Local business Paratrooper’s Chocolate Bar is inviting the community to celebrate their grand opening and partnership with local sweet spot The Sweet Factory in Fayetteville on May 1 from 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. at the store located at 2733 Freedom Pkwy Drive in Suite 6. 

Independently run and operated by U.S. Army Veteran and self taught baker Jazlyn Ortiz, Paratrooper’s Chocolate Bar is a business run on the love of the trade. 

Ortiz shared that she has been baking since she was a kid and when she relocated to Fayetteville in 2018 she began selling her baked goods to people in the area. By 2020 she was an involved member of the military community following a move to Westgate in Raeford and in 2021 she officially joined the military and was stationed in Fort Campbell KY. 

Now after leaving the military in August of 2022 due to an injury, Ortiz is back in Fayetteville and back to doing what she loves which is making baked goods and chocolate covered treats. Her most popular items include chocolate covered cheesecake filled strawberries, cake pops and one of her favorites dishes, her tres leches cake. 

“I've baked all of my life really and then I got into chocolate covered strawberries and I like dipping a lot of sweets into chocolate,” shared Ortiz. “I think what people are most excited about is the tres leches cake. I have a Mexican taste to the dessert. I know there are Colombian and Puerto Rican [versions] but my background is Mexican so I’ll be offering the faithful Mexican taste.” 

The Sweet factory will be offering Paratrooper’s Chocolate Bar products in store and the grand opening. 

“I'm thinking about having a few of the desserts and a little bit of everything for people to sample for free, and I'll have a little bit of everything to sell as well so people can buy some to take home,” shared Ortiz. 

She also shared that she is in discussion to bring her products to her gym, Anytime Fitness and a long term goal is to start a mobile bakery trailer so she can bring her treats around the city. 

“I just want to grow and interact with soldiers. I have a big respect for those that are still serving and Veterans. Even though I didn’t become a paratrooper before I joined the Army, I did name my bakery Paratrooper’s Chocolate Bar because I wanted it to be for the paratroopers here. I know they like to work out and eat sweets and I want to cater to them and their families,” concluded Ortiz. 

Learn more about Paratrooper’s Chocolate Bar on the Facebook page here and on the website here.