A local chocolate company who has received global recognition for its story of resilience and kindness is about to hit the big screen – again.
The story behind Peace by Chocolate, based out of Antigonish, will be made into a new animated movie.
Tareq Hadhad, CEO and founder tells our newsroom, it’s surreal to have the success they have had.
“If you had asked me 10 years ago, I certainly wouldn’t have imagined this all really would happen,” says Hadhad. “It is really, really incredible to have reached this level and also get the support of Nova Scotians… of Canadians.”
How it all started
It was in 2012 when the Hadhads lost their chocolate factory to a war in Syria.
They left the county, lived as refugees in Lebanon, then settled in Antigonish in 2016, where they were welcomed with “open arms”.
Hadhad says since, Peace by Chocolate has grown 10 times, selling products not only all over the country, but the world.
Why does it resonate…
Everyone wants peace and everyone loves chocolate, according to Hadhad.
“It’s as simple as that. Everyone really is looking for a connection to goodness, to kindness, to empathy to compassion,” adds Hadhad.
“Many people are always looking for positivity and optimism in the face of darkness, and they found light with our journey.”
The movie is called Shokolata, which is Arabic for ‘chocolate’ and is the second film made about Peace by Chocolate.
It is produced by Rising Tides Films in Hollywood with a crew connected to major projects like Madagascar and Shrek.
Hadhad says they are quite excited to tell a story about family, love and joy.
“The beauty about animation is that it gives you a lot of freedom to express the story in so many new mediums,” explains Hadhad. “Being able to change the environment, create the characters the way we want but also add some fantasy.”
What’s next
There are other projects in the works, but Hadhad is keeping them quite for now.
“We want to make sure that this is done right. But for the future, certainly Peace by Chocolate is growing nationally.”
