Bissinger’s story began in 1668 Paris, France. As guardians of a legacy of European chocolate excellence, it continues today with the Abel family in St. Louis. “Our rich history of confection craftsmanship has endured for over 350 years,” says Bissinger’s owner and chief chocolate officer, Dan Abel Jr. “The Bissinger family's singular passion to handcraft the finest chocolate in the world still remains.”
Once granted the title of Confiseur Imperial (Confectioner of the Empire) by King Louis XIV, and confectioner to European nobility and heads of state, including Napoleon Bonaparte and the Rothschilds, the Bissinger's name has been one of the longest standing names in the confectionery industry.
Dan mother and father, Rosalie and Dan Abel Sr., started a candy company in 1981. The senior Abel had worked for one in college and decided to start his own. When Bissinger’s went on the market, the Abels decided to combine their knowledge of chocolate confections and family-operated business to purchase one that had more than three centuries of history with chocolate. “We decided as a family that Bissinger’s incredible branding history and premium handcrafted chocolates represented our own identity,” Dan Jr. says.
Bissinger’s has preserved its Old-World techniques using copper kettles and preparing the same timeless recipes, from the 1899 Bissinger Family Cookbook, in small batches with fresh ingredients. “Our goal has never been to be the biggest chocolatier in the world, only the finest,” he says.
In an age of high-tech production and immediacy, Bissinger's remains committed to high standards.
“We believe in finding the best ingredients, no matter the cost, and crafting the confections by hand in small batches. We are a large small batch manufacturer,” Dan says. “To us, a gallon of vanilla that costs $300 makes all the difference in the world, because it’s just that good. That pure, authentic vanilla taste comes out in the confections. There are no sharp notes, no after taste, no chemical taste of artificial flavors.”
Bissinger confections have been praised by European nobility as well as worldwide celebrities, The New York Times, The Food Network, Unwrapped and previous residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue along with ordinary loyal patrons for generations. The company’s Gummy Pandas have been sold in more than 8,000 Starbucks locations nationwide, and its chocolates in Whole Foods and specialty stores nationwide.
“Everyone has their favorite assorted confections,” Dan says. “We focus on getting the creams, caramels and truffles perfect. We purposely choose every piece in the assortment. There are no ‘filler pieces.’ Every one of those pieces is one myself or our family enjoy eating.”
Bissinger’s opened its first retail boutique outside of Missouri and Illinois this month with its new store in Palm Beach, Florida. Another will open in Nashville, Tennessee, this year. Dan says the company hopes to have at least four more around the country starting next year.
“Our rich history of confection craftsmanship has endured for 350 years,” says Bissinger’s owner and chief chocolate officer, Dan Abel Jr. “The Bissinger family's singular passion to hand craft the finest chocolate in the world still remains.”