Calling all lovers of chocolate – this one’s for you.
If you’re looking for a new spot in Sydney to satisfy your sweet cravings, Adora Handmade Chocolates is the place to be.
The beloved Greek family business opened in 1993 after its two owners decided to turn their passion for making chocolates into a fulltime career.
In an interview with The Greek Herald, the co-business owners and sisters Tina Angelidis and Katerina Stavropoulos revealed how their business came about and what makes them so unique.
“I was studying a Bachelor of Science at university, with the idea of doing a master’s in nutrition and Dietetics, so food was always a big deal to me, and chocolate especially, was a big passion of mine,” Tina told The Greek Herald.
“When I left university, I got married and decided to start a small business making chocolates from home.
“By this stage, my sister, who’s a social worker by profession, was up to child number three and said ‘how about we do a side business together and support our husbands’. So we went from my kitchen, to hers, and we just started from there.”
The sisters opened their first store in Earlwood and have since expanded to a total of eight stores across Sydney including at Parramatta, Newtown, Oatley, Croydon, Quay Quarter Lanes, Wynyard, and in the Sydney CBD.
The name “Adora” was inspired by the Greek word ‘δώρο’, meaning ‘gift’ in English, reflecting Tina and Katerina’s journey of making chocolates as a hobby and gifting them to people, before forming their full-time business.
As well as being known for their iconic handmade chocolates, the Sydney sisters also make their own confectionary.
“We do confectionery, chocolate, gelato and cakes, which are preservative free,” Tina said.
“Our base for our chocolates is always a white, milk, or dark chocolate, but then we like to add all these different natural flavours to it too. We also have a range of 40 handmade chocolates in our loose range on offer that are available to purchase.”
Tina added that they also come out with seasonal sweets for various holidays throughout the year including Greek Orthodox Easter.
“We make our own tsourekia in house, and they are made with no preservatives, and I do one bake a year, making between 300-400,” she said.
What makes Adora chocolate so unique?
As a long-standing business with a loyal clientele, Tina revealed what keeps the customers coming back.
“We’re very particular of what’s been added into our chocolate. We don’t use any preservatives, it’s not high in added sugars, and everything is natural, and we still keep to that,” Tina said.
“Having that background of nutrition has allowed me to have the knowledge to be able to create good quality chocolate, where you can have one or two of them and you’re satisfied.”
Tina said their business also stands out due to their commitment of making everything from scratch.
“Even with our marshmallows, we use real fruit purees, and you don’t often get that,” she added.
Adora Handmade Chocolates are also renowned for their hot chocolates.
“Everyone says we’ve got one of the best hot chocolates in Sydney, and they’re always asking, ‘What’s the secret Tina?’, and it’s just the chocolate,” she said.
“We don’t use any added sugars, and it’s not a powder – it’s literally a block of chocolate that’s melted, and that’s how we make our hot chocolates.
“Every customer who comes in and orders a hot chocolate or a coffee also gets to choose a chocolate of their choice from our loose chocolate range to go with it.”
Working with family
Tina further revealed her experience working with her sister, Katerina.
“It’s a lot of fun, but it can also get very overwhelming at times as it comes with its own challenges. Thank God that we’ve got each other, and we’ve been able to sustain a good relationship after 30 years,” she said.
“I think it’s important that we prioritise a work life balance. To run a business, but also raise our children and take care of our families was one of our key things starting out, and we’ve been lucky enough to have maintained that throughout.
“I couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else.”
