Award Winning Chocolate Maker to Open Shop on Hwy 12 across from the Northwest Arkansas Wal-Mart Distribution Centers
BENTONVILLE, Arkansas, October 1, 2024 – Bentonville is about to get much sweeter.
It started about 2 years ago when Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) approached KYYA to tell them of plans to expand Hwy 112, potentially taking their shop at 278 north Elm Street, Springdale. Eventually, ARDOT confirmed that their plans were to install a round-about and our parking lot and access to Hwy 112 would be eliminated.
With that somber notification, we began our search for a new home and we now have a solution to a stressful situation. Kyya is in the final steps of outfitting a new manufacturing and retail shop in Bentonville in the former home of MidWest Equipment, at 5400 SW Regional Airport Blvd, in rapidly growing West Bentonville area. We were in Bentonville from 2018-2021 and excited to be back.
From our humble Elm Springs beginnings, we will have a location where KYYA can continue to grow and serve the public. The new storefront will greatly expand the variety of products Kyya can offer for sale, including our infamous 8,978 milkshake combinations and leveraging its own gourmet sauces and syrups for our updated hot, cold coffee and Italian drink menu. KYYA will continue to operate the Springdale location through the rest of 2024.
“We want to showcase the incredible diversity of flavors that can be found in chocolate from around the world,” said Kristi Boosey, co-owner of Kyya Chocolate. “We have sourced 31 origins to date and continue to evaluate new chocolate origins”.
We find that certain chocolates are better in certain products, like Bonbon, Fudge, and bar products. Kyya sells chocolate from multiple origins. Each country and region produce a unique flavor due to factors such as soil, climate and environment. That flavor becomes concentrated as a single-origin product, allowing the flavors of the region to shine through in the chocolate.
Kyya was the first “bean-to-bar” chocolate company in Arkansas. Where possible, Kyya works directly with the cacao farmers who grow and hand-pick the cacao beans used in Kyya products.
Rick started Kyya in 2012 after visiting Uganda with a non-profit organization. “We saw an immense need,” Rick said, “but the non-profit projects never seemed to make a dent.” On the way home from that trip, he considered the needs and natural resources of Uganda, brainstorming the chocolate company as a way to support the farmers and communities.
The Bentonville location is expected to have a Grand Opening, October 29, 2024 at 10AM. Kyya will be adding 6-8 team members to operate this new store. We have additional plans for 2025 to make this location a destination location for everyone in Arkansas. Our social media channels have directions for those interested joining our team.
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About Kyya Chocolate: Founded in 2012 in Elm Springs, AR., Kyya Chocolate creates hand-crafted, single-origin chocolates from 8 countries. Our social media handle is @KYYAchocolate and our website is www.KYYAchocolate.com
Kyya Quick FACTS
- Kyya founded in 2012 on an NGO trip to Uganda to build a chicken farm.
- Original factory was in a converted gas station in Elm Springs, Arkansas.
- New factory produces ~15 metric tons of chocolate products each month.
- Kyya operates 8 conches (chocolate machines),
- Kyya makes over 150 chocolate products including drinks, bars, syrups, brownie, cookies, fudge & bonbons.
- Kyya-branded bars include12 options.
- KYYA is active on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok as @kyyachocolate
- We operate with 20 employees.