Honolulu County 2022 Small Business Person of the Year

Erin Kanno Uehara of Choco le’a is Honolulu County's 2022 Small Business Person of the Year.

Now known as everyone’s “chocolate friend”, it was never Erin’s plan to open a chocolate shop. Her dream was to make the world a better place by connecting people and investing in relationships.  Her faith led her to find a long-lost family member who taught her how to make chocolates. She is now living out a mission of “Bringing peace to our world, one chocolate at a time”.

Choco le’a began as a small operation in Erin’s home. In 2013, she moved to a 300-square foot commercial kitchen and, as demand grew for her artisan dark chocolate truffles with innovative flavors, she expanded once again to a larger kitchen and retail space of over 1,000-square feet.

Like many, her business was severely impacted by the pandemic. Through her faith, perseverance and grit, she survived and thrived! Amazingly, she published a book, created a membership subscription and collaborated with other local businesses to give back to the community!