Forum Activity for @Clay

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

What most people would consider a "true" bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer would physically do their own roasting and grind liquor from those beans on their own machines - not have someone else do those steps to their specs/protocols.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi Louis,Good to meet you, if only online!Do you roast those beans in your San Francisco facility, or are they roasted elsewhere, for example at origin?Happy New Year,Alan

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Jay's post about TCHO is wrong. We at TCHO buy our beans directly from farmers or coops, we personally oversee their roasting to our own proprietary roast protocols and profiles, and then we manufacture beans from the liquor made from the roasts.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

TCHO most definitely is bean to bar. They go straight to the farmers to get their beans, and roast their own.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hershey's does not roast their own beans any longer, they buy liquor from Callebaut. (Though I believe they're still sourcing their own beans, just outsourcing the process.) Yes, they own Scharffen Berger, but it is its own discrete factory at this time from the rest of the Hershey's production line.I wasn't aware that TCHO wasn't roasting their own beans. They show a lot of pictures of them playing with beans on their website.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hey All,One thing that may be helpful to think about is that just because chocolate is American produced doesn't mean that the creation of that chocolate was done justly or equitably. All American chocolate companies still import cocoa beans from Latin America, Africa or Asia, and unfortunately slave-like child labor conditions are still employed on many of these farms. (see http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/background.html for more info/resources)Perhaps it would be of interest to some of you to know about American chocolate companies (and international companies) that import cocoa beans and produce chocolate under Fair Trade standards: that is, the trade guarantees a minimum price under direct contracts, prohibits abusive child labor, promotes environmental sustainability, and requires democratic governance and the admittance of labor unions for farms. If so, take a look at the following link: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/retailers.html .If you'd like to help educate others about Fair Trade Chocolate, participate in our Second National Valentine's Day of Action: 3,000 for Fair Trade this February and win a Fair Trade chocolate gift worth $40! Get an educator to teach our Fair Trade Cocoa Curriculum in the classroom before February 14. The free booklet, curriculum and flyers are available at http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/ .Keep thinking about that chocolate!Sara Litke

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I am still working on an acceptable replacement - it's harder than it seems because while di do have some programming knowledge, I don't have a lot of database programming knowledge. The kinds of sorts and filters you're talking about will be included in what gets delivered.It will be possible to print reports directly from pages generated by the database without having to do and export/import.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

HI sorry me again the website address was wrong, is www.richart.com

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi, i read you list and like it a lot but please take some time to check this french chocolatier, the brand is RICHART Chocolat, their website www.richartchocolates.com

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

They are mistaken. I guarantee that this thread is far more obsessive than the average person. I don't think that they are trying to mislead.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Having been to Theo yesterday... the warehouse is where it all happens but it was smaller than I expected.Not to hijack the thread but at Theo we were told there are only 14 bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the country? Are they just mistaken or do definitions differ?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

QUOTE: "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." /QUOTEClay,Has any more progress been made on updating this database? I seem to recall that you were going to look into other options to make it more usable. For instance, going with the theme of this thread, it would need to be able to produce a report with U.S. bean to bar makers. Other reports needed are 1) a report for each company that lists all of the data collected for that company , 2) Reports by country, 3) A complete list of just the chocolate makers grouped by country.Ideally, it would be great to have a way to import this data directly into an Access database so that no data re-entry has to be done. At a minimum there has to be a way to print these reports so that we can have it in a hard copy.I think this is a very useful project, so I hope it will continue to grow and improve.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I would not be surprised that the number is this large, and I think it's a good thing. I have long held the opinion that if a city is large enough to support a micro-brewery or brew-pub (or three) it's large enough to support a micro- to medium-batch chocolate company.It also would not surprise me that JT is selling off his chocolate-making equipment. The universal grinder/refiner/conche he bought is very noisy and probably can't be run during normal business hours without stressing out the staff and customers.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

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

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

One French term is "fondeur" - melter.I guess it depends on what you think of as a chocolatier. If a shop buys most of its stuff (truffles, bon bons) but makes chocolate-dipped pretzels are they a chocolatier?In the end, I don't really care where the line is drawn. I will continue to appreciate most those who work to express their own creative visions, not sell someone else's.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I was told by the guys at Union Machinery (they sell used chocolate manufacturing equipment) that Jacques Torres was selling off all of his from the bean equipment because they were having various issues in making the chocolate. These are the guys that sold him all of the equipment in the first place, so it seems somewhat credible, but the Jacques Torres website still shows bean to bar production. If anyone is in NYC and has the inside scoop on this, I would love to know if its true.These guys also told me that they have 60 customers who are currently attempting to set up bean to bar production, so we may soon see a flood of bars on the market.Hallot

