Peace By Chocolate is the success story of Tareq Hadhad, a Syrian-Canadian entrepreneur who lost his family’s chocolate-making business in Damascus to the bombs of war in 2012.
But he eventually made a much bigger impact with his confectionery from his new home in Canada than he ever could have from Syria.
Former medical student and peace advocate Tareq moved to Canada in 2015 following a stint in Lebanon aiding medical relief efforts. He was formally welcomed to the country in 2020 with a Canadian Citizenship, with a community-based sponsorship.
His citizenship story was celebrated because of his achievements in Canada during that time, which have continued to this day. His accolades include being a recipient of Start Up Canada’s National Newcomer Entrepreneur Award, being named one of the Top 25 Immigrants in The Maritimes, chosen as a National Hero Case 2018 by Google, and winning EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 as well as Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.
And it’s not just Tareq himself who has won awards, since its inception in 2016 Peace By Chocolate has also won the Business of Diversity Champion Award and Emerging Business Award, and made press in print, online and on TV all over the world.
Peace By Chocolate continues the Hadhad family’s legacy of making and selling beautiful chocolate, but with the added benefit that its customers are also supporting a refugee’s business which itself support’s other refugees.
The company is dedicated to hiring, mentoring and championing refugees at their own facilities, supporting other refugee-led startups, and volunteering their time and funds to help community organizations across Canada that work with refugees.
Not only has the company made the press all over the world, but a best-selling book called Peace By Chocolate has been written about the family’s story, and in 2022 a film based on the true story of Peace By Chocolate was also released in cinemas throughout Canada winning awards at film festivals on the way.
Tareq has met presidents and prime ministers, and is now a celebrated public speaker, appearing at events all over the world to share his family’s story of optimism, kindness and paying forward to others.