All chocolate is made from cocoa, but bean-to-bar chocolate is slightly different. Most of the chocolate we buy in the supermarket is made by big multinationals. We don't need to name names but perhaps a few brands come to mind. They buy cocoa beans in large quantities, often of low quality. Since the 1990s, another kind of chocolate has emerged, bean-to-bar chocolate.
But what is the difference between bean-to-bar chocolate and supermarket chocolate? We explain in this blog.

Supermarket chocolate, low cost and consistency

The moment you buy a bar of chocolate in the supermarket, you generally don't know where the cocoa comes from. Although we should immediately add that this seems to be changing slightly at the moment.
As soon as you look at the ingredient list of these chocolates, you will see that a lot of sugar and other ingredients have been added to the roasted cocoa. The cocoa butter content is generally low and is often supplemented with another cheaper fat or oil.
The most striking thing about this chocolate is that the taste and texture are always the same. This is because it should create a consistent bar that always tastes the same no matter where you buy it.
This gave us a somewhat distorted view of what we think chocolate should taste like. Very sweet and so soft that the cube has melted in your mouth before you've even had a chance to really taste the flavour notes.
This type of product is generally called industrial chocolate. While really not all such chocolate is poor quality, low cost and consistency are mainly pursued.

The definition of bean-to-bar chocolate

Craft chocolate and bean-to-bar chocolate both refer to chocolate produced on a small scale where the quality and sustainability of the cocoa beans are paramount. Currently, there is no legal definition of bean-to-bar chocolate, so in fact, anyone can technically label their chocolate as bean-to-bar or craft chocolate.

Small-scale production

So how do you know what to look out for when buying craft chocolate? Compared to industrial chocolate, bean-to-bar chocolate, as the name suggests, is made from bean to bar by one person, or a small group, of people. A bean-to-bar chocolate maker purchases direct trade cocoa beans in small traceable batches. In a small production facility, the beans are roasted, ground and finally turned into chocolate. In our blog 'This is how chocolate is made' read more here.

Engineering

The origin of the cocoa can be traced back to a country, often to a particular area, or even all the way to the cocoa farmer or his finca. Thus, for every bar in our shop, we know who the chocolate maker is and where the cocoa beans come from. We have described more about this in the blog, How do cocoa beans grow. Unlike the multinationals, this chocolate maker starts from the flavour profile of the specific cocoa beans to create a unique chocolate bar. You could think of a bean-to-bar chocolate maker like an engineer; someone who thoroughly researches how to bring out the unique flavour notes of each type of cocoa.

Why buy bean-to-bar chocolate?

• It's better for the farmer
  The inequalities within the cocoa industry are well known. Although the chocolate industry is worth over $89 billion, the harsh reality is that the average cocoa farmer in West Africa currently earns less than $0.80 a day. Many artisan chocolate makers import their beans directly from the farmer or from sustainable cooperatives that ensure farmers are paid fairly while taking care of the environment.
• It is better for the environment
  Bulk cocoa for mass-produced chocolate is often grown in monoculture plantations, which has been linked to the growing problem of deforestation. Cocoa farmers and fine cacao cooperatives are working hard to preserve the last remaining biodiversity hotspots and protect old cacao varieties.
• It's better for you
  Studies have shown that cocoa is packed with antioxidants and flavanols. Antioxidants and flavanols can be beneficial for heart health, offer anti-inflammatory properties and help regulate blood sugar levels. However, not all chocolate contains the same amount of antioxidants.
  Many mass-produced products use beans that have been alkalised. Alkalisation of cocoa is a process in which alkaline substances are added to cocoa beans to neutralise their acidity. Unfortunately, this process has been shown to remove up to 80% of the important antioxidants and flavanols from the beans. As a result, mass-produced chocolate generally has lower levels of antioxidants and flavanols than artisan chocolate.
• More flavour diversity
  Bean-to-bar chocolate makers want to bring out the unique flavours of each type of high-quality cocoa. These chocolate makers spend a lot of time making chocolates where the right flavour tones come out. Cocoa contains more than 400 flavour tones. We highlight these different flavour tones during our bean-to-bar chocolate workshops. While participating in our workshops, you will taste so much more in chocolate than you have ever tasted before!

Choose sustainable chocolate

Bean-to-bar chocolate is a delicious and ethical alternative to supermarket chocolate. When you choose craft chocolate, you support farmers, cooperatives and small businesses from all over the world who are working for positive change in the cocoa industry. Moreover, there are thousands of craft chocolate makers, each with their own unique style and recipes for making chocolate. So, why not indulge? Start discovering the world bean-to-bar chocolate today, by consciously taste chocolate at home.