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi - Thanks for visiting my shop!Our shop is indeed small. The area that I have for production is about equal to the same size that occupies my retail space. I also have off premise storage. Is it adequate for bean to bar - with efficient use of space, yes...sort of! By adapting equipment and techniques for smaller scale, it is possible. I have even considered making all of the chocolate that we use for our truffles and confections, and doing away with couveture altogether. Unfortunately, in Raleigh I dont think enough people understand the difference yet to make it worthwhile. That being said, I anticipate moving production of all of my bars to another location and using the glenwood space for sales and production of the retail chocolates.When our made from the bean bar comes out next month, it will be available in the shop and through our website only - My production doesnt allow for wholesale at the moment which is what makes up 80% of my current business. Those bigger guys - Theo, etc have the space, equipment and labor to do wholesale... its baby steps for me!Thanks.Hallot ParsonEscazu Artisan Chocolates

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

If a chocolate company is NOT bean to bar, but uses couverture what is that kind of company called? I've heard them called "chocolatier", but is that an accurate and widely used label?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi Cybele,Good catch. The website isn't clear about that here: http://www.wilburchocolate.com/ But I did a little checking and found this: http://www.wilburbuds.com/ Updated List: Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some micro-batch bars)Blommer 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)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardJacques TorresKraft (German-owned)MarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Nestle (Swiss-owned)Original 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

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

ADM is a huge agri-food conglomerate, similar to Cargill.It stands for Archer Daniels Midland.Here's info on their Candy & Chocolate division: http://www.admworld.com/naen/food/candy.asp For the record, here's Cargill's info: http://www.cargill.com/products/food/ps_cocoa.htm
updated by @cybele: 09/12/15 12:32:16

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Wilbur makes "bean-to-bar" or other confections that are available to the public, not just couveture to the trade.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I'm adding these from the other discussion of worldwide bean to bar makers:Jacques TorresKraftNestleComplete listAmanoAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)AskinosieBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)BlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Cioccolato (located in Wyoming and Mexico--bean-to-bonbon)DeVriesDe Zaan (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Escazu Chocolates (just starting to release a bean-to-bar line)Fearless Chocolate Company (raw)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardJacques TorresKraftMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)NestleOriginal 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-couverture)World's Finest Chocolate

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

What does "ADM-owned" mean?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Oops. You're right, Clay. I just checked with them, and they are still not a bean-to-bar. I deleted Elbow from the restored list below.Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)BlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Cioccolato (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)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Original 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-couverture)World's Finest Chocolate

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Christopher is making chocolate from beans? That's new. Can anyone independently confirm this?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I just added Christopher Elbow to the list.Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)BlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Christopher ElbowCioccolato (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)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Original 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-couverture)World's Finest Chocolate

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I would think so. You could certainly e-mail Hal at Escazu and ask him this very question, but my impression is that we are not talking "Theo-sized" in the least.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thank you Theo for taking care of that!I have edited and fixed some--of my--typos, and fixed and completed some names:Amano Artisan ChocolateAmbrosia (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Askinosie ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)BlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Cioccolato (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)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned, bean-to-couverture)Original 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-couverture)World's Finest Chocolate

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

A question about Escazu...They're in my city, so I recently visited their store. The building is only the size of a small one story house, and the shop seems to take up most of the space, so I got to wondering what is the minimum amount of space for the equipment that one would need to be able to make chocolate from bean to bar? I've only been to Theo in Seattle, (but I didn't have time for the factory tour) but they have a very large warehouse size building. I've also seen pictures on the internet and the equipment for each stage ooks really large, but maybe that's for a huge company. Would Escazu be considered microbatch?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

This list is very helpful. Alan, you really know your stuff and you must have access to some good resources to add so much to this list! The list is getting so long that I alphabetized it. If you add to the list please put new entries in their correct spot in the alphabetized list.AmanoAmbrosia (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)AskinosieBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)BlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Cioccolato (located in Wyoming and Mexico; bean-to-bonbon)DevriesDe Zaan (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)Escazu Chocolates (just starting to release a bean-to-bar line)Fearless Chocolate Company (raw)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)GuittardMarsMast BrothersMerkens (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)PatricPeters (Cargill-owned, bean-to-couverture)Rogue ChocolatierSacred Chocolate (raw)Scharffen BergerSoma Chocolatemaker (actually in Canada)TchoTheoTazaTchoVan Leer (Belgian-owned)Wilbur (Cargill owned, bean-to-couverture)World's Finest Chocolate

