State-of-the-Art Facility Takes Guests on an Immersive, Willy Wonka-Style “Journey of Chocolate”
Bitzel’s Chocolate, a state-of-the-art factory and educational experience, takes guests on an immersive and informative “Journey of Chocolate” when it opens its doors to the public during a grand opening celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 17.
The 7,000-square-foot factory, retail store, and attraction is the vision of chocolatier and entrepreneur Ray Bitzel and his business partner Dave Rose. Bitzel’s Chocolate offers chef-crafted gourmet confections created by celebrity pastry chef Sabrina Coombs and an unparalleled Willy Wonka-style behind-the-scenes look at the production process “from bean to bar.”
“We want our guests to enjoy what we think will be the best chocolate they’ve ever tasted,” says Bitzel. “And we want them to see what makes it so special. To see how it’s made, how the cacao is harvested, fermented, dried, sorted, all the way to the packaging—to get the full chocolate experience.”
The facility’s main attraction, which Bitzel calls “the Glass Chocolate Factory,” is the “Journey of Chocolate,” a literal trail that guides visitors through an artificial cacao forest as they learn about the growing and harvesting of cacao from farmers in Ecuador and Uganda. As guests follow the trail, they witness the cutting-edge, automated production process firsthand, from fermentation, drying, and sorting to bar molding, panning, spinning, enrobing, and packaging.
The retail store showcases treats including chocolate bark, chocolate-covered fruits and nuts, ice cream-filled bonbons and truffles, and molded chocolate products, all made from milk chocolate, dark chocolate, caramel chocolate, and ruby chocolate, a unique confection made from ruby cacao. “It has a tart, raspberry flavor, and as far as we know, we’ll be the first chocolatier to introduce it to the U.S. on a large scale,” Bitzel says. “We’re very excited about it.”
Bitzel’s also features a “Chocolate Theater” for special events like chocolate-making classes, tastings, and pairings, which also is available for private and corporate events.
About Bitzel’s Chocolate
Bitzel’s Chocolate is a 7,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, located in Suwanee, Georgia. The factory is the brainchild of chocolatier and entrepreneur Ray Bitzel and his business partner and co-founder Dave Rose. Bitzel’s Chocolate features a line of affordable, chef-crafted delicacies prepared while guests move through the production process in a true Willy Wonka-style experience. Bitzel’s Chocolate is located at 453 Northolt Parkway Suwanee, GA 30024 and is open Tuesday-Thursday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Learn more at bitzelschocolate.com.
