American, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Makers: A Complete List

Hi all,Can anyone confirm that they KNOW that Mast Brothers are actually manufacturing chocolate from bean to bar. Several things I have seen here and there have made me really doubt it. I would like to be sure. Thanks for your help!Fortnum

I have spoken with the Mast Brothers. They were up front with me that some of their chocolate they make and some they do not. If you ask them specifically, they will tell you which is which but unfortunately, it isn't always very clear from their advertising / statements that some of their chocolate is made elsewhere or is a blend.They are using Santha class machines.Nice guys.-Art

I will be visiting the Brothers next week. Excited to meet them and see their shop/factory.

Hi again!The visit went very well -- check out my blog entries if you want to see more: http://drexeliuschocolates.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/mast-brothers-chocolate-i/ http://drexeliuschocolates.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/mast-brothers-chocolate-ii/

You're missing Cacao in Atlanta, which is a bean-to-bar boutique run by Kristin Hard.

Last time I talked to Kristen, the bean-to-bar side of her operation, which as I recall includes some non-bean-to-bar items as well, wasn't yet up and running. She told me that she would get back to me when it was, and I haven't yet heard anything from her.

you can add us to the list. we have made 4 outstanding chocolates from beans from venezuela, DR, and ecuador....all used in bon bons in out store....another shark in the pool....

Hi everyone,I'm not the boss of the list or anything, so please feel free to add new companies to the list at will (just copy, paste, and add a company). For the sake of everyone who cares, just please make sure that they really belong there.Best,Alan

"All of our chocolates are made with a proprietary blend of organic couvertures." From your website.Are you bean to bar or do you blend couverture? If you are making it from the bean, I think you might want to make that clearer on your site. Just a suggestion. Andrea

andrea,it is not on our website for a reason. we just started it and have only slowly allowed the public who walks into our store the opportunity to try and buy. I have no intention of selling our bean to bar on our website at this current time. I need a new SKU like I need another hole in my head. besides, I went through 10 metric tons of couverture last year...I am not going to be able to ever make that kind of quantity.jeff

Just so everyone knows, Jenn Harn is a PR rep for Dove.

I figured as muchhey cybele....we made a new bar and I thought of you...its called;"DO NOT EAT THIS CHOCOLATE!"

Dove Chocolate is crafted from "bean to bar." Dove uses specially selected cocoa beans to deliver the signature taste, a special process that produces the signature silky smooth texture, and thoughtfully designed chocolate shapes and packaging to provide a chocolate experience like no other.-Jenn, Dove Team

This surprises me to hear that Dove is bean-to-bar. Is anyone else surprised by this as well?

It all depends on what your definition of "bean to bar" is. I think most people think that in order to be bean to bar you have to be a small producer. You don't.Dove (which is sold under the Galaxy name in the UK) is a Mars brand. So somewhere there is a Mars/Dove factory (or factories) where beans are processed to produce chocolate that gets wrapped in Dove wrappers for sale to consumers. That's bean to bar.Bean to bar is a process description not a quality metric.Now, Hershey no longer processes beans, they buy liquor. So they're not bean to bar. Callebaut deposits large bars of chocolate mostly used by professionals. So they are a bean to bar company.I think that there are other process labels - "artisan" and "craft" are really applicable to smaller scale production and are more useful and usable than bean to bar has become.


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

Regarding Kakawa Chocolate House, as the creator and former owner of Kakawa I can truthfully say that I was not a bean to bar chocolate maker. I used a blend of several different chocolates to make my moulded dark chocolate. I can safely say the the current owner is not, nor will he ever be, a chocolate historian, nor a chocolatier and will never be able to make chocolate bean to bar.I may at some point in the future make my own chocolate bean to bar but have no idea when. I may make chocolate nib to bar sooner, but will be buying already roasted nibs. What would that make me? Chocolatier is fine with me.

