Did you see the story about Fran's Chocolates in yesterday's Puget Sound Business Journal? The White House is now offering custom-label boxes of this local company's extraordinary chocolates to dignitaries and others. Columnist Patti Payne writes:
“Fran’s Chocolates are right now in a drawer in the Oval Office, in specially created boxes doled out 
by the president of the United States as gifts to heads of state and other visiting dignitaries. You may remember we broke the story, when Barack Obama was campaigning to be president, that his favorite chocolates were Fran’s salted caramels. He tasted one and has been hooked ever since.
Now the story grows. Some time after Obama was inaugurated, Reggie Love, Obama’s personal assistant, emailed Fran’s and asked if they could design a special presidential box for the Oval Office. Fran’s made some prototypes and sent them for approval. The result: two small boxes, both containing a mix of the coveted caramels, some covered in dark chocolate with gray sea salt and others in milk chocolate with smoked salt.
One is a seven-piece box done in deep presidential navy blue, bearing Obama’s signature and presidential seal, both in gold. The other is a smaller, three-piece box, also in presidential navy blue, bearing the presidential seal in color. Both are tied with blue grosgrain ribbon.
Earning the loyalty of the President of the United States to your brand is a pretty big deal that makes a difference in the media and at the cash register.
