FDA: French Broad Chocolates Recalls Bonbon Boxes Sold in 40 States Over Undeclared Walnuts
A labeling mix-up — caught by an employee, not a consumer — is at the center of this recall. French Broad Chocolates PBC issued a voluntary recall on April 23, 2026, pulling its Bette's Bake Sale Bonbon Collection in 6-piece, 12-piece, and 24-piece boxes with batch numbers 260414 and 260417 due to the potential to contain undeclared walnuts. The FDA has posted the notice publicly. No injuries have been reported.
What Went Wrong
The error was not in the chocolate itself — it was in the guide telling customers what they were eating. The tasting notes insert included with the bonbon collection incorrectly switched the Walnut Fudge and Peach Cobbler bonbons, meaning a consumer relying on the printed materials could unknowingly eat a walnut-containing piece while believing it to be peach cobbler.
A French Broad Chocolates team member flagged the labeling error on April 20, 2026. The company moved to recall within three days. For anyone without a nut allergy, the FDA notes the chocolates pose no risk — the recall is specifically aimed at protecting tree nut allergy sufferers, for whom the stakes are considerably higher.
Who Is at Risk and Where Products Were Sold
People with an allergy or severe sensitivity to walnuts face the risk of a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the affected product. That language is the FDA's standard threshold for mandatory action.
Affected products carry best-by dates ranging from June 22, 2026, to June 30, 2026, depending on the batch and box size. The distribution window was narrow but wide geographically.
Products were sold at French Broad Chocolates retail stores in Asheville, North Carolina, and online, shipped to customers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
What to Do If You Bought the Recalled Chocolates
The action required is straightforward. Customers with a tree nut allergy who purchased these products are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund, or discard the product entirely.
Those without walnut allergies are not affected and do not need to take any action.
For questions, French Broad Chocolates customer service can be reached at [email protected] or by phone at 828-252-4181, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET. The full recall notice, including photos of the incorrect tasting notes insert for easy product identification, is posted on the FDA's website at fda.gov.
