The South Bend Chocolate Destination Project involved constructing a modern factory and headquarters with expanded manufacturing operations, designed to include factory tours and an on-site early childhood learning center. Additionally, the project enhances tourism through a restaurant, an educational chocolate museum, a farmer’s market showcasing local products, the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, and a Conservation Trail connecting to nearby natural resources.
Located on a 90-acre parcel between U.S. 20 and a nature preserve, the project site offers beauty and accessibility. The project sponsor, the South Bend Chocolate Company, has a strong community focus, with a predominantly female and minority workforce drawn from low-income communities.
The project represents a significant investment in South Bend’s economic and tourism development. It created 144 new jobs, retained 125 jobs, and offered 79 direct construction jobs, with a workforce that is over 5% minority and 64% female. The financing is crucial to realizing the project’s potential to catalyze additional tourism-related development and revitalize the area around the South Bend International Airport.
The South Bend Chocolate Destination Project provides quality jobs with complete healthcare packages and wages averaging over $13.50 per hour at project completion. Entry-level workers from low-income communities filled seventy percent of these jobs. The project also includes a partnership with Bright Beginnings Childcare to provide critical early childhood learning services at below-market rent for 16 children of on-site workers and residents.
Environmentally, the project preserves approximately 60 acres of natural land and enhances access to nearby conservation areas, creating a valuable resource for residents and visitors. The project is anticipated to attract 150,000 to 250,000 visitors annually, with further investment of $40 to $50 million expected in workforce housing and hotel development, making it a key driver of economic growth in the region.