Kristen Hard, owner and Master Chocolate Maker of Cacao in Atlanta, Georgia, needs to be added to this list. She has been making her own chocolate since the beginning of 2009 and is the first female bean to bar producer in the U.S..

Feel free to add her.

This is the link .


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

updated by @clay: 09/12/15 02:45:26AM

I'm adding the following:Fresco, http://frescochocolate.com/default.aspx Founder Rob Anderson in Bellingham, WA, started producing approx. Nov. 2008Black Mountain Chocolate, http://www.blackmountainchocolate.com/ Founder David Mason, North CarolinaOlive and Sinclair, http://www.oliveandsinclair.com/ Founders David Sellers and Scott Witherow, started producing August 2009I see Soma is added to the list. Do we want to make it a North American list? Then I suppose we should include Choklat. I am not adding, but am eagerly awaiting bean to bar from this Canadian chocolatier, soon to be chocolate maker:Wild Sweets Origin, http://www.dcduby.com/chocolate/bean-to-bar.php Founders Dominique and Cindy Duby, Richmond BC, CanadaBradyUpdated List:Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some micro-batch bars)Black MountainBlommer Chocolate CompanyCioccolato (located in Wyoming and Mexico--bean-to-bonbon)De Vries ChocolateDe Zaan (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Escazu Chocolates (just starting to release a bean-to-bar line)Fearless Chocolate Company (raw)FrescoGhirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardJacques TorresKraft (German-owned)MarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Nestle (Swiss-owned)Olive and SinclairOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)Patric ChocolatePeters (Cargill-owned, bean-to-couverture)Rogue ChocolatierSacred Chocolate (raw)Scharffen BergerSoma Chocolatemaker (actually in Canada)TazaTchoTheoVan Leer (Belgian-owned)Wilbur (Cargill-owned, bean-to-bar)World's Finest Chocolate

Hello everyone I am new to this so forgive me as I dive in here. Not to get of the subject here but I have another question about the "business". What is the best way start a small chocolate business. I mean without jumping into loans and all that? I mean we want to start in our kitchen at first. To start building capitol and to develope a reputation. I mean you guys seem to really know your stuff PLEASE help? Thank you so much!

There are lots of discussions on this topic so I'd appreciate NOT getting off-topic in this discussion. I'd recommend joining the group Startup Central and asking the question there.PLEASE everyone, do not answer this question in this discussion.


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

Hi!Lulu's Chocolate (also Lulu's Raw Chocolate Alchemy) is doing a line of bean-to-bar stone ground bars. www.luluschocolate.com The bars aren't on her website, but we carry one variety where I work (Alma Chocolate, Portland, Or.) and I've seen them at co-ops around town. Last I heard she was keeping production small, but that could be different now/future.They're delicious and made with coconut sugar! There were four or five flavors, I believe.

Clay, the link for your database didn't work (you mentioned on page 4 of this discussion)--am I right in that it's now defunct?Updated List:Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some micro-batch bars)Black MountainBlommer Chocolate CompanyCioccolato (located in Wyoming and Mexico--bean-to-bonbon)De Vries ChocolateDe Zaan (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Escazu Chocolates (just starting to release a bean-to-bar line)Fearless Chocolate Company (raw)FrescoGhirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardJacques TorresKraft (German-owned)Lulu's ChocolateMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Nestle (Swiss-owned)Olive and SinclairOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)Patric ChocolatePeters (Cargill-owned, bean-to-couverture)Rogue ChocolatierSacred Chocolate (raw)Scharffen BergerSoma Chocolatemaker (actually in Canada)TazaTchoTheoVan Leer (Belgian-owned)Wilbur (Cargill-owned, bean-to-bar)World's Finest Chocolate

I added the updated link to the Home Page. For convenience it is here too.


