Qzina Specialty Foods Builds the World's Largest Chocolate Sculpture

IRVINE, CA--(Marketwire - May 14, 2012) - To celebrate its 30^th anniversary, Qzina Specialty Foods, the premier importer and distributor of specialty chocolate, pastry and dessert ingredients in North America, has broken a Guinness World Record for building the largest chocolate sculpture. The sculpture models an ancient Mayan temple and weighs 18,239 pounds, far surpassing the previous record set in Italy in 2010 by more than 7,500 pounds.

Qzina chose the Mayan theme because of the crucial role the culture played in the origins of chocolate. The Mayans were one of the first civilizations to cultivate Cacao trees and discover the true potential of the cocoa bean. Realizing the delicious possibilities of this powerful discovery, the Mayans worshipped the Cacao tree and praised its beans as the food of the Gods.

Qzina's Corporate Pastry Chef, Francois Mellet, was the lead architect on this massive project and MOF Stephane Treand (Meilleur Ouvrier de France or Best Craftsman in France) lent his artistic touch to the sculpture's intricate design elements. Mellet, together with his team, spent more than 400 hours constructing this magnificent structure of solid chocolate that was created using an assortment of Qzina's leading chocolate brands.

"Breaking a Guinness World Record for building the largest chocolate sculpture will be Qzina's greatest masterpiece yet," said Richard Foley, founder and CEO of Qzina. "We studied Mayan pyramids at great lengths to create an exact replica of the Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza to honor the original chocolatiers. It was important for us to create something memorable in celebration of our 30^th anniversary and the grand opening of the Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry."

Extensive planning and research set the groundwork to accurately capture the details and intricacies of an authentic Mayan temple down to the exact number of steps and panels representing numbers significant to the Mayan calendar. Built proportionally to the ancient temple's true size, the solid chocolate pyramid is six feet tall and its base measures 10 feet by 10 feet -- exactly one-thirtieth the size. The sculpture's base alone weighs more than 3,000 pounds.

"It's amazing how far the company has come; from the basement of my family home to a key player in the specialty dessert industry," said Foley. "From day one, I've been as interested in the story behind the chocolate we source as the quality of the chocolate itself. We've built a rich 30-year history in the world of chocolate and pastry and I wanted to commemorate this milestone in a big way while showing our appreciation for where it all began."

The chocolate pyramid will be displayed at the Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry, located in Irvine, California, and will be available to view beginning June 4, 2012 when the institute and product showroom is officially open to the public (Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.). Qzina plans to destroy the chocolate sculpture on December 21, 2012 when the Mayan calendar comes to an end. The method for destruction is yet to be determined.

To see pictures of the world's largest chocolate sculpture, visit the Qzina image gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/qzina.

About Qzina Specialty Foods
Qzina Specialty Foods is the premier importer and distributor of specialty chocolate, pastry and dessert ingredients in North America, catering to the foodservice, hospitality and bakery trade. Founded in 1982 by CEO Richard Foley, Qzina has a rich 30-year history in the world of chocolate and pastry. The company's broad range of products is supported by a sales team of pastry chefs with an unsurpassed knowledge of product application and a unique level of industry experience. Qzina is headquartered in Pompano Beach, Florida and operates 10 locations across North America, as well as maintains a sourcing office in Belgium. For more information, visit the company's website at www.qzina.com, call (954) 590-4000, and "Like" them on Facebook.

About Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry
Located in Irvine, California, the Qzina Institute of Chocolate & Pastry is a world-class destination for chocolatiers, pastry chefs and food enthusiasts. The Qzina Institute features a state-of-the-art training center, demonstration auditorium, research and development test kitchen, and a Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Lab. Also at the institute is a showroom displaying Qzina's industry-leading brands where customers can select and order the best products from America's largest collection of professional chocolate, dessert and pastry ingredients. The Qzina Institute hosts frequent product demonstrations and presentations led by top pastry chefs and master chocolatiers. Weekly classes and a half-day version of the Bean-to-Bar Experience will also be available for food enthusiasts beginning in early summer 2012. The Qzina Institute is located at 9461 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, CA 92618. For more information, call (949) 208-8462.