An accomplished architect, Dean Bingham of Dean’s Sweets began his chocolate truffle-making career as a sideline. But in the midst of the economic downturn in 2008, he and his wife found some cheap space to lease up and decided to make the leap. Now more than 10 years later they have a retail and a manufacturing location in Portland, ship all over the world, and have been twice featured on the national radio program Marketplace. In the art of chocolate-making, Dean applies his design talents. In his business, he is committed to sharing and paying it forward. That’s been a formula for a successful growing Maine business.

All Dean’s Sweets products are nut-free.