Almeda (Weber) & John A. Rupp
History of Al-Meda Chocolates...
In the early 1920s folks living in the rural Northwest Ohio village
of Archbold, knew Almeda Rupp well. She was an outstanding cook who formulated
chocolate recipes into the most taste-tempting creations anywhere. She experimented
for months to achieve perfection. Her judges were family and friends. Word
spread throughout the area and by late 1924, Almeda was delivering her hand-dipped
chocolates door-to-door and was building an ever-expanding customer list.
This was the beginning of a family-owned and operated business that
has spanned over 89 years! Almeda's chocolate recipes are followed today exactly as
she wrote them. Only the finest ingredients and freshest nuts are used.
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The history of this small business is as rich as her creations.
The "Al-Meda Famous Chocolate Stix" recipe was formulated to satisfy a
son's request. Within two years she had created a tender chocolate-covered nut stick
that today is enjoyed worldwide. As time passed she developed the other pieces that
are offered today.
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Chocolate Covered Nuts
Al-Meda's Famous Chocolate Stix
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Almeda's husband and four sons worked in the enterprise that
started in the hamlet of Elmira, Ohio. Later, the family moved three miles down the
road to Archbold, population 1,234 (government census 1940). Son John and
daughter-in-law Mabel took ownership and ran the business with the help of Mom and Dad.
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Al-Meda's summer kitchen and store, circa 1940's, in Pon-she-wa-ing, Northern Michigan.
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Because of hot, humid summers and no air conditioning, the family
started making chocolates in a cottage at Alanson, Michigan, in 1931, for the prosperous
summer residents of Northern Michigan. Customers persuaded the Rupp family to extend
the business to Florida, where many wintered in Palm Beach County. In 1950, soon
after John bought the business, they moved to Boynton Beach, Florida.
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Today, Al-Meda Chocolates is owned by Brent and Diane Taylor,
cousins of the Rupp's. Brent's wife, Diane and her staff make all the delicious
chocolates. Using the same guarded recipes, Almeda's celebrated chocolates are
prepared by meticulous confectioners in the Rupp family tradition. The chocolates
you receive are fresh from her kitchen. There are no preservatives. We
suggest storing them in a cool, dry environment with a temperature of 67°F or lower.
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Contact Al-Meda Chocolates by:
If placing an order, please feel free to use our toll free number:
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Brent & Diane Taylor, Proprietors
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