NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WKBW) — For nearly 30 years, Christine DeLuca built a business around one thing: chocolate.
What started as a small, home-based operation in Wilson, New York, became All That Chocolate, a specialty chocolate company serving retail, wholesale, and corporate clients across Western New York.
Today, that same family business looks very different.
All That Chocolate is now Western New York’s first licensed woman-owned adult-use cannabis chocolate company, operating out of a state-licensed production facility in Niagara Falls and selling products in about 90 dispensaries across New York.
"It's cannabis meets chocolate, because I'm the chocolatier and Justin is the cannabis end of it," Christine said. "So when he did come to me with that idea, the only thing I said was great, but we maintain the integrity of the chocolate. We don't compromise the quality."
That idea came from her son, Justin DeLuca, who saw opportunity in New York's recreational cannabis market.
"It's going to be a multi-billion dollar industry, and it's still very small," Justin added. "There's only a few thousand licensees, and there's only a few real chocolate makers. So it's almost like the sky is the limit, but it's also about getting in. It's like a battle for shelf space right now."
WATCH: Niagara Falls chocolatier transforms family business for New York’s growing adult-use market
They received an adult-use cannabis license last September and have been in production for almost a year. Christine says their decades-long reputation in chocolate, combined with their woman-owned status, helped them stand out during competitive application processes.
"It's really been developing a new business," she said. "It works out really well that we have history, we have a reputation, and I think all that helped us to get our license. Being woman-owned and having the experience, there was no one else that really had that same portfolio."
The company has transformed. Their lineup includes milk and dark chocolate bars, specialty chocolates dusted with Lion’s Mane mushroom, and a high-dose mini bar designed for smaller consumption.
With Valentine’s Day approaching, Justin says chocolate remains a popular gift.
"People love chocolate," he said. "It's chocolate season. Valentine's Day is coming, so it goes well."
However, these products are strictly for adults 21 and older and can only be bought at licensed New York State dispensaries.
All That Chocolate products are available from Western New York to New York City. A full list of dispensaries carrying their chocolates can be found here.
