Business Daily Finding peace through chocolate
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Mar 6, 2026 Tareq Hadhad, founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, rebuilt his family’s Syrian chocolate business after war and resettled in Canada. He recalls fleeing bombardment, restarting production with community help, and turning trauma into a social-minded brand. He discusses chocolate’s power to bridge cultures, hiring locally, and keeping hope for Syria alive.
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Growing Up Inside A Chocolate Family Business
- Tareq grew up as the family taste tester while his father expanded Haddad Chocolate from a hobby into exports across Europe and the Middle East.
- His father used Syrian flavours like rosewater, pistachio and local fruits to create distinctive chocolates that made the brand regionally known.
Sixty Family Members Trapped In A Basement
- In July 2012 Tareq describes hiding with 60 family members in a cramped basement while helicopters and tanks bombed their neighbourhood for days.
- After five nights with no food or medicine the family fled during a one-hour ceasefire, driven by fear and his grandmother's calming words.
Keeping Joy Alive During Conflict
- Tareq's father kept the factory running during the early stages of the war because he believed people needed happiness more during conflict.
- The factory operated months into the conflict, providing livelihoods for hundreds despite escalating danger.