finest chocolate in the world still remains. Once confectioner to the King of France and European nobility, the Bissinger's name has been one of the longest standing names in the confectionery industry. To this day, we remain a family owned business with a true appreciation and love for chocolate.

Our confections were originally created and enjoyed by European nobility and today, we still use the same timeless recipes, crafted in new and inventive ways for all who appreciate a truly luxurious chocolate experience.

We believe in preserving the old world techniques necessary for exquisite quality, using copper kettles and preparing our recipes in small batches using fresh ingredients.

Our goal has never been to be the biggest chocolatier in the world, only the finest.

We proudly wear the Bissinger family crest as a constant reminder that we are the guardians of a distinctive legacy of European chocolate excellence.

Bissinger's Rich Legacy

Bissinger LegacyThe Bissinger family began its storied tradition of crafting confections in 17th century France, where our legendary chocolate was enjoyed by European nobility and heads of state. According to accounts passed down from generation to generation, Bissinger's confections were a delicacy among notable names such as Napoleon Bonaparte and the Rothschilds, and the family was even granted the title of Confiseur Imperial (Confectioner of the Empire) by King Louis XIV.

Some years later, in 1845, Karl Bissinger would leave France, bringing his loyal master candy maker and all of the Bissinger family secrets to the United States. He settled just outside of Cincinnati, where he opened the very first Bissinger's kitchen in America. In 1927, his son, also named Karl, would carry on the Bissinger's tradition, opening his own kitchen in St. Louis--the city our company still calls home. Our head candy maker is the 3rd Generation direct lineage to Karl Bissinger's candy maker from France.

To this day, many of our confections are made using original recipes from the Bissinger Family Cookbook, dated 1899. We pride ourselves on the ability to blend our rich tradition with a spirit of innovation, and we never sacrifice quality ingredients, taste or craftsmanship to produce more confections at a lower cost. Even in an age of high-tech production and immediacy, Bissinger's remains committed to the high standards, heritage and traditions that have made us who we are today. Our confections have been praised by European nobility, famous celebrities, Oprah, The New York Times, The Food Network, Unwrapped, previous residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and loyal patrons for generations. Our Gummy Pandas have been sold in over 8,000 Starbucks locations nationwide, our chocolates in Whole Foods and specialty stores nationwide.

Click to learn more about Bissinger's history

The following video offers a behind-the-scenes look at the art and craft we use to make fine chocolate.