Helena Chocolatier is a family-owned premium chocolate company founded by Elena Soler in Ica, Peru, in 1975. For more than 50 years, it has specialized in handcrafted Peruvian chocolates, particularly the traditional Peruvian chocoteja, combining local ingredients, family recipes, and artisanal chocolate-making techniques.

The story of Helena Chocolatier began in Elena Soler’s home in Ica, where a family chocolate-making tradition developed into a recognized Peruvian brand. Her son, Fernando Panizo, grew up alongside the business and learned the craft from his mother at an early age. After graduating in Business Administration from Florida International University, he expanded the company’s presence into the United States with the aim of introducing authentic Peruvian chocolate and the chocoteja tradition to an international audience.

Helena’s signature creations combine chocolate with ingredients closely associated with Peru and the Ica region, including pecans, dulce de leche, oranges, pisco-infused raisins, prunes, and guava. Production remains closely connected to the company’s roots in Ica, with an emphasis on craftsmanship, high-quality ingredients, generous fillings, and the distinctive flavors and textures that have defined the brand for generations.

Helena Chocolatier has received international recognition, including a Superior Taste Award in Brussels in 2024 for its Pecan Chocoteja Bonbon. Its chocolates have also been selected for premium hospitality and travel experiences. They were served for many years in American Airlines First Class on international routes and have also been offered by Delta Air Lines, LATAM Airlines, and leading luxury hotels in the United States.

Today, Helena Chocolatier serves customers in Peru and the United States through retail, e-commerce, hospitality, airline partnerships, corporate gifting, restaurants, and specialty gourmet channels. The company aims to continue introducing authentic Peruvian chocolate to consumers worldwide and to establish the chocoteja as one of Peru’s great internationally recognized confectionery traditions.

The company summarizes its philosophy in the phrase: Award-Winning Chocolate - Crafted in Peru Since 1975.