November 14/Chicago -- A Chicago chocolate maker known for innovative flavors is paying tribute to The Hunger Games with its latest offerings.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat is selling a $225 Capitol Truffle Collection and $7.50 bars in its catalog, website and retail boutiques, while its year-old grocery store brand, Wild Ophelia, has a line of $4 bars sporting the emblems and coming in flavor combinations inspired by the 12 Districts of Panem from the young adult book and movie franchises. (Beef jerky and smoked mesquite and milk chocolate for District 10, which produces livestock; mined salt and milk chocolate for the mining District 12). The Wild Ophelia line is carried nationwide at Walgreens and Safeway stores.
The tie-in to Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire marks the first license for 15-year-old Vosges.
Vosges founder Katrina Markoff said representatives from Lionsgate approached her about designing chocolates themed for the movie. She created 33 recipes in four months and produced 500,000 bars for the film's release.
"It's amazing exposure for us; to have all these people see the brand," Markoff said. "It's a good fit because they're telling a story; and I'm a storyteller through chocolate. So this was right up my alley.
"Now, let's hope people collect all of the bars."
The Wild Ophelia bars representing Districts 12, 10, 7, 6, 5 and 3 are in stores now. Bars for the other districts will be sold in stores in conjunction with the DVD release in March.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire hits U.S. movie theaters November 22.