To honor The Bahamas' 50th year of independence, local confectionery Bootleg Chocolates is making a sweet contribution for Bahamians to sink their teeth into - the RUSH chocolate bars which include a confection of coconut and milk chocolate in a limited-edition gold Junkanoo-inspired wrapper.

The mother-daughter duo Daphne and Amanda Ormerod explained that they wanted to create something that celebrates and recreates the sensation of rushing in a Junkanoo parade.

"We wanted to do something that was quintessentially Bahamian and, of course, you can't get much more Bahamian than Junkanoo," Daphne said.

As the director, Amanda said she wanted to be intentional with the RUSH line's branding as it takes inspiration from the shapes and silhouettes found in Junkanoo costumes as well as the Bahamian flag.

She also noted that Bahamian graphic designer Jonathan Skinner was commissioned to ensure the wrapper displayed personal cultural touches.

As the owner and a veteran chocolatier, Daphne noted that she wanted to share the joys of quality, handcrafted chocolate while providing a uniquely Bahamian product.

Amanda added that though the company's name references the history of rumrunning in the 1920s, the Bootleg Chocolates team felt the need to commemorate this special moment in Bahamian history.

"Bootleg Chocolates is a nod to West End, my granny, the history, and the adventure, hence our artisanal chocolates, products, and their many flavors," she said.

"I used to say we always like to bootleg the flavors of The Bahamas to make our confections, and, in some fashion, we always celebrate our culture."

Some of these Bahamian flavors include sea salt, goat pepper, hibiscus, gully wash, and guava duff, which can be found in their Bahama Sea Salt + Toffee bars, TINGUM bars, caramels, and ice cream sandwiches.

Coconut was chosen to be used in the milk chocolate RUSH bar as the mother-daughter team described it as a Bahamian staple.

"The coconut tarts, the gully wash - there are a lot of products that use coconut," Daphne said. "The coconut may not be absolutely Bahamian, but it definitely contributes to our Bahamian culture and its image."

Bootleg Chocolates also launched a new RUSH dark chocolate bar.

"We wanted for people to have something that they haven't explored before, so we thought we'd put the nibs in the bars," Amanda said.

They said that the nibs or crumbled bits of dried cacao beans give the chocolate bar an added crunch while providing a variety of health benefits as a high source of fiber and antioxidants.

Amanda added, "We use a very high-premium chocolate which is very different from the type found in a store-bought candy bar. For example, our dark chocolate [bar] has 54 perccent, so that means in that chocolate bar you have 54 percent real cacao solids where, say, a candy bar might have 20 percent or less."

The two said the RUSH bars have been selling well and brand recognition has been increasing.

"I've had a young man come up to me and ask, 'Are you the chocolate lady?'" Daphne said. "He went, 'When I go into the store and see that brand sitting there with the Hershey's and Cadbury, I feel proud.'"

Amanda added, "People tell me that all the time, especially people from Freeport."

"I'd hear, 'Every time I see you guys in the food store, I'm proud of you guys' and those are the little things that keep you in business. It keeps us going. Making chocolate is truly a labor of love and that's what we put in our product along with our pride of being Bahamian."

The RUSH bars along with other Bootleg Chocolates products are available at Solomon's, Kelly's, Sawyer's, DeGregory's Fine Foods, Bakery & Wine, Sav-Mor Drugs, Chappies Pharmacy & Drug Store, and the confectionery's own location in Port Lucaya.

Their products may also be found in stores on New Providence, Exuma, Long Island, Abaco, and Eleuthera.

The price of the RUSH bar may vary from $3.50 to $4.50 depending on the retailer.

Bootleg Chocolates is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

A list of products, pricing, retailers, and updates can be found at www. bootlegchocolates.com or the Bootleg Chocolates Instagram and Facebook pages.

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