The chocolate industry is booming, with many recognisable names such as Lindt, Cadbury, Nestlé and Mars dominating the market and supermarket aisles. However, there has been a huge rise in independent chocolate makers, with many carving out their own niches in the industry.
Independent chocolate makers are smaller chocolatiers who put their passion for delicious chocolate into everything they create. While they may not have mega-factories or mass-marketing departments, they make up for it with daring and adventurous chocolates, unique flavour pairings, varied and sustainable sourcing techniques, and plenty of heart. Craft chocolate brands are everywhere and we will point out several of our top picks!
Why Choose Independent Chocolate Makers?
We should support small chocolate businesses for several reasons. Firstly, they aren’t pigeonholed by the market and trends of big companies or board rooms. This means they can experiment with flavours and techniques big brands would never consider. That means more variety and choice for us.
Of course, there is still a risk to pushing the envelope, but craft chocolate brands are more daring. Instead, quality is improved thanks to small chocolate makers loving what they do. Smaller companies are generally very transparent with their ethical sourcing of cocoa, even having personal relationships with the farmers they source their beans from, and making their own ethical promises without certification.
Chocolate makers try new ways to make their chocolate sustainable for growers and the planet, alike. At The Chocolatarium, we believe in supporting smaller chocolate makers and showcasing the wide range of chocolate options on offer. You can buy all of these small chocolate makers’ products and more at our shop or our online shop.
Without further ado, here’s a sample of our favourite makers and more information on each that makes them that extra bit special.
1. Willie’s Cacao
Location: Devon, England
Speciality: Cute square bars made of single-estate chocolate with unique flavours like; Ginger Lime Dark Chocolate, Clementina’s Almonds Milk Chocolate and Hojicha Truffles (roasted tea soft truffles with a liquid centre)
Notable feature: Britain’s first bean-to-bar chocolate factory that produces chocolate in 3 weeks, as opposed to the several hours it takes for big companies. They have an attention to detail unmatched by large factories
Must-try chocolate: Milk of the Stars (54% milk chocolate) and El Blanco (pure white chocolate)
2. The Chocolate Society
Location: Somerset, England
Speciality: Holding many international chocolate awards, The Chocolate Society specialises in inventive chocolate flavours wrapped up in beautiful packaging. Perfect for gifts, or for a personal treat…you’ve earned it
Notable feature: They've been around since 1991 but have changed hands a couple times, landing on a small business to rebrand chocolate as a high-end treat. All bars are handmade!
Must-try chocolate: Peppermint Swirl and Flat White Coffee…divine!
3. Ocelot
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Speciality: Beautifully designed simple organic chocolates
Notable feature: Ocelot cares a lot about sustainability and fair pay, paying 100% living income directly to farmers as well as planting trees through an Original Beans programme, and empowering women growers through groups like Femmes de Virunga
Must-try chocolate: Blood Orange 70% Dark Chocolate and Violet 50% Dark-Milk Chocolate
4. Montezuma's
Location: Chichester, England
Speciality: Value-based chocolate makers, Montezuma's creates quirky flavour combinations with kooky names to boot
Notable feature: They responsibly source all their ingredients and put provenance at the forefront of buying cocoa, ensuring transparent and sustainable chocolate-making in the process
Must-try chocolate: Hot Pickle (chilli and lime milk chocolate) and Black Forest (cherry dark chocolate)
5. COCO
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Speciality: Beautifully designed chocolate bars with artist collaborations celebrated on their packaging
Notable feature: Working at the origin of chocolate to impact trade and keep money in the economies where chocolate is grown
Must-try chocolate: Rhubarb and Ginger Milk Chocolate, Gin & Tonic Dark Chocolate and Isle of Skye Sea Salt Dark Chocolate
6. Kernow
Location: Cornwall, England
Speciality: Classic desserts turned into chocolate bars, what more needs to be said?
Notable feature: Starting as a family enterprise, they have grown their business to the biggest artisan chocolate maker in Cornwall
Must-try chocolate: Banoffee Milk Chocolate, Caramel Sea Salt Milk Chocolate and Toffee Apple
7. Firetree
Location: Peterborough, England
Speciality: Making delicious bean-to-bar dark and milk chocolate with complex notes of flavour with no frills
Notable feature: All of their cocoa beans are grown in volcanic soil, meaning they have distinct taste linked to their growing conditions. Think smoky and charcoal-esque.
Must-try chocolate: Madagascar Sambirano Valley 84% and Solomon Islands, Guadalcanal, Oat Milk
8. MIA
Location: London, England
Speciality: Simple chocolates that focus on the flavour of the beans and their unique qualities
Notable feature: They use raise trade to source all their beans (e.g. if their chocolate is grown in Ghana, it is turned into chocolate in Ghana). This keeps money in that country’s economy and helps them to grow on the world stage
Must-try chocolate: Ghana Gold 85% Dark Chocolate and Baobab and Salted Nibs 65% Dark Chocolate
9. Conscious
Location: East Sussex, England
Speciality: Dark chocolates with creative additions that add texture and pzazz
Notable feature: Self-described as making ‘raw vegan’ chocolate, they don’t use refined sugar, their factory is powered 100% by renewable energy and they are members of various sustainability programmes to improve the chocolate industry
Must-try chocolate: Orange and Tangerine Organic Dark Chocolate and Goji and Coconut Organic Dark Chocolate
10. Chocolate Tree
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Speciality: Create unique flavoured bars with Scottish tastes infused into the chocolate.
Notable feature: They donate 1% of their annual sales to environmental nonprofits creating positive change to make a difference in everyday lives
Must-try chocolate: Haggis Spice Dark Chocolate, Cranachan Organic White Chocolate and Forest Fruits White Chocolate
And there you have it! While this has been a short list of only ten choices, the world is bursting with innovative and creative small chocolate makers. While it may be tricky to find independent chocolate maker's chocolate in supermarkets, you can buy directly from their website stores, from specialist food shops or even from our own website. Make it your mission to try them all, for you might find a new favourite. We know we have, and continue to do so!
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