Zingerman’s Candy Makes Global Impact With Ethical Chocolate Sourcing
Announces new partnership with Ecuador’s Conexión Chocolate
(Photo by Jason Ujvari)
Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory, the Ann Arbor, Mich.-based small-batch confectionery, has announced that it will now source its chocolate from Ecuador’s Conexión Chocolate. The new partnership represents two woman-owned businesses joining together to make a global impact on ethical, sustainable chocolate production.
Founded by Jenny Samaniego, Conexión works directly with cooperatives of cacao farmers in Ecuador and produces its chocolate within the country. Increasingly rare in an industry dominated by massive conglomerates, this model preserves the cacao’s single-origin fine flavor while supporting the local economy. The company also educates growers on agroforestry best practices that protect the environment and the people living in their communities.
“That’s a big part of why we want to be working with them,” says Jamie LeBoeuf, the new managing partner of Zingerman’s Candy. “It’s really great cacao, and it’s really great people who share our values, doing business the way we want to do business.”
(Photo by Jason Ujvari)
Zingerman’s Candy will craft its array of confections using both dark chocolate and milk chocolate from Conexión, which operates a U.S. warehouse conveniently located in the agricultural hub of Traverse City, Mich. The partnership puts Michigan on the map as a home for women-owned companies leading the way in sustainable chocolate sourcing.
This major step fits into LeBoeuf’s overall vision for the future of Zingerman’s Candy—leveraging premium ingredients and handmade techniques to “elevate classic American confections.”
LeBoeuf to Lead Zingerman’s Candy as Independent Business
(Photo by Jason Ujvari)
LeBoeuf assumes leadership of Zingerman’s Candy after serving as production manager there since 2019. Born and raised in Michigan, she brings a wealth of confectionery experience. She studied with renowned chocolatiers, including Christophe Morel, Ewald Notter, and Jean-Pierre Wybauw, before relocating to Lebanon, where she ran her own chocolate business, and then to Kuwait, where she managed Al Kazemi Chocolate Factory.
On returning to Michigan in 2015, LeBoeuf launched J. Patrice Chocolate Studio. Soon after, as a longtime admirer of Zingerman’s and the leadership writing of co-founder Ari Weinzweig, she took a job at Zingerman’s Mail Order “to learn how we do business.” She says she carried those beliefs and principles—which she studied in depth in ZingTrain seminars—into her work at Zingerman’s Candy, and they continue to guide her today as she takes on the role of managing partner.
(Photo by Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory)
Originally founded in 2009 as part of Zingerman’s Bakehouse, Zingerman’s Candy has for the past several years operated jointly with Zingerman’s Coffee Company at the Southside Shops on Plaza Drive in Ann Arbor. While the two remain co-located, Zingerman’s Candy will now function as an independent business.
“This is an opportunity for Candy to blossom as its own entity within the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses,” LeBoeuf says of the transition. “It’s a chance to shine, to show the world what we do, to share our great recipes and the love and care we put into everything we make.
“We choose to be a part of the Zingerman’s community, alongside like-minded people committed to the same set of values,” she adds. “I could be a business owner on my own, and I’ve done that before, but to be able to partner with Zingerman’s is a whole other level.”
About Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory
Zingerman’s Candy Manufactory is a small-batch confectionery that’s part of the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses. Zingerman’s Candy celebrates the joy of candy with handmade, full-flavored sweets rooted in tradition, from classic bars to buttery brittles and seasonal treats. What sets it apart is its unwavering commitment to small-batch production—no shortcuts, no preservatives, just passionate craftsmanship.
With a small team of skilled candymakers, knowledgeable retail consultants, and dynamic support staff, Zingerman’s Candy combines artisanal processes with premium ingredients and playful creativity, inviting you to taste the difference in every bite. Each confection carries a spark of childlike fun and everyday indulgence.
In addition to its retail store, Zingerman’s Candy products are proudly available for purchase at all Zingerman’s locations, including Zingerman’s Delicatessen in downtown Ann Arbor. You can also find them in specialty food and grocery stores around the country, and they ship through Zingerman’s Mail Order.
For additional information or interviews, please contact:
Zingerman’s Community of Businesses
[email protected]
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