Dilettante Chocolates, Seattle Gourmet Foods to become one

Dilettante Chocolates and Seattle Gourmet Foods announced today that they're combining the companies, keeping Seattle Gourmet Foods' president, Dave Taylor, at the helm.

The name of the combined company and the type of combination was not disclosed, and executives were not immediately available for comment.

Brothers Dana and Brian Davenport at Dilettante Chocolates will continue as executives of the combined company, a news release says.

"With the rapid pace of our growth over the last five years, we knew we were going to need a strategic partner to execute all our plans," Dana Davenport, Dilettante's president and chocolatier, said in the release. He founded Dilettante in 1977.

Dilettante operates from its original location on Capitol Hill and at stores in downtown Seattle, Kent Station, Bellevue and at Sea-Tac International Airport.

Taylor, who was once chief operating officer of Frederick & Nelson department stores, formed Seattle Gourmet Foods in 1993 to continue production of Frango Mints when Frederick & Nelson went out of business.

Taylor also has acquired other food businesses, including Maury Island Farms Premium Preserves, Paradise Farms Hawaiian Candies, Buckeye Beans and Herbs Soup and others. The company's Web site says its products are made at a plant in Kent and sold under the brand names of the companies from which they originated.

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com