Daniel Peter, founder of the Peter Chocolate Company, started his career as a candle maker in Vevey, Switzerland. When the use of oil as lamp fuel began to develop, he looked to other business opportunities. Coincidentally, he found himself smitten by the eldest daughter of François-Louis Cailler, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer who perfected the chocolate manufacturing process and invented the first refiner. Peter converted his candle making manufacturing facility and soon became a successful manufacturer of chocolate. Competition grew quickly and Peter realized he would have to work on creating a unique chocolate product. In 1867 he began experimenting with milk as an ingredient. Eight years later, he was able to market his new product -- milk chocolate -- after resolving one final problem; removing the water content from the milk to prevent mildewing. Peter was helped by a neighbor, a baby food manufacturer named Henri Nestlé, who was encountering the same problem in his manufacturing process. By working together, a solution was found. Over the next several years, Peter refined his recipe and began winning medals at world expositions for his chocolate creations. His highest honor came in Amsterdam in 1883 where he won a gold medal. Peter has since been hailed as the inventor of milk chocolate and the formula he developed is still in use today. In 1901, a principal of an American sales company happened to be in England and tasted Peter's "Gala" bar, as it was called in that country. Quite taken by the flavor, he arranged for his firm -- Lamont, Corliss and Company -- to be the North American sales representative of Peter's chocolate, all of which was imported. Business grew and in 1908, the Swiss Peter's Chocolate Company began manufacturing in the United States at a plant in Fulton, New York. Eventually, Lamont, Corliss and Company purchased the Peter's Chocolate Company, which became Nestlé's Chocolate Company in 1951. In 2002, Peter's Chocolate was purchased by Cargill, Incorporated. Peter's sells a wide variety of high quality chocolates and other products, including: Milk, Semi-sweet, Bittersweet, Unsweetened Chocolates (Liquors); Peter's Original™ White Chocolate, Breakups (Milk & Semi-sweet), Icecap® Coatings, Peter's Firstcoat, Peter's Gourmet Chips, Peanut Icecap®, Premium Ice Cream Coatings, Peter's Bulk & Liquid Caramel; Sugar Free Coatings in Milk, Dark and White. These products are sold in all 50 states and Canada by a sales force of 6 District Managers. Customers include: confectionery manufacturers, bakeries, candy craft supply shops, and ice cream novelty manufacturers. We encourage you to contact our experienced Peter's District Sales Managers to assist in satisfying your needs. copyright © 2006. Cargill Incorporated. All Rights Reserved.