KTEN.com - Texoma news, weather and sportsFor the Love of Chocolate

For the Love of Chocolate

PAULS VALLEY, OK -- According to the National Retail Federation, consumers will spend an average of $126.03 this year for Valentine's Day. They expect total spending will reach $17.6 billion dollars! They also say men will be the bigger spenders and will spend nearly twice as much compared to women. With that in mind, we found a sweet treasure right in our own back yard.

Not only could it be the way to your sweetie's heart, but it's also a growing multi million dollar international industry that's about to give modern flavor to an ancient history and it's all For the Love of Chocolate.

The average American eats more than 11lbs of chocolate every year. Dark chocolate, milk chocolate even wasabi chocolate

Who comes up with these things? We do! You sit around and say "lets put chocolate on peas" and a big "chunk" of that chocolate comes from a little known sweet treasure right off I-35 in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma.

"The name Bedre means "better" in Norwegian, we think it's a name that suits us well because of what it means. So we take a lot of pride in making a better product." said Niclas Carlsson, General Manager of Bedre Chocolate.

Bedre Chocolate is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation, but it's more than just an Oklahoma treat. "We contract out with some of the big name high end retailers, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Hard Rock Cafe and also Ralph Lauren's daughter has a new up scale candy line in New York City" said Carlsson

Now with an international reach, Bedre Chocolate started as a little mom and pop operation, then, a way for the Chickasaws to diversify its reach. Now, more than a decade later, it's about to reach into it's biggest venture yet.

In the next couple of weeks, they'll launch a new line with a traditional Native American taste.

Everything from chocolate covered roasted corn to pecans, and an all natural fruit and chocolate covered trail mix.

"The natural part is important to us. We've opted not to put things in products that a lot of companies do. So for us to provide a product that's healthier for you and better is important to us. "

Bedre and the Chickasaw Nation expect the new "Champoli" line to become the latest international flavor adding to their already old favorites.

"The best product we have right now are the potato crisps" proving America's fascination and love of chocolate.

The Chickasaws started construction on a new chocolate factory. They're actually in the process of moving the Bedre factory South to Davis, Oklahoma. The factory should be up and running in a few months.

If you want to order any Bedre chocolate for your sweetie for Valentine's day, you can do that online at www.bedrechocolates.com