DEL RIO, Texas—Five dollars a week just wasn’t enough allowance for 12-year-old Eduardo Lopez, so he started his own business.

Eddie’s OH’ Fudge, named after Ralphie Parker’s famous “Oh, fudge” line in ‘A Christmas Story,’ was created in early January to supplement Lopez’s meager allowance.

But, there was a bigger purpose behind the business.

Lopez hopes to attend culinary arts school to realize his ultimate goal of opening a New York City restaurant and puts back a large portion of his profits into a bank account dedicated to his tuition.

Using a family recipe handed down from his grandmother, Lopez quickly gained a client base at Premier High School, where he attends seventh grade.

“My teachers are some of my biggest sales,” says Lopez.

And though he says he hasn’t mastered the sales pitch yet “I usually just ask them if they want to try some.”

Lopez is seeing rewards for his efforts.

His business, which boasts a product line of more than 10 types of fudge and confections, has gained him recognition from public television station KLRN, which awarded him $100 and has him in the running for the $500 grand prize.

Lopez will also be featured on the station’s Biz Kids web site at www.klrn.org/bizkids, and could be featured on the Biz Kids television show, which airs at 5:30 p.m. on Monday nights through July 28.

The entrepreneur, who turned 12 on Sunday, handles all of his own shopping and foots the bill for supplies, said his mother, Adrienne Lopez.

“I told him if it’s going to be a business, it’s going to be a real business,” says Adrienne. “I take him to the store, but he picks out his own ingredients and pays for them.”

He also takes time to experiment with recipes until he feels he’s reached perfection.

Right now Lopez says he working to perfect his vanilla fudge, which didn’t sell well early on.

“It was too gooey,” says Lopez. “I’m working on it.”

Lopez’s determination with the business has also impressed his family and prompted an aunt to begin creating a Web site for Lopez’s birthday.

The site, www.eddiesohfudge.com, is slated to be up and running in two or three weeks.

Lopez’s success doesn’t surprise his father.

“He gets his mind set on things and always has success,” said Ed Lopez, who heads a tactical unit for the Border Patrol. “We’re very proud of him.”