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

I've attached 2 lists.1) A list from TCL of all the bean to bar makers. I've got a couple that aren't on the list above.2) A list of U.S. bean to bar makers only. (I just deleted everyone on the first list that isn't in the U.S.)Personally, I think it's easier to just maintain one list.Unfortunately, the TCL database still has very limited usefulness. Until the data can be printed, and until various reports can created from it, and queries made, it's not as useful as it could be. It's nice to have a definitive list in one place, though. I'd really like to be able to download all the data so that I have it for my own use, though (preferably in MS Access format).

Here's my U.S. list:AmanoAmbrosiaAskinosieBittersweet CafeBlack Mountain ChocolateBlommerChocolate HavenCioccolatoDeVriesDe ZaanEscazu ChocolatesFearless ChocolatesFrescoGarden Island ChocolateGhirardelliGuittardJacques TorresKraft ??Lillie Belle FarmsLulu's ChocolateMarsMast BrothersMerkensNestleOlive and SinclairOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate FactoryPatric ChocolatePetersRogue ChocolatierSacred ChocolateScharffen BergerSeeds of ChangeTazaTheoVan LeerWilburWorld's Finest Chocolate

I share your sintiments somewhat, I am very curious and is excited about who does whar myself.

HiStirs the Soul Raw Chocolate Co. in Portland OR. is " Bean to Bar"

you can TCHO to the US list of bean-to-bar manufacturers! thanks!

Nina:Actually, there's some question in this forum and elsewhere as to whether or not TCHO qualifies.Are you now performing all of the manufacturing steps in your factory in SF?Some people (many actually) believe that outsourcing roasting and grinding, even if they are done under supervision, doesn't count. I personally am still undecided in this matter - I am just asking to get some more clarity on what the current state of the processes being performed on-pier, so to speak, are.:: ClayBTW - I will be in SF for the Winter Fancy Food Show and have been speaking to Rob K about stuff so I hope to visit and meet.


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

A list of the ONLY...Tree to Bar.....is Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory....the only 100% American Made Chocolate.... www.ohcf.us/

Globally they are not the only tree to bar. But the list would be very short indeed.

Hi Clay;Thanks for your comment! But I'm confused why it matters where we do our roasting? We are actively and directly involved in each and every step of the chocolate making process:We buy our own cacao beans at source, partnering directly with farmers to guide cocoa bean fermentation and drying. Our TCHOSource program invests directly in infrastructure and training that helps farmers produce better quality beans. We take possession of those beans at the farm, and ship them to our roasting partner.To be clear, we don't outsource roasting any more than we buy liquor. All of our roasts are directly supervised by our R & D team. Prior to the roasts, we do numerous, meticulous test roasts in our SF lab to arrive at the perfect roasting profiles for each lot and for each of our flavors. Then we fly to our roasting partner and supervise each roast and grind according to our detailed instructions. Yes we do not own the equipment (although, really, in other cases, the banks probably own the equipment), but the roasts would not be conducted, nor come out any differently, than if we owned the equipment.One important benefit of roasting close to the growers is that we help the producing countries increase their share of the value-added (and capture more of the profit) in making chocolate, unlike many other bean-to-bar manufacturers who simply buy beans.In our SF factory, we make chocolate from our cocoa massbut we have participated directly in all of the work up to that point. In our factory, we perform all the refining, conching, tempering, molding, and packaging.I think the most essential part of being a bean-to-bar manufacturer is sourcing our own cacao beans and being directly involved with the farmers who grow themthen directly participating in every step of the chocolate-making process. To me, this seems to matter much more than who owns the equipment we roast on.We'd love to see you (and any other members) during the Fancy Food show! Thank you for hosting this discussion.

