What is Bean-to-Bar Chocolate?
Bean-to-bar is the term used to describe chocolate that is made directly from the cocoa bean. While most chocolatiers buy bulk chocolate and melt it down to craft their products, we take a different approach. We meticulously roast, hand-sort, winnow, pre-refine, refine, conche, temper, and mold all of our chocolate in our workshop.
How Long Does the Chocolate-Making Process Take?
From whole beans to finished chocolate, it’s about a 4-5 day process. If we include molding and packaging, it extends to about 7-10 days.
Which Cocoa Beans Do You Use?
We use fine flavor cacao primarily from Central and South America, including the Dominican Republic, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia, and most recently, Madagascar. Most of the cocoa beans we source are Organic and Fair Trade certified. However, in cases where certification is not in place, we ensure organic growing practices and fair trade labor policies through transparent sourcing with trustworthy partners such as Uncommon Cacao and Meridian Cacao Co.
Why Do You Use Cocoa Beans from Peru?
Bryan and his wife, Dahlia, spent time traveling in Peru and visited the regions where the cacao is grown. Dahlia is the founder of Corazon de Dahlia, a non-profit in the Andes of Peru.
How Are You Eco-Friendly?
Our chocolate bars are placed in recyclable bags and outer wrapped in paper. Many of our printed materials use soy-based and vegetable-based inks. Our other packaging, including jars and tins, are easily reusable, so get creative. In-house, we have a recycling program, and our staff are very conscious about reusing boxes, tins, and other containers to reduce our waste. We also focus on local sourcing when possible, especially for our confectionary work where we highlight the bounties of the Hudson Valley by picking fresh raspberries from Westwind Orchard or strawberries from Greig Farm, for example.
Is Your Chocolate Gluten Free, Nut Free, Soy Free, or Dairy Free?
Although many of our products don't explicitly include gluten, nuts, soy, or milk, our products are made in a factory where cross-contamination is possible. For allergy concerns, our chocolate may contain traces of milk, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, eggs, soy, and sesame. We are in the process of making our kitchen entirely gluten-free.
Is Your Chocolate Vegan?
Yes, our dark chocolate bars are vegan in nature.
Do You Offer Discounts?
Yes, we frequently offer promotional coupons to those who follow us on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. For special inquiries about large quantity orders or custom events, feel free to contact us. We also offer a rewards program that you can join by clicking "rewards" on the bottom left of the homepage. Additionally, we offer a membership subscription program where you can receive chocolate on a monthly basis as well as ongoing discounts.
I Have Read About Lead and Cadmium in Chocolate. Does Your Chocolate Contain Heavy Metals?
Please read further on the topic here.