The Sweet Life: Newtown Chocolatier Owners Donna and Doug Haines

Chocolate as a symbol of love dates back to the ancient times of the Mayans and Aztecs, when cocoa was used in marriage and love rituals. As time went on, chocolate gained popularity in Europe, where it became associated with courtship and luxury. In today’s Western culture, it’s a centerpiece of romantic gestures. One reason why this delectable delight is still considered an emblem of love is because its chemistry includes compounds such as phenylethylamine, also known as the love chemical, which mimics the brain’s natural response to falling in love.

The link between love and chocolate is what fuels Newtown Chocolatier. With 47 years of marriage and a quarter century working in the chocolate industry, co-owners Donna and Doug Haines have a devotion not just to each other but to crafting the finest confections. At their store, they specialize in creating European-style sweets using Belgium’s finest chocolate from one of the world’s leading chocolate companies called Barry Callebaut, as well as select local and international ingredients.

“We have been using Belgian chocolate for about 20 years now because it tastes so good due to its strict standards of using 100% pure cocoa butter for richness, superior fine grinding for smoothness, as well as a long conching process [to develop flavor] making the chocolate very creamy,” Doug says. “The chocolate arrives as tiny chips, which are then tempered and molded with care.”

All of Newtown Chocolatier’s chocolate is made on-site. “There’s a whole manufacturing area here, and the Belgian chocolate we use is a great chocolate,” Donna says. “We have the best chocolate around. We have people come in and say they can only eat our chocolate because it has such a different taste.”

A Delicious Venture

The Haines’ started their chocolate adventure in 2001, when they were in their mid-40s. At the time, Doug was a sales representative in the electronics industry, and Donna worked at a dental office. Doug was introduced to the chocolate industry by his father, who had moved to Florida and worked as a designer for a chocolate manufacturing company. When his dad came up to visit Doug in Newtown, they went to a local candy shop and spoke to the owner about the industry. After learning more about it, Doug thought he and Donna should try it.

“We knew absolutely zero about the industry,” he says. “We didn’t even know what tempering was, so we bought this tiny machine called the Little Dipper that can hold up to 10 pounds. We started making chocolate in my daughter’s bedroom after she left for college.”

Though early attempts did not turn out right, the couple persisted. “One day, I called Wilbur Chocolate Factory, where we got our initial chocolate from,” Doug says. “I got the chemist who actually created that chocolate, and he taught me everything about tempering chocolate, so that was nice of him.”

Doug continued to expand his chocolate creations by taking professional classes and getting more hands-on experience. His skills became so impressive that Barry Callebaut asked him to make recipes for their company. Once he and Donna had perfected their process, Doug would bring chocolate samples to his electronics sales meetings and receive enthusiastic responses.

One day, he sold 300 boxes during the holiday season and decided the next step was to open a retail space on State Street in Newtown. In December 2002, the couple took part in a Newtown shopping event called Midnight Madness, and they were in for a big surprise.

“We had no idea how crowded our store was going to be,” Donna says. “We had a line up the stairs, downstairs, outside. We were shocked. By the end of the night, we had nothing left because everybody had bought everything.”

After a few years, Donna and Doug moved to another location in Newtown Borough and opened their current store on Richboro Road in 2012. They say the best part of having a store is meeting so many great customers. Besides Newtown locals, much of their clientele is from Upper Makefield Township and surrounding areas, due to the store’s central location.

“We have people who are here every week, and some people come in and spend a couple hundred dollars at a time just for themselves to have chocolate in the house,” Donna says.

Doug enjoys seeing the satisfaction on his customers’ faces.

“When you make something really good, it’s very rewarding,” he says. “Most of the time when people come in for the first time, we’ll give them some samples, and we’re so happy to see them enjoying it.”

A Heart Full of Chocolate

According to the National Confectioners Association, 92% of Americans will purchase candy for Valentine’s Day, including 58 million pounds of chocolate. The Haines’ say Valentine’s Day is a popular time where chocolate-covered strawberries and heart-shaped chocolates are in demand. There are also newer trends of what people are buying for this holiday of love.

“When we started, it was all butter cream, and then slowly truffles became more popular,” Doug says. “I think it has to do with the sweetness, because the butter creams are very sweet, and the ganaches are not so sweet. Also, truffles are considered more elegant for Valentine’s Day.”

Chocolate is a treat that is enjoyed year-round. At Newtown Chocolatier, some of the top items are chocolate-covered pretzels, butter crunch, turtles, almond bark, and peanut butter cups. The couple also has perfected the shelf life of its chocolates with a secret all-natural ingredient—a tip from a master chocolatier at Peter’s Chocolate.

Despite working with chocolate seven days a week, both Donna and Doug still enjoy indulging in the sweets. Donna says her favorite variety changes from week to week, but she especially loves dark chocolate, sea salt caramel, and vanilla buttercream. Doug claims his preferred picks are dark chocolate lemon meringue bonbons and Newtown nips.

Beyond Valentine’s Day, the couple looks forward to continuing to serve up their delicious confections to chocolate lovers for years to come. “Our mission is to always seek new ways to improve our chocolate and offer the best to our customers,” Doug says. “I’m always working to get better all the time, keep our costs low, and try new creations.”

Donna believes the key to their long-lasting relationship and successful business is that they are both laid-back and have always been on the same page.

“It’s a fun adventure,” she says. “I’m so glad we did this together.”

Dari Kotzker resides in Bucks County with her husband and four kids. She has worked as a reporter in television news and print media since 2001.

Photograph by Juan Vidal Photography