With Easter right around the corner, I want to take the time to share a little bit about our molded chocolates. For starters, when Carl and Vera Platter began their business, molded chocolate was the only thing they sold, and even more interesting it was orange chocolate! Some people think orange chocolate started with that orange ball they sold at your local pharmacy. You know the one, the one you smashed open, and it looked like a peeled orange? All of us from North Tonawanda know the real Orange Chocolate started in the basement of a house on East Felton Street back in 1938. Yup! In the basement of a house. And when Platter’s outgrew that basement, they bought the house next door and built a tunnel under the driveway to move chocolate from the basement they manufactured into the basement where they had their storefront. Today you can see a picture of Platter’s very first candy case with Carl, his wife Vera, and their two daughters on full display right behind the existing candy case in our Niagara Falls Boulevard location.

If you continue to stroll through the store, you will find a custom-built wall where we proudly display the original metal molds used by the Platter’s family themselves. The molding process has evolved over time from using those metal molds to a polycarbonate (a hard plastic mold) and now what we call a trim less mold that is also made from polycarbonate. Don’t let the name “trim less mold” fool you, as we delicately hand trim every-single-piece of molded chocolate that passes through these doors. Piece by piece, wearing white gloves (so you truly get the white glove treatment ?), and when it reaches the store, you have your choice of the perfect piece of molded chocolate. 

For many years orange chocolate was the lifeblood of Platter’s Chocolates. Today you will find our shelves full of milk, orange, dark, dark orange, and white molded chocolates.

Fun Fact Alert: The single most popular chocolate product we sell is our  Orange Chocolate Easter Flats! These end up in over 5000 homes every Easter season!

In addition to our Easter flats, we offer several themed molded chocolates this time of year. From bunnies to sports, musical, automotive, crosses and SO much more. We offer over TWO HUNDRED molded chocolates at Easter time with many other seasonal molded chocolates celebrating every holiday throughout the year. What really makes this special is the naming convention we use. Have you heard of  Big Joe Rabbit? He is the current owner of Platter’s Chocolates Factory.  Emma Athlete Bunny, his daughter, and Heidi, his wife. Roger Basketball Bunny was named after his dad (Roger Urban) and previous owner who played basketball at UB many moons ago.  Mama Robbie is Joe’s mom and Little Bruce Bunny is his brother. It’s not just about family though. Here at Platter’s one of the exciting benefits we offer is after 10 years of employment as a Platter’s Chocolate Factory Team Member you have the choice to name a molded piece of chocolate and become ingrained in our history for years to come. Here are a few that our team members have picked:

• Amanda Chick – Amanda has worked for Platter’s for over half her life! She is still with us as General Manager, managing the behind-the-scenes that keep things ticking.
• Shelly and Jeff – Shelly was instrumental in all the quality checks you still see today. She was able to retire from Platter’s after an over 30-year career.
• Jaden Bunny – Named by our team member Peggy who worked at Children’s Hospital as a pediatric nurse where she cared for a boy named Jaden. He was always bubbly and happy and Peggy fell in love with him. He passed away and Peggy named Jaden Bunny in his honor. Every Easter Peggy buys over 30 Jaden Bunnies and sends them to Jaden’s mother who gives them to family and friends.
• Marylou Mouse - Marylou is another long-time employee who works in our shipping department. Here she handles all outgoing deliveries, ensuring our chocolates arrive safely to their destination.
• John Businessman – John is Joe’s brother in-law and this bunny could not be more perfect. He is a serial entrepreneur with amazing ideas that have led him to start many businesses throughout his career.

So, with your next visit to Platter’s Chocolate Factory take your time and enjoy our tradition and rich history we provide through our Easter molds. As always, thank you for making us a part of your Easter tradition.