Though you were unaware of it, you've probably eaten cookies made with Merckens chocolate. Any brand of chocolate-chip cookie sold in supermarkets could contain Merckens chips, O'Korn says. They are about the size and shape of almonds. But I can assure you that we make billions of chips a year, and they all have to go somewhere. O'Korn has to keep his lips sealed because Merckens sells chocolate chips to cookie companies that compete against each other.
Confectioners use the chocolate to coat the fine chocolates sold in fancy boxes.
Trying to stay ahead of the competition Tucked away in his fourth-floor laboratory, Jerry Huard has a smirk on his face. Some he can tell, but others must remain within the walls of the factory. He's free to unlock the simple mysteries of chocolate, but nothing that could give his competition the upper hand. The quality of new chocolate recipes is tested in Mr. Huard's laboratory. But from time to time he's called upon to whip up a recipe that tastes exactly like a competitor's brand of chocolate.