By Karen Scott, Publisher

Energy drinks have become a staple for consumers looking for a quick pick-me-up, but how many of these beverages actually taste good?

Awake Chocolate , based in Montreal, Canada, offers an alternative: great tasting chocolate infused with caffeine. The company holds the honor as the top growing confectionery brand at Vistar in 2018, said Jordan Hedley, senior business development manager for on-premise consumption and workplace for the U.S.

“The goal was to present the marketplace with something that at the time didn’t exist and still really doesn’t for the most part,” he said. “We were looking to create functional energy products that were approachable and tasted good.”