I don't think that saying that they know how their cacao is sourced is in conflict with them NOT being bean to bar. There are a lot of companies that outsource stuff that requires huge specialized machinery and large amounts of space. They can still be very involved with the cacao selection process - they just have someone else winnow & roast and possibly go so far as to have someone deliver it as liquor. (Hershey's is no longer bean to bar on all their products.)

Huh. What about Caffarel? TSOR leaves it ambiguous. They talk about cocoa, not cacao, though that could be translation issues, but at the same time their site also says "In the main building - a hallowed hall of fine chocolate making - the processes that are performed include roasting, mixing, refinement and conching"

For what it is worth, I saw a video online about ESC that included a trip through their plant and there wasn't one single shot of cacao, roasting, winnowing, grinding or conching--only molding and packaging. It isn't final proof, but it might add to one's skepticism:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bZsaAqu4CA They say in the video that you can tour the factory, so if you are in or near Indianapolis, IN, that would be a possibility.Also, feel free to email the company. If they are bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturers, and you ask some direct questions, they should certainly be able to answer them without any hesitation or oddly worded responses that just add to the confusion.

Here are two statements that I've gleaned about ESC:From the inside of the wrapper, "We only buy cacao grown in the natural shade of rich, diverse forests."From the blog and FAQs on their website , "Endangered Species Chocolate sources our cacao for our all-natural milk and dark chocolate bars from small, family-owned farms in Nigeria"These statements lead one to believe that they are a bean-to-bar company, but I'm still not sure. They could also be nuanced so that they merely give that impression.What do you think?

Is Endangered Species a bean-to-bar company or a fondeur?

Last I heard, Dagoba buys their beans pre-roasted (but this was pre-hershey). This is why Theo is very careful with their wording as the "only roaster of organic cocoa beans in the US."So while they work from the bean, it's not the raw bean.

Is Dagoba a bean-to-bar company?On the Trader Joe's 72% thread Andrea said of the TJ 72%, "Don't think it's Barry Callebaut organic. (Which is the Dagoba bar.)"I'm reviewing a Dagoba bar at the moment, so I'd like to know if Dagoba is a fondeur who uses Callebaut organic? Or are they bean-to-bar since they used to sell couverture? I always like to know where the chocolate comes from.

Chocolaterie de L'Opera is not a bean to bar company and should be removed from the list.

Neuhaus is a Callebaut customer and not a bean to bar company.

Is Neuhaus from Belgium bean to bar? It seems like they would be, but I'm not sure how to tell or how even how to find out.

Chocolove does not manufacture the chocolate from beans, they are a fondeur, or melter. While originally everything was manufactured by a co-packer, in late 2003 they opened their own bar production facility.According to information on this page , Chocolat Frey is a bean-to-bar company. They also claim to be "... the only major chocolate brand produced entirely in Switzerland." Astoundingly, they make over 350 flavors of bars. Dolfin was founded by the Poncelet brothers who are related to the family that started Belcolade if I remember correctly. If you read their web site closely, there is no mention of bean-to-bar -- which there certainly would be if they were practicing it. They talk about the art of blending, not the art of making chocolate. Interesting news is that they were recently recognized as Belgium's first CO2-neutral chocolate company.


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@DiscoverChoc

What about Chocolove (Boulder, CO, USA), Frey (Switzerland), and Dolfin (Belgium)-- are they bean to bar?

All:I have created a simple database that will enable us to track these companies more easily. It is located here .PLEASE DO NOT ADD ANY MORE COMPANY NAMES HERE. Please add them in the database. If you have added a company to this list, please consider making an entry in the database for it.Thanks in advance,:: Clay


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@DiscoverChoc

Updated list, minus the U.S. makers:(minus the hyperlinks too)AfricaMalagasy (Madagascar)Claudio Corallo (So Tom)AustraliaHaigh's ChocolatesTavaEuropeAustriaZotterBelgiumBarry CallebautPierre MarcoliniDenmarkCarlettiTomsFranceBernachonBonnatChocolaterie de L'OperaMichel CluizelPralusValrhonaWeissGermanyCoppeneurEuromarHachezHerzaLudwigLudwig WeinrichStorckItalyAmedeiAntica Dolceria BonajutoCioccolato PeyranoDeBondtDomoriDon PuglisiFerreroICAMMajaniVenchiSpainChocovicNatraSwedenMalm ChokladfabrikSwizerlandConfiserie BernerFelchlinUnited KingdomCadbury-SchweppesSir Hans Sloane of LondonNorth AmericaCanadaSoma ChocolatemakerUnited States(On other thread)South America & CaribbeanArgentinaFenixColombiaSantanderEcuadorVintage PlantationsGrenadaGrenada Chocolate CompanyNicaraguaEl Castillo del CacaoVenezuelaEl ReyHacienda Bukare

