Emir and Elena Kiamilev grew up on different continents but from similar cultures. Their meeting is a romantic story, and that romance seems embodied in their unique “Amella” cocoa butter caramels.

Elena was born and raised in communist Tashkent, Uzbekistan. When the Soviet Union fell, life became challenging for Elena and her family, but Elena found solace in baking. Her delicious cakes became enormously popular in her neighborhood…so popular that she was soon able to care for her young daughter and her grandparents.

In a parallel story, Emir’s family left Moscow for the U.S. in 1979. In San Diego, CA, Emir experienced a vastly different upbringing than Elena. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University, and in 1992, embarked on a focused international business career that took him to over 30 countries. He ended up in the Republic of Uzbekistan, where he built a successful consumer products company – and met Elena.

Beginning as a small tea supplier, distributing established tea brands from Sri Lanka, India, and China, the company became the official exclusive distributors of confectionary lines from Nestle and Cadbury.

In 2004 Emir was accepted into the highly regarded Wharton School MBA Program in Pennsylvania. Inspired by the artisan confections of his past experience and the couple’s love for refined chocolate of all types, he began to identify business opportunities in the U.S.

In 2007, the couple enrolled in Ecole Chocolat’s Professional Chocolatier Program, where they learned the basics of candy making. Then, Valhrona Chocolate Factory in Paris and priceless lessons in artisan chocolates from Valhrona chef, Philippe Givre.

Emir and Elena became seduced by caramel, and it soon became their focus. Elena, the creative half with her history of cake recipes, introduced unusual flavor combinations – cocoa, creams, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and more. The magic moment hit when Elena decided to try a new take on an old favorite - carrot cake. Her “secret” carrot cake caramel recipe gave birth to the first Amella.

“We believe our lives prove that the sweetest part of any confection recipe is the right ingredients…and the right couple behind it!”