Today we’d like to introduce you to Edwin & Katherine Jablonskas
Hi Edwin & Katherine, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in restaurants, I remember going to the first day of school and then right after going back to restaurant with my parents to help bus tables. I enjoyed it and always remember it fondly. Spending my childhood in restaurant kitchens I grew up loving to cook and enjoy food, even at home when i cook for my wife, I create a menu to choose from. Food is a celebration for me and a big part of life.
As a young adult I worked along with my father to establish AJ Chocolate House and as life went on I owned a few different businesses along the way, but my heart always stayed with chocolate. There’s just something about it that makes people smile and feel happy, which I truly enjoy.
My wife Katherine and I first met at AJ Chocolate House and knew we are meant for each other right away. So I have chocolate to thank for a happy marriage as well.
After we moved to the US, we worked on a few different projects and business, but kept thinking we should get back to the chocolate business and open AJ Chocolate House here in Orlando, FL.
A few years back we finally decided to move forward and here we are, enjoying a wonderful community of people who love chocolate.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
We always give priority to building relationships. And as we are not only a restaurant but a wholesale chocolate producer and supplier, we know it will require hard work to build successful relationships with other brands and businesses.
The biggest obstacle was to prove to big national brands we can create great products and foster successful collaborations. We just recently launched chocolate bars with Brother’s Bond Bourbon, the fastest growing bourbon brand in the country. And they are receiving rave reviews!
Another challenge was proving to local restaurants, boutiques, hotels spas and stores only enhances their offerings and creates an additional stream of income rather than taking away from their business. But now after a year and a half it has started to snowball and grow more than we have anticipated.
Now you can find our products all across central Florida and Georgia.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about AJ Chocolate House?
AJ Chocolate House is a European luxury chocolates artisan crafter, making the finest chocolates according to the quality of Belgian traditions.
It was founded in 2002, in Vilnius, Lithuania, over two decades ago. My father Algimantas “AJ” Jablonskas found a new passion in chocolate after a trip to Belgium and our small manufacturing started in the basement of our family home and a few stores in the city. Yet, we knew that we wanted to bring the best luxury chocolates for all to enjoy and we chose to use the best quality chocolate there is – Belgian Couverture Chocolate. In addition to using the best quality Belgian chocolate, we never sacrificed the quality of all our ingredients and craftsmanship, creating delicate chocolates, cakes, and desserts.
AJ Chocolate House quickly grew from a family dream to the chocolates every family wants to enjoy. As our shops expanded throughout Europe, AJ Chocolate House brand began to flourish into sought-after delicacies to the extent that our chocolates are now not only enjoyed as family and business gifts, but also found in fine hotels, luxury cafes and gifted as tokens of appreciation.
In 2023 we opened our flagship USA store in Winter Park, FL and have truly enjoyed the continued growth and the growing community of AJ Chocolate House Patrons and enthusiasts.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://shop.ajchocolate.com
- Instagram: @ajchocolatehouseusa
- Facebook: @ajchocolatehouseusa
