Peace by Chocolate’s P.E.I. themed “Who’s Yer Father?” bar features the provincial flag and a lighthouse on its packaging. Owner and CEO Tareq Hadhad said the milk chocolate and potato chip bar has become one of the most popular products at the company’s new Royalty Crossing boutique in Charlottetown Photo by Vivian Ulinwa /The GuardianArticle contentTen years after the Hadhad family rebuilt its chocolate business in Nova Scotia, Peace by Chocolate has chosen P.E.I. for its first boutique outside the province.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe Charlottetown store opened at Royalty Crossing on July 30, with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony held Aug. 10, the company’s 10th anniversary.Article contentArticle contentTareq Hadhad, owner and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, told The Guardian that expanding to the Island was about more than finding a new market.Article contentArticle content“Prince Edward Island has a very special meaning in the hearts of our family,” Hadhad said.Article contentSince arriving in Canada in early 2016, Hadhad said his family has travelled around the country, with P.E.I. becoming a regular destination.Article contentThey visited during the summer months, but also came during the colder seasons.Article content“We always found that the people of Prince Edward Island, they have such big hearts that they are sharing it with everyone,” he said.Article contentHadhad said his family saw values in Island communities that matched those behind Peace by Chocolate, like generosity, hospitality and giving back.Article contentHe said opening the company’s first retail location outside Nova Scotia in the city known as the Birthplace of Confederation held special meaning for his family.Article content Catherine Shelton, team lead at the Peace by Chocolate boutique at Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown, works behind the counter at the company’s first location outside Nova Scotia. Photo by Vivian Ulinwa /The GuardianArticle contentStarting again in CanadaArticle contentThe Hadhad family operated a chocolate business in Damascus, Syria, for decades before the factory was destroyed by an airstrike in 2012 during the Syrian civil war.Article contentHadhad said the war cost him his business, and he also lost family members during the violence.Article contentArticle contentThe family eventually fled Syria and came to Canada as refugees, settling in Antigonish, N.S., where they began rebuilding their chocolate business.Article contentPeace by Chocolate started selling its products at the Antigonish Farmers’ Market in 2016.Article contentHadhad said losing the life his family had known in Syria changed the way they thought about peace.Article content“Without peace, no one can go to work, no one can build a business, you cannot do anything,” he said.Article content Peace by Chocolate products featuring Canadian-themed packaging sit on display at the company’s new Charlottetown boutique. Photo by Vivian Ulinwa /The GuardianArticle contentSince its beginnings at the farmers’ market, Peace by Chocolate has grown into a nationally recognized company.Article contentIt now operates boutiques in Antigonish, on the Halifax waterfront, at Halifax Stanfield International Airport and now at Royalty Crossing in Charlottetown.Article contentHadhad said the company’s products are also sold through retailers and gift shops across the country.Article contentHaving its own stores, however, allows the company to offer more of its roughly 300 products and tell the story behind the brand, he said.Article contentAn Island flavourArticle contentThe Charlottetown location also has some products created with P.E.I. in mind.
Peace By Chocolate opens in Charlottetown, first location outside Nova Scotia
