The mother-daughter duo behind Oak Cliff’s CocoAndré share their secrets to success

Fort Worth, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — Coco Andre’s sweets are made from scratch. Cocoa beans are imported from Chiapas, Mexico and brought back to North Texas.

Andrea Pedraza is the owner of Oak Cliff Chocolate Shop, which sells café con leche, cannelita, mezcal, and tequila-filled truffles.

Pedraza’s Mexican heritage has inspired the designs and flavors of her shop’s sweets.

Pedraza’s daughter, Cindy, remembers her mother’s first job at a Dallas chocolate company in 1985.

Twenty-five years later, when the recession left them both unemployed, they opened CocoAndré together.

“Her dreams and passions are mine too. I just want to see her succeed,” Cindy said.

Neither knew they were making history until Pedraza did a specific Google search.

“Her name! She’s the first Latina chocolatier in Dallas. I want to say it nationally, so I’m very proud of her,” Cindy said.

The business has grown over the years and has adapted to sell a full line of horchata during the pandemic.

“Indeed, we’re the first Orshaterrier in Dallas. It’s rice, cinnamon, milk…very popular,” Cindy said.

Today, the mother-daughter duo are using their business to build others and host pop-up events for new entrepreneurs at their shop.

“I’ve been fortunate to be a role model for young women looking to start their own businesses,” Pedraza said.

They say that chocolate has the power to bring people joy, and that hard work has brought people sweet success.

“If you love what you do, keep doing it,” Pedraza said.