Nina:There is some debate in the chocolate-making community about whether or not a company that roasts and grinds in rented facilities qualifies as a bean-to-bar chocolate maker and I have had these talks at length with Timothy (who I was first introduced to years before he started to TCHO), Jane, Louis (whom I've known since before they launched Wired), John (whom I met in Ecuador in 2003) and Rob.In the past (if you'd read all the discussions on this topic) you'd have noticed that I personally believe that a company that personally supervises every step of every batch qualifies. But that's the commitment. Every Step of Every Batch. As far as I am concerned, if TCHO does this then they qualify. But I do not make chocolate and there are some who do make chocolate who do not share my opinion.One of the challenges I have had with TCHO since the very beginning (and I wrote my first article, which at one time was included in your press materials) is that you have not done a good job of communicating what you've been doing any place other than tcho.com - and even there not so well at times. In the absence of concrete and good information, people have been drawing their own conclusions and running with them, to the detriment of TCHO.I've been in contact with Rob about meeting while I am in SF. I hope I have the chance to meet you, as well.:: Clay


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

Outsourcing (supervising whatever) roasting may be a business decision- but it will never be a decision based on quality. If you don't own a roaster and decide it makes more financial sense to outsource rather than roast your own -it's hard to be considered bean to bar. Where is all the care and attention to detail that tcho claims to have with the rest of there process line. If TCHO spent less on marketing they could easily roast there own- their factory has cameras and 3d!

Julia - Michael is right, Original Hawaiian is not the only one though it is a very short list.At the moment, Dole's Waialua estate beans are being made into Chocolate by Guittard, so that counts as 100% American, though not tree to bar.There are at least two ChocolateLife members who live in Hawaii who are either actively doing commercial tree to bar or very close to going into commercial production. One of the companies is Garden Island Chocolate and the member is Koa Kahili. Check it out.But I agree that Bob and Pam are the first to get something sustainable going commercially. They've been trying to grow cacao into a commercial crop in Hawaii since the 1850s and just now starting to be successful at it.:: Clay


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clay - http://www.thechocolatelife.com/clay/

I believe that Santander by Compaia Nacional de Chocolates is tree to bar. All the ingredients are Colombian sourced and manufactured.

Wow, Bob and Pam must be really old... if they've been doing this since the 1850s! ;>)
updated by @chocofiles: 06/14/15 07:32:25PM

I'm adding my company, The Oakland Chocolate Company in Oakland, CA. I make chocolate from Jamaican beans exclusively. Very small batches. Bars and bonbons.Here's my U.S. list:AmanoAmbrosiaAskinosieBittersweet CafeBlack Mountain ChocolateBlommerChocolate HavenCioccolatoDeVriesDe ZaanEscazu ChocolatesFearless ChocolatesFrescoGarden Island ChocolateGhirardelliGuittardJacques TorresKraft ??Lillie Belle FarmsLulu's ChocolateMarsMast BrothersMerkensNestleOlive and SinclairOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate FactoryPatric ChocolatePetersRogue ChocolatierSacred ChocolateScharffen BergerSeeds of ChangeTazaTheoThe Oakland Chocolate CompanyVan LeerWilburWorld's Finest Chocolate

Nancy,You should add your company information to the TCL Chocolate Makers database . That's a good place to store the information more permanently.

Adding my company Mindo Chocolate Makers: Micro-batch, bean to bar. We buy the beans right out of the pod and control the entire process including fermenting and drying all the way to molding the bars. We also make our own cocoa butter that we add to each chocolate batch. http://mindochocolate.com and http://facebook.com/mindochocolatemakers Here's my U.S. list:AmanoAmbrosiaAskinosieBittersweet CafeBlack Mountain ChocolateBlommerChocolate HavenCioccolatoDeVriesDe ZaanEscazu ChocolatesFearless ChocolatesFrescoGarden Island ChocolateGhirardelliGuittardJacques TorresKraft ??Lillie Belle FarmsLulu's ChocolateMarsMast BrothersMindo Chocolate MakersMerkensNestleOlive and SinclairOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate FactoryPatric ChocolatePetersRogue ChocolatierSacred ChocolateScharffen BergerSeeds of ChangeTazaTheoThe Oakland Chocolate CompanyVan LeerWilburWorld's Finest Chocolate