Bootleg dreams: The sweet taste of Grand Bahama
It’s hard for your mind not to wander when you hear the word “bootleg”. Suddenly, the year is nineteen twenty-something, and you’re drifting on the deck of a schooner, the salty air caressing your face, the midnight sky above dotted with stars. And you, with the secret knowledge that you’re carrying several hundred barrels of contraband rum, are hoping to reach the United States undetected.
Or maybe, like me, you’ve just taken your thousandth bite of the creamiest, smoothest chocolate this side of the Atlantic.
No matter how many times I’ve bitten into a Bootleg chocolate, the first bite never disappoints. After hearing the backstory from owner and Managing Director Amanda Ormerod, I’m not surprised at the reward brought by the familiar, satisfying taste of this homegrown artisan treat.
The Bootleg Chocolates origin story is as intriguing as its flavor range. Guava, hibiscus, and passion fruit remind customers they’re tasting The Bahamas covered in one of the world’s most luxurious ingredients – chocolate! The flavor profiles are crafted by Amanda’s mother, Daphne, co-owner and head chocolatier, who began chocolate-making as a hobby over a decade ago.
“I did it as a hobby and it sort of grew,” said Daphne.
They started by making chocolates for studios in Los Angeles, where Amanda worked in marketing and production. The confections were well received, prompting the duo to consider going into business full time.
In 2015, the mother-daughter team officially launched Bootleg Chocolates in Grand Bahama. The 1,400-square-foot café and chocolate factory in Port Lucaya Marketplace is now their flagship. From there, they produce thousands of chocolates each month.
The décor evokes the high-seas adventure of its name — a hand-painted sign here, a ship’s wheel there — drawing chocolate lovers into a rustic, rum-running narrative. Through a window separating the café from the factory, customers can even watch chocolatiers at work.
The name nods to the childhood of Daphe’s mother in West End, a settlement famous for its colorful 1920s bootlegging past.
On a recent visit, boxes of chocolate lined the factory’s back shelf, ready to be shipped by mailboat to Nassau, their largest market. Bootleg also services hotel and corporate clients, having started with turndown treats. They now customize products based on evolving client needs.
Bootleg’s ten-year journey reflects a drive to adapt and grow. After Hurricane Matthew in 2016, Amanda quickly restored critical air-conditioning. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, she led the pivot to chocolate bars, now available on store shelves nationwide.
Their greatest strength may lie in the chocolate itself. Daphne trained at the Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Montreal, and has since passed that expertise on to the company’s four chocolatiers.
“She learned the science and art of chocolate,” Amanda said. “Our chocolates are very well-balanced. We don’t use compounds or oils… we use concentrates and purées, so we don’t have all the preservatives.”
In 2024, Bootleg Chocolates opened a second retail/factory location in Nassau in the Ivory Plaza on Yamacraw Road.
Amanda remains hopeful. “I would anticipate growing the corporate business a lot more from that location,” she said.
In the meantime, each chocolate bar, each ganache, continues to tell a story. So close your eyes and bite into a Bootleg chocolate, and sail back to that dark, moonlit sea. Listen closely, you might just hear those bootleggers whispering in the shadows, making sure the coast is clear.
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