Narrator: This is the oldest chocolate house
in New York City.
Exactly 100 years ago,
Li-Lac Chocolates began serving this butter crunch
created by its Greek immigrant founder.
Today, it's run by another immigrant
who's kept many of the original recipes.
Narrator: Anwar Khoder oversees the production
of over 175,000 pounds of chocolate a year,
and he still manages to keep it handmade and fresh.
New York City was a major chocolate hub
back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries,
with big brands setting up their headquarters here.
But many closed their doors
in the wake of the Great Depression
or were sold to other companies.
Li-Lac has managed to survive,
despite going through several different owners
and even having to relocate as rent soared.
Its secret? Maintaining tradition,
from its vintage molds to its tools
and, most importantly, the recipes.
Narrator: We visited the artisan chocolatier
to see how this New York institution is still standing.
At 8 in the morning,
a sweet smell fills up Li-Lac's Brooklyn factory.
In different corners, you'll see mesmerizing waterfalls
of milk, dark, and white chocolate.
The company prides itself
on making its confections largely by hand
and in small batches.
That includes the founder's famous butter crunch,
made the same way it was a century go.
It starts with sugar.
Anwar still uses a scale
that's been with the factory since day one.
Narrator: After working here for 34 years,
he knows most of these measurements by heart.
Narrator: He hand-scoops tapioca syrup into the mixer.
This is one ingredient Anwar updated over the years.
Originally, the recipe included corn syrup,
but Anwar says he's now opting for healthier alternatives.
He heats it all up so it turns brittle,
then add roughly 15 pounds of butter.
Narrator: To give it a crunchy bite,
he adds three and a half pounds of chopped almonds.
This layer of butter creates a nonstick surface
on the marble table,
the same one the founder worked with a century ago.
Narrator: The marble cools down the sticky mixture
while keeping it soft enough to shape.
Narrator: Anwar and his team only have about 15 minutes
to spread and cut the candy before it hardens.
One batch can make 1,500 toffee squares.
They shred fresh almonds into a mountain of dust
and coat the candy in milk chocolate
before mixing it into the almond powder.
Throughout the day, Anwar moves around the factory,
overseeing the chocolate production line.
Narrator: He says he's memorized
most of the company's 120-plus recipes,
and about 65 of them made it into a recipe book
that Anwar keeps in a safe.
Narrator: Anwar also added a few of his own recipes,
like for peanut butter cups and salted caramels.
But 34 years ago, he didn't even imagine
he would be running a chocolate factory.
Narrator: He moved to the United States from Lebanon
to study computer programming
when he was just 24 years old.
But he had to drop out after his first year,
because his family back home
couldn't afford the tuition fees.
Narrator: He eventually landed one with Li-Lac
just before Christmas of 1989.
Narrator: Anwar looked for opportunities
to make things more efficient at the factory.
In two years, he was promoted to master chocolatier
and has been doing the job ever since.
Narrator: As technology advanced,
the company had to adopt to some modern machinery
to help ease production.
Before, chocolatiers would hand-dip every piece.
But today, Li-Lac uses an enrobing machine
that can coat 1,000 truffles with chocolate in one hour.
Narrator: One of the factory's rules
is to never freeze its products.
Narrator: These tempering machines heat,
cool, and mix the chocolate.
Without them, the chocolate may look dull and feel crumbly.
Employees fill up Li-Lac's specialty molds.
And there are about 1,000 of them,
including ones shaped like Easter bunnies,
pizza, and soccer balls.
Anwar has some that are older than the factory itself.
These metal molds were made in the late 1800s.
Narrator: And his collection just keeps growing.
Narrator: Anwar never says no to a custom order,
no matter how challenging it may be.
Narrator: This giant turkey mold is almost 30 years old.
Anwar bought it to use as a window display
on Thanksgiving week.
A customer saw it and ordered 15 chocolate turkeys
a day before the holiday.
Anwar said yes, knowing what it would mean.
Narrator: Chocolate took off in the United States
in the 19th century,
when it became faster to make it using machines.
Many iconic brands like Maillard's,
Runkel Brothers, and Huyler's
opened large chocolate factories
in New York City in the late 1800s.
Li-Lac was established in 1923 by George Demetrious,
a Greek immigrant.
But that era of growth would come to an end
as the Great Depression loomed.
Li-Lac managed to survive,
but it hasn't been easy.
Ever-rising rent prices
have threatened the business for decades.
While Li-Lac shops stayed in the city,
Anwar moved the entire production
to its first Brooklyn factory
starting Easter week of 2005.
Narrator: Finding stable leadership
has been a challenge, too.
The company has had seven different owners
since Demetrious died in 1972.
Anwar's dedication to Li-Lac paid off
when he became part owner in 2011.
Today, he runs the business with Anthony Cirone
and a third owner, Christopher Taylor.
Narrator: Since they began their partnership,
Li-Lac has expanded from two New York shops to six.
But as the company continues to grow,
quality and tradition remain their priorities.
Narrator: They make their chocolate
in this roughly 9,000-square-foot factory
in Brooklyn's Industry City.
Passersby can peek through the glass window
to see how chocolate is made.
Anwar says Li-Lac does not make extra chocolate stock,
use preservatives, or freeze its chocolate to sell later.
So during its busiest occasions,
like Valentine's Day and Easter,
the team works to fill orders and keep its shelves stocked.
Narrator: They also started selling chocolates online
and shipping abroad.
But everything came to a halt in 2020,
when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Li-Lac
to close its doors
right before Easter.
Narrator: What Anwar wasn't expecting
was that soon after,
online sales would actually soar.
Narrator: Anwar's vision
is to make Li-Lac Chocolates the best,
not just in the city, but beyond.