I have a confession to make. I am a chocoholic. They say that the first step is admitting you have a problem. I know I have a problem, but I just don’t want to quit! Thankfully, God blessed me with a man who truly understands me. My husband, Bobby, is the reason that I was able to meet Joe Miller, the owner of Gorant Chocolatier in Boardman, Ohio. Friday, August 12, 2016 was the day when Bobby and I got a private tour of Gorant’s factory by its own Willy Wonka. Although he didn’t have a purple jacket or top hat and I didn’t need a golden ticket, the wonder of the factory tour was still evident.
We met Joe in the administrative offices of the factory. We had to sign in, as the government wants records of everyone who sees the factory (something put in place after 9/11). We talked a little about how Joe became owner of Gorant Chocolatier. See, the reason Bobby knows Joe is because Joe’s family began the Amish Door Restaurant in Wilmot. At one time Joe worked in the family business. Although he also had worked for Wayne-Dalton Doors, too. He said buying the chocolate factory was combining the two–manufacturing and food together. He said because 99% of the population likes chocolate, it is a booming business.
Then we began our tour, by donning our hair nets. While not the most flattering look for me, I didn’t mind. I was going to get up close and personal with the business end of chocolate. What chocoholic would say no to that! Before we even entered the factory, the smell of melted chocolate wafted through the halls. It was like heaven.
We saw the chocolate polishing room. This is where they cover things with chocolate (like peanuts) and then polish them so they are the beautiful shiny color we see in the finished product. Joe let us try one of the unpolished chocolate covered peanuts.
We saw the chocolate melting vats, where everything begins. The chocolate is then sent through pipes to other areas of the factory for use. As it moves through the pipes its temperature is lowered to a useable degree. (I was kind of in a state of euphoria, so I might not remember specific details.) We saw the room where they make and lay out the caramel they use for their fillings.
We then got into the heart factory. Now I have visited another chocolate factory in Ohio, which you can read about here. The difference, though, was we could only view things from behind the glass windows. On that day, not too many things were running, so we didn’t actually get to see much chocolate being made. At the Gorant Factory, we got to see plenty being done. There was the caramel that was being cut into little squares…
…covered in chocolate…
…and given a little “swirl” by being ever-so-slightly brushed on the tops by these little hanging chains.
We saw nut clusters which were being made for one of the private labels Gorant’s works with. These nut clusters go through two separate chocolate coatings before they are cooled and then packaged.
Joe gave us permission to try one, right off the conveyor!
We saw the chocolate covered pretzels that are individually wrapped for resale go through that process. A worker puts a pretzel on this conveyor belt that then sends it to this machine that wraps the chocolate, seals it and then another worker packages it in boxes.
Joe’s people (although not oompah loompahs) seemed very dedicated to the work they were doing. They were pulling out items that didn’t make the muster in terms of quality–even down to the appearance of the packaging. Joe took a couple of “rejects” from the box at the side of one of the machines and gave it to us. The only thing I could see wrong was a little bit of chocolate on the packaging.
We saw the warehouse where the finished products are stored until they are shipped to the appropriate vendors. This was rows and rows of chocolate products that were several shelves high.
Then being the busy chocolatier he was, he headed to a meeting and left us in the capable hands of Cindy Davis, Gorant’s Customer Service and Sales Specialist. She spent a long time with us in their conference room (which has two walls covered by chocolate displays). We talked about the history of Gorant–she even showed us a newspaper ad from 1969 around Easter time. We talked about their products and even some product development that is in the works.
Our time wouldn’t have been complete without a trip to their retail store. They had a sample of one of the Yum Yum flavors (which was Cashew Butterscotch). Then Bobby and I decided to fill our own bags with some Yum Yum’s to take home for future enjoyment. By the way, I should say that this chocolate is really good. It is smooth and creamy and delicious. Well worth the trip to Boardman, Ohio.
It was great to have a behind scene tour of the food group I love so much. I really appreciated the focus on quality they put into their products. Cindy said that she gets calls from people who say the chocolates taste just like how they remembered from the their childhood. Since Gorant Chocolatier has been around since 1949, I’m sure she hears that a lot. With a product this good and an owner like Joe, who interested in growing Gorant, I imagine it will be around for a good many more years. Golden ticket or not, I got to see what was behind the factory doors. And that was sweet!
