The History of Dove Chocolate

In 1939, a Greek American named Leo Stefanos opened Dove Candies & Ice Cream on a Chicago street corner. One day, he witnessed his son chasing an ice cream truck down the street and decided to create an ice cream bar that could be enjoyed in the safety of his store. In 1956, he unveiled the Dovebar, an ice cream bar dipped in chocolate. In 1977, Leo handed the family business over to his son, Mike. In 1984, Mike took his father’s Dovebar to the Fancy Foods Show in Washington, D.C., where it was a huge hit. Orders began pouring in from all over the country and the wave of popularity caught the attention of the chocolate juggernaut, Mars. In 1986, Mars purchased the Stefanos’ family business and introduced the Dovebar to new markets. In 1991, Dove Promises — individual chocolates with inspirational messages printed on the inside of each wrapper — made their debut. In 2006, new Dovebar flavors were created to complement the beloved original. Dove chocolate bars were redesigned and enlarged in 2012, and in 2015, Dove Fruit — a combination of dark chocolate and cherries, blueberries, and cranberries — debuted. Today, Dove is one of the most beloved chocolate brands with fans all over the world.