Dorothy Cox Chocolates has been a SouthCoast favorite for nearly 100 years, but I was today years old when I found out that Dorothy Cox didn't create its own chocolate from scratch. At least, not yet.

Since 1928, the Fairhaven-based company had melted 10-pound chocolate bars purchased from a distributor and shaped them into things like Easter bunnies. Dorothy Cox would buy from three different companies and melt the bars together to get the signature taste we know and love as Dorothy Cox Chocolates.

According to Francis Cox, the company had never made their own chocolate from scratch.

"Companies like Dorothy Cox actually buy chocolate to sell," he said. "We melt it down and work it into finished products like chocolate-shaped hearts or chocolate covered almonds."

That changes soon, however, when Dorothy Cox will begin producing its own 10-pound chocolate bars.

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"We're actually going to be making our very own chocolates for the first time. The chocolate won't be made from the bean, yet, but from chocolate liquor, a type of baker's chocolate," he said.

Most remember Dorothy Cox when it was located in Fairhaven, but production moved to Wareham roughly 10 years ago. Now, in order to take this next major step for the SouthCoast company, factory operations will need to move once again – this time from Wareham's Industrial Park to Fall River.

The new 27,000-square foot factory and small retail shop will eventually be located at the former Save A Lot Supermarket on Griffin Street in Fall River. In addition to making its own chocolate, Dorothy Cox will become a supplier to similar businesses regionally and across the country.

"I've already got one guy from California that is looking to buy my chocolate for his store, so I guess we're going nationally," Cox said.

There is no target date set for the opening of the new facility in Fall River, but it should be up and running before the New Year.

Will Dorothy Cox's homemade chocolate taste any different? Will it taste fresher?

"It should," Cox said. "That's the goal."

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