Who we are
For 75 years, Dobla has helped pastry chefs turn ideas into irresistible realities. Premium chocolate decorations, toppings and fillables - made to perform, made to inspire. Crafted for Chefs, loved by Clients.
75 Years of the Dobla Touch
Founded in 1950, Dobla is a global leader in premium chocolate decorations, toppings and fillables (chocolate cups). We partner with the world’s best pastry chefs to turn ideas into irresistible desserts, through precision-crafted design, consistent quality and effortless application. We bring creativity to life, piece by piece, cup by cup. Wherever you are, we deliver performance you can trust. That’s the Dobla Touch.
Our story began in 1950, in Alkmaar.
Jan Willem Dontje (1921–1988) and Geertje Leentje Blank (1927–2010) opened a small wholesale business for bakery ingredients, operating initially from their home. The business quickly expanded, moving to Bierkade in Alkmaar, where Geertje began producing chocolate mold work and decorative pieces, marking the beginning of what would become Dobla’s specialty.
By the late 1980s, Dobla had grown into a thriving company, now based in Kitmanstraat. When Jan Willem passed away in 1988, his son Arthur Dontje (born 1959) took over the reins of the business. But just a year later, on November 16, 1989, disaster struck: a devastating fire destroyed the factory. What had been built with passion and vision now seemed lost overnight.
A new beginning. A global vision.
Where others might have seen the end, Arthur Dontje saw opportunity. After the fire, he decided to sell the wholesale business, Holland Food Center, and left Alkmaar to start anew. In 1991, a new, larger factory was built in Heerhugowaard, marking the start of a dynamic phase of international growth.
New production sites followed: Kessel in Belgium (1998), Duluth, GA in the United States (2005), and a logistics hub in Meer, Belgium (2006). In 2011, Dobla expanded to Asia with the opening of a factory in Vung Tau, Vietnam, dedicated to hand-crafted chocolate decorations and home to the Dobla Pacific Pastry Academy, a training center for professionals.
That same year, a tribute to the company’s founders was unveiled in Dobla’s flagship store in Alkmaar, where the portraits of Geertje and Jan Dontje were placed in a position of honor. In 2013, the Dobla Museum was inaugurated at the same site, celebrating the journey that transformed a home-based business into a global leader in chocolate decorations in just over six decades.
75 years of chocolate creativity
Since 1950, Dobla has transformed a small family business into a global leader in premium chocolate decorations. With a legacy built on innovation, craftsmanship, and inspiration, we’ve spent 75 years supporting pastry professionals in bringing their ideas to life.
In 2025, we proudly celebrate this milestone by looking to the future, continuing to elevate creativity, one decoration at a time. That’s the Dobla touch.
The Dobla touch
At Dobla, we believe that every sweet moment of indulgence should not only taste exceptional, but also look irresistible, because consumers buy with all their senses.
That’s why it is our passion and mission to help our customers create exciting experiences for their clients through our irresistible chocolate creations.
From versatile essentials to distinctive designs and stunning signature pieces, Dobla delivers high-quality chocolate decoration solutions that inspire creativity, elevate visual appeal, and enrich every experience.
That’s the Dobla Touch.
Our Chefs
Meet the pastry artists who inspire, innovate, and bring Dobla creations to life. Discover their stories, their passion, and how they transform chocolate decorations into unforgettable experiences.
Our values
At Dobla, we believe chocolate is more than taste. It is vision, imagination and trust. Our values guide everything we do: setting ambitious goals, embracing creativity, building reliability and forging our own independent path. They shape how we work with chefs, partners and young talent worldwide, inspiring excellence today and shaping the future of pastry tomorrow.
Pushing further
Ambitious
We set the bar high. Always pushing boundaries to be better, faster, smarter, and more beautiful.
Creative
Creativity runs in our veins. From products to ideas, we surprise and inspire, again and again.
Trust and vision
Reliable
A deal is a deal. We deliver on our word, every time. Chefs and partners know they can count on us.
Independent
We make our own path. With courage, vision, and drive, we explore new horizons and reshape our industry.
The Dobla spirit
We believe in creativity. That is why we proudly sponsor the Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie, supporting the world’s most visionary chefs.
We believe in evolution - passing knowledge forward, nurturing young talent, and collaborating with schools to ignite the ideas of tomorrow.
Discover The Signature Collection - a curated world of authentic ingredients empowering the extraordinary, inspiring culinary creators, and helping chefs craft their own signature stories.