Are Dove Chocolate and Soap Owned by the Same Company?

Some people think of chocolate when they hear the name Dove, while others think of soap. Regardless of which category you’re in, you are right. Both soap and chocolate share the same name. But, are Dove chocolate and Dove soap owned by the same company?

Dove chocolate and Dove soap are not owned by the same company. Chocolate is owned by Mars, a brand that makes chocolates and cream, while Dove soap is made by Unilever, a company that produces soap and beauty products.

Read on to learn the difference between Dove chocolate and Dove soap, who owns them, and why people think the same company makes them.

Does Dove Soap Make Dove Chocolate?

While both products have the name Dove, they are owned by different companies. It is not illegal or improper for both products (Dove chocolate and Dove soap) to hold the same name. 

This is possible because two registered trademarks can exist with the same mark if each has been assigned to different categories of services or goods. There will be no likelihood of mixing them up or confusing them.

With Dove, one is associated with chocolate and ice cream products, while the other is linked to soap and beauty products. Thus, it is unlikely for anyone to mistakenly bath with a chocolate bar instead of Dove soap or eat the bar soap thinking it’s Dove chocolate.

So, Dove soap doesn’t make Dove chocolate, and neither does Dove chocolate make Dove soap.

More About Dove Chocolate

An American Greek named Leo Stefanos created Dove chocolate. He established the Candies and Cream Company that made ice cream bars to be sold in Chicago alone. 

The company was later acquired by Mars and changed its name to Dove. Its distribution expanded to various places in the US in 1985 and has since remained atop as a loved chocolate brand for almost a century.

Dove chocolates are available in different forms of candies, chocolates, cakes, and ice creams. You can also get nuggets with fillings, plain candy bars, coatings, and mix-ins Dove chocolates.

You can also find gourmet flavored chocolates. The chocolate comes in varieties with peanut butter, almonds, mocha latte, mint swirls, sea salt, and fruits like cherries, blueberries, and cranberries.

Are Dove Chocolate Good?

When the occasion calls for something rich, with luscious flavor and creaminess, Dove chocolates can hit the sweet spot. Dove chocolate is a tasty chocolate bar with excellent flavors and consistency. 

The chocolates have a silky-smooth finish and deep, delightful chocolate goodness, tastebud-pleasing taste, with an intensity like no other. It has an ideal melt-in-your-mouth and decadent factor without being overpowering.

Dove touts the chocolate bar as being made from the finest quality cocoa. They are then made using the conventional roasting, grinding, and mixing techniques from the cacao beans to the finished product. You can use Dove chocolates as you would any standard baking chocolate. It tempers perfectly, and you can add it to baked goods or use it as a ganache.

Dove dark chocolates are made with cocoa solids and semi-sweet chocolate, while the promises and silky singles bar contain pure dark chocolate only. Milk chocolate is the sweeter version and contains fewer flavonols and more sugars.

Moreover, Dove chocolates come in an array of holiday-themed candies, including valentines, easter, and Christmas with squares that are ideal for sharing. Besides, the lovely messages written on the inside of the foil wrapper will brighten your candy jar and your day.

More About Dove Soap

An American Chemist named Vincent Lamberti invented Dove soap. Dove soaps are produced from vegetable oils, synthetic surfactants, and salt of animal fats and are available in over 150 countries worldwide.

Dove soap is a rich soap that can replenish the moisture of your skin. Its moisturizing effects make it an ideal cleanser for people with dry skin. Besides, the brand claims that the soap doesn’t strip skin of its natural oils and can help reinforce the protective skin barrier. [1]

The revolutionary product has grown from a moisturizing beauty bar to a global personal care brand with various products, including hand and body lotions, body washes, deodorants, facial cleansers, conditioners, shampoos, and hairstyling.

Why Do People Think that Dove Soap and Chocolate Are from the Same Company?

People fall into the difficult-to-get-out misperception about Dove chocolate and Dove soap products. That’s because both products have identical product names. 

Besides, the name is written in a similar style and font on both chocolate and skincare products. Also, you will spell and pronounce the name in the same way (none has a twist in it). All this produces reasonable confusion that Dove soaps and Dove chocolates might be from the same company.

However, brand colors that appear on Dove chocolates are mostly white and brown, while brand colors of Dove beauty products are white, golden and royal blue.

Why Did Chocolate and Soap Use the Same Name “Dove?”

Nobody is sure why Unilever’s Dove and Mars’ Dove use the same name. A bird dove can represent peace, love, gentleness, and forgiveness, depending on region and mythology. This can be the reason why the beauty brand picked up this name and logo. They might want consumers to connect their products with gentleness and harmlessness.

Dove, the chocolate manufacturer, was also inspired by the dove bird. The early logo even included the image of the dove bird. This might be because birds are frequently used as playthings, so they are something close and familiar to kids. Therefore, they will easier make the connection with the brand and its products. 

Which Came First – Dove Soap or Dove Chocolate?

Dove soap was established in 1957 in the US, while Dove chocolate was launched as Dove Candies and Ice Cream in 1939 in Chicago. But, Mars later acquired the company in 1986. Hence, Dove Chocolate came before Dove Soap.

Keep in mind that today, Unilever (makers of Dove soap), is headquartered in London, UK, and Mars (makers of Dove chocolate) is headquartered in Virginia, US.

Is Galaxy Chocolate the Same as Dove Chocolate?

Owned by Mars, Dove Chocolate started being made in the UK as Galaxy in the 1960s. Typically, names are changed to appeal to various interests or sensibilities, but there isn’t any information about this brand name change. 

Today, Galaxy produces and sells a wide range of cakes, ice creams, and chocolate candies in the UK, Middle East, Ireland, Malta, Morocco, Pakistan, South Africa, and India.