History of Al-Meda Chocolates...

In the early 1920s folks living in the rural Northwest Ohio village of Archbold, knew Almeda Rupp well.  She was an outstanding cook who formulated chocolate recipes into the most taste-tempting creations anywhere.  She experimented for months to achieve perfection.  Her judges were family and friends.  Word spread throughout the area and by late 1924, Almeda was delivering her hand-dipped chocolates door-to-door and was building an ever-expanding customer list.

This was the beginning of a family-owned and operated business that has spanned over 75 years!  Almeda's chocolate recipes are followed today exactly as she wrote them.  Only the finest ingredients and freshest nuts are used.

The history of this small business is as rich as her creations.   The "Al-Meda Famous Chocolate Stix" recipe was formulated to satisfy a son's request.  Within two years she had created a tender chocolate-covered nut stick that today is enjoyed worldwide.  As time passed she developed the other pieces that are offered today.

Chocolate Covered Nuts

Al-Meda's Famous Chocolate Stix

Almeda's husband and four sons worked in the enterprise that started in the hamlet of Elmira, Ohio.  Later, the family moved three miles down the road to Archbold, population 1,234 (government census 1940).  Son John and daughter-in-law Mabel took ownership and ran the business with the help of Mom and Dad.

 

Today, Al-Meda Chocolates is owned by Brent and Diane Taylor, cousins of the Rupp's.  Brent's wife, Diane and her staff make all the delicious chocolates.  Using the same guarded recipes, Almeda's celebrated chocolates are prepared by meticulous confectioners in the Rupp family tradition.  The chocolates you receive are fresh from her kitchen.   There are no preservatives.  We suggest storing them in a cool, dry environment with a temperature of 67°F or lower.