South Bend Chocolate Company

Founded in 1991, the South Bend Chocolate Company has grown to 11 company-owned stores in Indiana and 4 franchise locations throughout Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. In 2023, founder Mark Tarner expanded his operations by constructing a new tourable Chocolate Factory on South Bend’s west side along with other complimentary attractions.   This development has attracted a farm-to-fork restaurant, a farmer’s market, the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, and other key attractions. The project is also catalyzing the development of trail systems to further connect the neighboring areas to nature. This development hosts various agro-tourism activities for visitors and provides amenities to an underserved, majority-minority community.