About Bedré Fine Chocolate & The Chickasaw Nation
The only tribally owned chocolate manufacturer in the US, crafting Belgian-recipe, Cacao Trace-certified chocolate in Davis, Oklahoma.
A Brief History of Native Chocolate
What we know as chocolate originated in Mesoamerican cultures thousands of years ago, when the cultures of North, Central and South America cultivated and revered the native cacao tree. Cacao beans were fermented, roasted and mixed with spices to create a frothy cacao drink, and “chocolate” is thought to be derived from the Aztec “xocoatl”, the bitter cacao-based drink used ritually by the Aztec people. It was believed to give power and energy to all who drank it, and was used in many religious ceremonies.
Timeline
Native chocolate & the Chickasaw people
3300–1500 BC
The Chickasaws occupy what would become the southeastern US. Cacao is used ceremonially by Mesoamericans, considered a gift from God by the Aztecs & Toltecs, and used as currency.
1500s CE
Cocoa reaches Europe
1540 CE
The Chickasaws experience first European contact
1800s CE
Chocolate becomes a food
1830 CE
Chickasaws’ forced removal begins
1856 CE
The Chickasaw Nation is founded
1983 CE
The Chickasaw Nation drafts a new constitution
The Bedré era
1985 CE
Pete Cantrell founds Bedré Fine Chocolate
2000 CE
The Chickasaw Nation buys Bedré Fine Chocolate
2003 CE
Bedré expands with new Pauls Valley facility
2013 CE
Bedré moves to current Davis, Oklahoma facility
2018 CE
Cacao Trace Certification
2018 CE
Pete Cantrell dies
2026 CE
New machinery, new website, additional capabilities
Original labels, early packaging and the Homer School storefront, Ada, Oklahoma
Beginning of Bedré
Bedré Fine Chocolate began as every chocolate company should – with equal parts dream and whim, backed by an adventurous spirit. That’s exactly who Pete Cantrell was. By the 1980s, he had been set on fire, crashed his own plane and pioneered his own oil company. Pete had one foot in the oil business and another in the arts as a painter, but in 1985 he decided to try his hand at chocolate.
It began with Pete selling gourmet nuts from his Ethel Ida Pecan Taffy company to Krön. But when Krön fell on hard times, he bought their entire chocolate-making enterprise, moved it to Ada’s old Homer school and chose the refined Norwegian word, “Bedré” (meaning simply, “better”), and started making his own chocolate.
Over the years, Pete invented all kinds of wild hair recipes with even wilder names. There were Cow Patties, High Dollar Chips, Chipwrecks, Chookies and Kilties. He sold gift baskets laden with his creations and even white-labeled Bedré’s products for the likes Bloomingdales from his humble headquarters at the Homer School.
A Nation Takes the Reins
No one can deny Pete had a ton of fun with Bedré through the last decades of the twentieth century, but he never truly set his sights on turning into Bedré into a nationally known brand.
That didn’t occur until 2000, when the Chickasaw Nation purchased Bedré, becoming the first and only Native American tribe to manufacture chocolate products on a large scale. The Chickasaw Nation has become a powerful force in Oklahoma and beyond, known for its thriving business portfolio including gaming, hospitality, cultural tourism and – you guessed it, chocolate!
In 2013, Bedré moved to its new, 35-square-foot home in Davis, Oklahoma. Since taking over ownership, the Chickasaw Nation has added inventive new products, gift baskets, white labeling operations and a strong commitment to ethical sourcing and sustainability with our Cacao Trace partnership.
Every ounce of Bedré’s fine milk and dark chocolate meets a rigorous set of promises before it leaves our facility:
Cacao Trace Certification
Traceable chocolate from cacao pod to bar or meltaway
Proprietary Belgian Recipe
The same, unmistakable recipe since 1985
Made by and in the Chickasaw Nation
Crafted in our Davis, Oklahoma facility
Best Ingredients
Local nuts, butters and ingredients wherever possible
The People Behind the Brand
Made by and in the Chickasaw Nation — Davis, Oklahoma
Our recipes are tried and true and reflect the time-honored tradition of the Native American peoples who first cultivated this divine delicacy. Inspired by our traditions, we've hand-crafted delicious treats that capture the artistic rhythm and vibrance of the Chickasaw culture.
We take great pride in our products and instill our cultural passion into every delicious morsel. Given our strong ties to our culture and community, we’re also committed to giving back to the land and people who support us.
How Bedré’s Chocolate is Made
01
Cacao Tree
The Cacao tree only grows in the tropics, and yields about 30 pods with around 35 beans per pod. Each pound of finished cocoa requires about 12 cacao pods.
02
Tree Care
These delicate trees live in the understory of tropical forests, and require taller trees around them to protect them from extreme heat. Rather than clearcutting rainforest and planting trees, through Cacao Trace, Bedré’s farmers use agroforestry principles to sustainably grow and protect these trees. This reduces pressure on existing resources, helps reduce soil erosion and protects young cocoa plants.
03
Ripening
Farmers monitor pods for ripeness and harvest each pod at the same level of ripeness to ensure consistency in the finished product. This can differ even among the same tree!
04
Pod Cracking & Sorting
After harvesting pods, they are opened and de-stemmed without breaking the cocoa beans inside. The beans are then sorted, removing any black, rotten or germinated beans.
05
Fermentation
Bedré’s farmers use fermentation processes which are optimized to regional geography and cocoa types. The beans spend about 5 days in a wooden box, covered with mats or banana leaves. The beans’ pulp naturally heats up and causes fermentation. Much like wine, fermentation results in the development of complex aromas and flavors.
06
Drying Off
When fermentation is complete, the beans are gently and naturally sun-dried for up to 11 days. This natural approach means no extra energy is used and no new flavors are introduced.
07
Roasting
This is what separates cacao from cocoa. Cocoa gets roasted low and slow, which reduces acidity, mellows out the flavor and evokes delicate nuances.
08
Separation
The cocoa solids become cocoa powder, and cocoa butter is extracted.
09
Chocolate is Born
After separation, our Belgian partner uses our proprietary recipe to craft specially formulated wafers, which are then delivered to our manufacturing facility in Davis, Oklahoma.
10
Final Products
Our final bars, meltaways, chocolate-covered snacks and all of our milk and dark chocolate products are fully Cacao Trace-certified and crafted in our Davis, Oklahoma chocolate factory.
Honoring our Heritage with Sustainability
The Chickasaw Nation has always had a deep connection to the earth. As stewards of our planet and all the lives our products touch, we believe it is our duty to help care for both. Across the Chickasaw Nation’s enterprises, we remain dedicated to stewardship, community and excellence. That’s why our milk and dark chocolate carry Cacao Trace Certification, with traceability, responsibility and farmer support from bean to bar for all of our milk and dark chocolate products.