Whisper Chocolate will debut Qhepa, their new line of fair trade organic chocolates, on Earth Day weekend in downtown Geneva. A free in-store tasting event on Friday, April 20^th from 6:00PM to 8:00PM will offer the public a sneak peek at the Qhepa collection. The full product line will become available for purchase exclusively at Whisper Chocolate’s retail store at 444 Exchange Street on Saturday, April 21^st.

“In the Peruvian native language of Quechua, ‘qhepa’ means ‘moving toward a former time or position’,” said Jasmine Mead, co-founder of and head chocolatier at Whisper Chocolate. “The name honors the rich tradition of chocolate making in South America and gives a nod to a simpler era of farming.”

Featuring 65% semisweet and 72% bittersweet chocolates, all Qhepa chocolate is produced with beans originating in Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, or Peru, from farmers’ cooperatives that are certified organic and fair trade. All other ingredients are certified organic, and from local sources when possible. In addition, Qhepa products are packaged with biodegradable cellophane and recycled labels and ribbons.

Free samples of both Qhepa and European chocolates will be available to guests at the in-store tasting, along with fair trade organic coffee from Mother Earth’s Natural Foods in Geneva. The full line of Qhepa products, including bark and truffles, will debut on Whisper Chocolate’s shelves the following day.

“We’re excited to be the first artisan chocolatier in the Finger Lakes to offer a line of fair trade organic chocolate treats,” continued Mead. “We believe that our customers who desire a vegan, soy-free, earth-conscious alternative will be excited, too.”

It’s 2012!

A lot has happened in the past year here at Whisper Chocolate. We opened our doors on July 15th and held our Grand Opening on October 1st.

Perhaps the biggest thing that happened this year at Whisper Chocolate is when co-owner Linda was diagnosed with a brain tumor in November. Though we had to drastically reduce hours and production during the holiday season, you showed us support and encouragement. We thank you for all the kind words and support you’ve given us during the past two months.

Please be patient with us as we continue to struggle with finding the right balance here at the store. Our hours will continue to expand, as will our product lines and offerings.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and Whisper Chocolate will be filled to the brim with new chocolate bars, barks, and truffles for the holiday.

Thank you again for your support and understanding. As a small local chocolate shop, we’re blessed to have such a loyal and kind customer base. Thank you.

Here’s a sipping chocolate toast to the new year!

Thank you so much to all the folks who stopped at our store on our opening weekend. We know we’ve made the right choice in Geneva. Such a beautiful city with such welcoming people! We’ve got some exciting news to let everyone know about.

1. We’ve settled on our hours! Whisper Chocolate will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11AM to 5PM.

2. Please pardon our dust! We’re still working on the corner property at Castle and Exchange, so we’ve set up our retail in our kitchen space. If you’re coming by for a visit, please use the side door on Castle Street!

3. Like us on Facebook or give us a call during business hours to find out what the day’s featured products are. We’re creating new flavors all the time, and some perishable ingredients can only be on the shelf for a day or two. Put us on speed dial to keep on top of our exciting new products.

Again, thank you so much for your support. We look forward to expanding our hours and products lines quickly in the future, so stay with us!

Also, it’s not a rumor that we might be specializing in truffles. Stay tuned for news on our upcoming truffle selection…