To the Italian list add Venchi, Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, and Don Puglisi. To the German list add Coppeneur.I am fairly certain that the chocolate Dolfin uses is sourced from Belcolade.Also, although Vintage Plantations is headquartered here in New Jersey, manufacturing is all done in Ecuador.


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@DiscoverChoc

Casey,Thank you very much for this thorough and excellent list!How about Dolfin from Belgium? Are they bean to bar? If they're not, then does anyone know where they get their chocolate from? I've been sampling a lot of Dolfin's flavors recently, so It would help to know.

There is a similar discussion on American bean-to-bar companies here .Any questions or updates about the American companies on this list should be directed to that forum thread .Information, comments, and thoughts about non-US companies (including Mexico and Canada) should go here.


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@DiscoverChoc

Casey:Thanks for posting this and pointing me to that discussion. It's quite interesting and nuanced, even discussing whether or not a company that starts from liquor (as opposed to roasting their own beans should be included).


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@DiscoverChoc

Here is a list of bean to bar makers. It is not a list of ethical companies or artisan chocolate makers. It simply means that these companies all make their chocolate all the way from raw cacao beans to the molded bar. This list is the result of an ongoing project conducted at 70%, where members maintain a discussion and make attempts to verify that each company on this list actually makes chocolate from raw beans. The reason for verification is that sometimes companies wish to sound hip and trendy and so they claim to be bean bar. The idea is to have some type of definitive list going of who actually makes chocolate from the bean for RETAIL (not solely commercial, industrial, sale).

Africa
Madecasse (Madagascar)
Claudio Corallo (So Tom)
Divine Chocolate

Australia
Haigh's Chocolates
Tava (factory is currently not operational)

Zokoko

Europe
Austria
Zotter

Belgium
Barry Callebaut
Pierre Marcolini

Denmark
Carletti
TOMS Gruppen

France
Bernachon
Bonnat
Michel Cluizel
Pralus
Valrhona
Weiss

Germany
Euromar
Hachez
Herza
Ludwig
Ludwig Weinrich
Storck

Italy
Amedei

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto

Casa Don Puglisi

Cioccolato Peyrano
DeBondt
Domori
Ferrero
ICAM
Majani

Venchi

Spain
Chocovic (now owned by Barry Callebaut)
Natra

Sweden
Malm Chokladfabrik

Swizerland
Confiserie Berner
Felchlin

United Kingdom
Cadbury-Schweppes
Red Star
Sir Hans Sloane
Willie's Cacao

North America
Canada
Soma Chocolatemaker

United States
Amano
Askinosie

Bittersweet Origins

Black Mountain Chocolate
Cacao Atlanta
Cacao Prieto
DeVries
Escazu

Fresco Chocolate

Guittard

Jacques Torres (no longer in production)
Kraft
Lindt (not a US company)
Mars
Mast Brothers

Mindo Chocolate Maker
Nestle (technically not a US company)

Oakland Chocolate Company

Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory
Patric Chocolate

Potomac Chocolate

Rogue Chocolatier
Scharffen Berger

Snake and Butterfly

Taza
TCHO
Theo

Latin America/ Caribbean
AMMA (Brazil)
Chocolates Condor (Bolivia)
Chocolates Para Ti (Bolivia)
Cooperativa Naranjillo (Peru)
Cotton Tree Chocolate (Belize)
Danta Chocolate (Guatemala)
El Castillo del Cacao (Nicaragua)
El Ceibo (Bolivia)
El Rey (Venezuela)
Fenix (Argentina)
Grenada Chocolate Company (Grenada)
Hacienda Bukare (Venezuela)
Kallari (Ecuador)
Momotombo Chocolate Factory (Nicaragua)
Pacari (Ecuador)
Rain Republic Chocolate (Guatemala)
Santander (Colombia)

updated by @casey: 04/09/15 09:57:06