HIDALGO — Money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does buy chocolate.
At least that’s what the sign said, adding, rather accurately, “which is kind of the same thing.”
As one enters through the door here at the Mozna Chocolate Factory in Hidalgo one’s stomach will immediately start to rumble and mouth begin to drool as the smell of chocolate fills the air. That sign sits behind you after walking in, affixed above a window.
A display of various chocolates from six different countries sat on a metal table Wednesday morning for visitors to taste.
For die-hard dark chocolate fans, this place is paradise.
The factory is located at 115 E. Brazil Ave. in Hidalgo. It’s not Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory but it is a chocolate factory, one where you can tour and learn about the tools and mechanisms behind the production.
According to Daniel Williams, one of two workers at Mozna, owner Anthony Matulewicz first opened the factory in April 2016. Since then they have allowed customers to visit the factory.
Williams explained that at the start of this year they hosted around 30 tours at Mozna, which is Polish for “you can,” promoting an optimistic outlook.
During the tour, one learns about the ingredients and seven-step process of making Mozna chocolate bars.
“We make dark chocolate only. We don’t make any milk chocolate because milk has cholesterol which makes it bad for you,” Williams said, adding that each Mozna chocolate bar contains 70% cacao and 30% sugar.
The process begins by sorting and sifting the cacao beans to remove any non-cacao materials from the bunch. Each of the beans are imported from six different countries including Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, India, Vietnam and Tanzania.
The beans are then roasted at 320 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour which then leads to step three, where the outer shell of the beans is removed and broken into small pieces before being sorted by size.
After the pieces are sorted they are transferred to a mill where after about five days the chocolate is liquified.
The mill is of German and French origin that’s at least 60 years old and uses large, granite wheels that resemble rolling pins — rolling stones if you will — to create friction and heat up the chocolate.
When turned on, it sounds like a factory because it’s grinding and noisy, and once the powder is added to the machine the rolling stones slowly turn it into a paste, and eventually a liquid. Cacao butter and sugar are also added during this process.
A buttery aroma not unlike the scent of a bakery is heavily present in the factory as the tour guide explained this process.
The chocolate is then tempered, a heating and cooling process making it easier to make the chocolate treats.
This is when it goes from machine to person.
The next step is to place the liquified chocolate into the designated molds, and this is where customers can make their own contributions to the production process.
During the final part of the tour, customers are allowed to make their own chocolate bars and even personalize the wrapping.
Erika Morgan, 46, from Mission heard about the factory on Instagram and took her kids who are on Christmas break to tour the business Wednesday.
“I had been wanting to come but we just hadn’t had time so now that we’re on Christmas break we decided to come by,” Morgan explained.
It did not disappoint them. Her children Wyatt and Ty, ages 9 and 11, respectively, looked determined when pouring the chocolate into the molds.
They decorated their chocolate bars with pecans and Rice Crispy cereal.
“It’s just something to do; get out of the house,” Morgan explained, adding that her favorite part of the tour was being able to make her own chocolate bar and taste the product.
Her favorites were the Venezuelan and Tanzanian chocolates, the limited edition peppermint chocolate bar which is seasonal, and hot chocolate.
Before leaving the factory she made sure to buy four of her favorite flavored hot chocolate discs and other chocolate bars.
Another employee, Maria Luisa Espinoza, also shared her favorite flavor, which she identified as the Tanzanian chocolate bar while Williams preferred the Vietnamese chocolate.
To request a tour, call the Mozna Chocolate Factory at (956) 429-3809.
