Business major Cody Vessa, 28, and his brother Addam, 39, started a chocolate factory.
Well, it isn’t the Willy Wonka chocolate factory people may picture –but it is a warehouse where chocolate is made.
Disillusionment aside, the brothers spend their time crafting dark chocolate bars for customers.
Brothers Addam (left) and Cody Vessa (right) founded Pinellas County Chocolates in October 2014 and are moving to a new location where they plan to sell chocolate directly to customers.
Their father, John Vessa, began Bottom Line Processing (BTP) in 1993, which designs and manufactures small batch candy-making equipment. In 2008, he branched out to chocolate equipment and is licensed under the name Cacao Cocina.
“My father designed his first chocolate machine (called a winnower) for a client from Hawaii. Before that, he had to shell Cacao beans by hand and with a blowdryer,” said Cody. “The Hershey Company saw the prototype and came to the shop to ask us to build a smaller one.”
A winnower crushes the Cacao bean and separates the chocolate nib inside from the peanut-like shell.
Cody said while he worked with his father, he helped people from around the world test the equipment. And though the brothers decided not to continue in their father’s business, the experience helped them meet the right people in order to buy the products needed to get their chocolate business started.
Cody and Addam purchased prototype equipment from their father to start the company, and in late 2014, Pinellas County Chocolate was born.
“We wanted to strike out on our own,” said Cody.
And the company is expanding, moving to a new location next month.
“We will have a new storefront, where people can come in, maybe drink a bit of coffee with their chocolate,” said Addam. The space will also have a window that gives customers a glance at where the chocolate is made.
At Pinellas County Chocolate, milk and peanut ingredients aren’t added in chocolate products. Co-owner and USFSP student Cody Vessa says that the method provides an interesting challenge, and it’s more inclusive for customers.
“We’re excited to move everything over and set up our operation,” said Addam. “If we can develop the equipment layout for the space, we can really put our own spin on things.”
To keep the business fresh, the brothers released two new chocolate bars at the Tampa Indie Flea on March 20. The market, held at the Rialto Theater, features over 70 vendors.
According to Cody, the additions contain specific Florida ingredients. One bar includes ground coffee from Tampa roaster King State, while the other has sea salt and Datil pepper from St. Augustine.
The brothers have forged business relationships around the Tampa Bay area.
Their chocolate is used in the Maven Milk Chocolate Stout by Largo-based brewery Barley Mow, and can be purchased at local St. Petersburg businesses like Locale Market, Bandit Coffee and the Old Southeast Market.
Cody said he chose to take pre-business courses at USFSP to get a better theoretical knowledge of how the business world works.
Though he said he enjoys the classes, he hasn’t needed to use what he’s learned in the chocolate business – yet.
