Hello, welcome to our site! I'm Cindy Zakalik, the owner and founder of Chocolate Promises.

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Our Story:

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I live a sweet life, but not just because I have a great family, it's also because I work around chocolate all day. I've always loved chocolate, and Hershey bars were my favorite as a kid. You could say life was trying to tell me at a young age that I would have a future in sugar and cacao.  After all, I played keyboards in an all-girl band called ‘Sweet Envy’.  We played at parties on Long Island in New York from age 16 to 19.  

 

I went on to get a degree in mathematics from Boston University, but didn't love the actuarial field I worked in after college because pensions weren't 'fun'. 

 

After I had kids, I had a successful career as an account executive selling online advertising for companies including AOL. ​I worked 24/7 and I said "If I can make all this money for others why can't I do it for myself?" I also wanted to do something I loved, not just have a job. In 2012 I started Chocolate Promises, which combines my two favorite things: technology and chocolate.  I have a patented chocolate printer that prints in full color and in high resolution using FDA approved edible ink. My daughter, Melissa, worked with me while I still worked my full time job. 

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But, this business has not always been like a box of chocolates. After only a few months in business, Hurricane Sandy struck and in addition to having 4 1/2 feet of water in my house, my supplier was shut down for several months so I couldn’t get chocolate. We looked on the bright side, worked through it and got back on track.

 

After 1 ½ years in business, I left my job to run Chocolate Promises full time. Then my mom, Eileen, joined the team. For the next year, three generations worked side by side to build this business. Melissa has since gone back to her teaching career but helps out whenever needed. Mom is the hardest worker I've ever known and is always there for me, even if it means cancelling a Mah Jongg game to help me exhibit at an event.

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Chocolate Promises is a Certified WBE (Women-Owned Business Enterprise) by New York State, New York City, Nassau County, Suffolk County, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and WBENC. It is also an SBA Certified WOSB (Woman Owned Small Business). 

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Our Goals:

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Our goal is to help businesses, individuals, cocoa farmers, the environment and the less fortunate with our sweet solution to problems.

 

For businesses: Our custom printed chocolates with company logos are a solution to the problem of how to make a person/company more memorable. For example, chocolate logo-coins are used as trade show giveaways, in meetings, etc. by Fortune 500 companies to small businesses to help them stand out above their competition so that customers and prospects remember them. People eating their delicious logo is an experience that uses all five senses and makes their brand memorable. If people remember you, there's a better chance that they'll buy from you. Perfect as giveaways for meetings, conferences, parties, trades shows, for hotel turn-down treats, goody bag items, awards, prizes, holiday gifts, employee recognition and more.

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For individuals: Everyone wants to give out something that will make their party or other social event stand out and will add to the memories of that special event for years to come. We've got that! Use personalized chocolates for Weddings, Anniversary Parties, Baby Showers, Bar Mitzvahs, Bat Mitzvahs, Birthday Parties, Bridal Showers, Christenings, Communions, Confirmations, Gala Fundraisers, Graduations, Quinceaneras, Retirement Dinners, Sweet Sixteens, gifts and more.

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For the cocoa farmers: Our chocolate is sustainably sourced.  Farmers receive fair prices and training to improve their business while supporting the environment.

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For the environment: We offer eco-friendly packaging for many of our products and recycle whenever possible.

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For the less fortunate: We want to grow this business so that we can donate more chocolate to make more people smile. 

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Our Customers:

Customers include individuals, government agencies and corporations including  NYS Governor's Office, NYPD, Marriott, Westin, Holiday Inn, Trump International Hotel & Tower, Ramada, Red Roof, Capital One, Allstate, Fidelis Care, Deloitte, EY, Goldman Sachs, NYU, University of Delaware, Cornell University, Dave & Buster's, Planned Parenthood, Skanska, Tutor Perini, McCann World Group and more.

It is so gratifying to hear our customers tell us how amazed they were when they received their chocolates and how happy they are that they ordered from us.

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Our Customer Service:

We are very easy to work with and strive to provide the best customer service and to make you happy. We offer personalized service and work with you to make it a great experience.

 

​Custom printed chocolates put a smile on everyone's face - those that give them out and those that receive them. Makes everybody happy!

We would be excited to work with you to help make you/your company/your event unforgettable!