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thanks Clay, and everyone else.Well, maybe in order to create as much awareness of how things are organized as possible, it makes sense to include larger bean-to-couverture brands, and even foreign-owned brands that have manufacturing plants in the US. However, I think that it would be good to add the extra information parenthetically. I'll start below.Complete List So Far:GuittardScharffen BergerTheoPatricDevriesAmanoAskinosieTchoMast BrothersOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)TazaTchoRogue ChocolatierBlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)Ambrosia (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)Merkens (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)De Zaan (ADM-owned bean-to-couverture)Soma Chocolatemaker (actually in Canada)Cioccolato (located in Wyoming and Mexico; bean-to-bonbon)World's Finest ChocolateBittersweet Chocolate Cafe (Seneca is doing some really micro-batch bars)MarsSacred Chocolate (raw)Fearless Chocolate Company (raw)Escazu Chocolates (just starting to release a bean-to-bar line)Van Leer (Belgian-owned)Wilbur (Cargill owned, bean-to-couverture)Peters (Cargill-owned, bean-to-couverture)Ghirardelli (Owned by Lindt in Switzerland)As I understand it, the only Lindt-owned factory in the US, is the Ghirardelli factory in California. Please correct me if I am wrong. Also, in Casey's thread, Kraft is mentioned. Do they make chocolate in the US, and if so, what is it that they are making? They are German-owned as far as I can tell.Regarding Kakawa, I am not sure. I visited their site and they mention blending chocolates. Does anyone have any further info? Finally, I've heard through the grapevine that Jacques Torres is not making bean-to-bar chocolate anymore. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Care to include a Canadian company? Soma in Toronto.Also, Oscar Ortega of Cioccolato in Jackson Hole, WY (he is also the captain of the Mexican team for this year's World Pastry Forum) makes small batches of chocolate that he uses in his confections. There are also branches in Mexico City and La Paz, MX, but I don't know if everything is owned by a Mexican company or a US company.Also, take a look at Kakawa . Mark Sciscenti is the proprietor. From their site: "Please note that we are a small artisanal chocolate maker. ... And, of course, we make and sell chocolate elixirs, wonderful and exotically flavored chocolate truffles, and dark molded chocolates." I think the latter counts as a "bar" in the broadest sense of the word.Also: World's Finest Chocolate .What about ADM or one of its brands? I know they're industrial, but they include Ambrosia and Merckens as well as De Zaan. Maybe they're not bars - but their chocolates are molded by others into bars.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I'm adding to the list:GuittardScharffen BergerTheoPatricDevriesAmanoAskinosieTchoMast BrothersOriginal Hawaiian Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)TazaTchoRogue ChocolatierBlommerChocolate Haven (Jacques Torres)

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Thanks, I see that now. Well, hopefully the additional ones that we come up with here can be added to her list as well. Also, personally I'd like to stick to American-owned companies, and not include companies that have manufacturing facilities in the US, but that are foreign-owned.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Complete List:GuittardScharffen BergerTheoPatricDevriesAmanoAskinosieTchoMast BrothersOriginal Hawaiin Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)TazaTchoRogue ChocolatierBlommer

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

I just remembered, Casey started a similar discussion in the Uncategorized Forum covering all bean to bar making countries.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Complete List:GuittardScharffen BergerTheoPatricDevriesAmanoAskinosieTchoMast BrothersOriginal Hawaiin Chocolate Factory (also grows their beans on American soil)TazaTchoThere are several more companies, many of them larger companies, but I'm not sure the point was for one person to complete the whole list.

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Complete List:GuittardScharffen BergerTheo

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Complete List:GuittardScharffen Berger

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

Posted in: Tasting Notes

Hi All,I have never seen a complete list of American, bean-to-bar chocolate makers. Since most American companies that market chocolate or chocolate products don't actually make it, I thought that it would be interesting to compile a list for everyone to see who really does make it, and who doesn't.I'll type the first entry, and if everyone could copy it and add to it in each additional post, along with comments and questions, then that would be great.Complete List:Guittard
updated by @Alan McClure: 04/10/15 01:49:33

A Gaffe of Amazonian Proportions?

Posted in: Opinion

ah the old child labor conundrum.here is the deal folks. Wether or not iit is "fair trade', which BTW is a crock of s**t when it comes to the contracts that transfair USA makes the farmers sign....another issue...Most cacao farms are small family run operations in , well....you know where they are. Excluding african sources lets take a moment and think about what it takes for a subsistance farmer of cacao to bring in his crop. We'll start with latin america. predominantly catholic through genocide, the prevailing culture is one of "family", large families. If you have X number of children to feed and you grow cacao it is only natural for the whole family to be involved in the harvesting and processing of the crop. This is NOT child slavery, this is family farming. Most of the small co-operatives in the organic/fair trade niche are just that, family run orchards. There is nothing wrong with having your family work the fields. This is different than the forced child labor we read about years ago in africa.As a small farmer myself I too get my whole family involved in the harvesting of my crops. If we dont all pitch in it dies on the vine so to speak and my daughter helps gladly---sometimes---but I have not had to beat her to do it.....yet...j/k

A Gaffe of Amazonian Proportions?

Posted in: Opinion

We've got no midges (tropical gnats) to pollinate the flowers. Oh well. Can't have everything.