Not all chocolate is produced in factories, and not all elderly white males have the title of Willy Wonka in their respective countries. There are even some of those that don’t create chocolate. Who exactly is this enigmatic Charlie Buckets, who can hardly remember a time when terms like “excellent chocolate” and “cacao” were just part of everyday language? Who were the people who got their start in the chocolate industry, given that there are so many tales of chocolatiers who switched careers?

I was aware that there were people like us roaming the earth since I’d run across them.

As a result, I made the decision to attach names and values to the numerous faces.

I searched the internet thoroughly and questioned random individuals about their suggestions for the underrepresented topics that are listed below. After that, though, I had a sudden realization. Why should I blame myself for something that is beyond my control when this distribution provides a broad outline of the percentage of young people who are active in the chocolate industry in each of these regions? But what if it isn’t truly as prejudiced as it may seem to be? Although it won’t happen immediately, one of my ongoing goals is to see a significant increase in the number of individuals from Africa and the South Pacific who work with cocoa and chocolate. It is going to require a lot of effort and commitment, and I am excited to see how it develops.

Listen to the Millennials In Chocolate podcast episode HERE!

This project, which spans a whole year, combines quotations and narratives in order to highlight the many characters that comprise the younger generation of the handmade chocolate industry. Everyone may be classified according to the place in where they were born; yet, a significant number of these individuals are a fusion of the cultures of many distinct nations. In contrast to chocolate itself, this often indicates that a person is more likely to have deep ties to the communities in which they live.

When you move away from your childhood home and into a new one, it is only then that you realize how much of your roots you carry with you.

Everyone here has discovered motivation in their own unique manner and via their own point of view; for some of us, it came from other people, for others it was ideas, and for a few of us it was physical locations. The fine cacao and chocolate business is a place of inspiration, a place where your ongoing engagement is internally inspired by a force that nobody can see. This industry is a place where you may find a sense of community. The love we have for cocoa, together with our natural curiosity and imaginative potential in relation to it, is what drives each of these young people’s enthusiasm.

Because they have at long last discovered the location where they want to be, and it is replete with opportunities.

North America

Emily Stone, 1985

Co-founder/CEO of Uncommon Cacao /// Belize, Guatemala & the USA

If you have done research on cacao in Central America, you have most likely came across the term Maya Mountain Cacao at some point. They were one of the cacao companies that kicked off the trend of not only finding but also making high-quality cacao, and they are still one of those brands. Emily Stone was one of the pioneers who founded Maya Mountain in Belize, and later on Cacao Verapaz in Guatemala, both of which fall under the umbrella firm of Uncommon Cacao. Maya Mountain is located in Belize, while Cacao Verapaz is located in Guatemala (which now works with farmers throughout Latin America & Ghana).

The company has a trading model that is extremely open and honest, publishing all prices from farmgate (the actual price paid to farmers for wet cacao) all the way through the price at which the company sells cacao to chocolate makers. As of right now, the company provides cacao for more than 150 chocolate makers all over the world. Emily is one of a rising number of individuals who are attempting to “connect the dots” between individual farmers and individual chocolate producers, so providing access to markets and generating employment in the sector that we are all fighting to expand.

Denise Ferris, 1987

Co-founder of Moonbean Chocolate /// Calgary, Canada & Kampala, Uganda

“Five years ago, my husband James and I uprooted our lives and relocated to East Africa. First we settled in Tanzania, and then we moved on to Uganda, where we both found jobs in our respective industries. The concept of starting a chocolate firm gradually took shape over the course of time. Pan roasting, hand-winnowing, and producing chocolate paste using a meat grinder were some of our early attempts when we initially became interested in attempting to manufacture chocolate at home from the raw materials. At first, our only goal was to see whether we could produce chocolate from scratch. However, after quitting our professions, we understood that we wanted to build our business while maintaining our ties to the local community in Bundibugyo, which is Uganda’s most important cocoa-growing area. It seemed like the right time to start a chocolate firm. The local economy will benefit tremendously from both the production of new value and new jobs.

Since then, though, everything has been a delicious treat. Even our honeymoon was spent in South America, where we went to several chocolate factories and learned how the industry works. During the course of the last year, we have continued to expand our understanding of chocolate production while simultaneously cultivating ties with the small-holding farmers from whom we purchase our beans directly. Moonbean Chocolate has been very well welcomed in this area, despite the fact that our firm is still in its infancy and we have much more to learn. The fact that Ugandan chocolate is now available on the market is a source of great pride for the people. Even better, we no longer have to stuff our bags to the brim with chocolate whenever we have the opportunity to go on vacation!

Dahlia Graham, 1984

Co-founder of Fruition Chocolate /// New York, USA

“Bryan, my spouse, is the one who introduced me to chocolate. When we were dating, before we launched the company together, he would roast beans at home in the toaster. I remember one day I sat down at the kitchen table and peeled them by hand. This was before we began the business together. “I have always enjoyed chocolate, but after traveling and witnessing cacao for myself in Peru and Costa Rica, I became even more interested in it.” In fact, prior to beginning Fruition in 2010, Dahlia helped at a school in Peru, where she established a small library before leaving the village. That concludes the first excursion.

Corazon de Dahlia is a center for rural adolescents that provides after-school classes and activities, in addition to a significantly expanded library. This center was established after various experiences and intensive excursions had been taken by the founders. Dahlia continues to serve on the board of directors of her charitable organization, but she has shifted her attention from Peru to the country’s cocoa. She says this about their sourcing, “Peruvian cacao to help the people of a county that I had come to call a second home made perfect sense,” and I am sure that we can all agree with her statement.

Will Marx, 1989

Founder of WM Chocolate /// Wisconsin, USA

Will first started producing chocolate in his basement approximately three years ago, in an effort to find a less processed version of our favorite passion. Since then, he has been an active participant in the chocolate scene. Along the way, he came across and fell in love with single-origin cacao, which serves as the foundation for every chocolate that is produced in his plant in Madison, Wisconsin, which is just two years old. Will may be seen today and almost every other day collaborating with other local food producers to develop one-of-a-kind chocolate bars, pairings, and meals, which he then sells at pop-up stores located across the Madison area.

Preston “Stu” Stewart, 1986

Founder of Markham & Fitz Chocolate ///Arkansas, USA

Preston, much like the most of us in chocolate, has always had a soft spot in his heart for sugary treats. However, it was an experiment that a buddy conducted at home to make chocolate that provided him with the epiphany that chocolate might be transformed into something else. After completing his studies in biochemistry, Preston put his newly acquired knowledge to use in a series of chocolate experiments of his own design, all of which contributed to the establishment of his business, Markham & Fitz. The proprietor of Preston Chocolates, Mr. Preston, has said that “our mission is to make beautiful chocolate and celebrate people.”

Chocolate is a wonderful and enjoyable treat. It takes a lot of hard work to make, but when it’s done right, it should be celebrated, from the cacao farmer all the way to the person biting in to their first “bean-to-beyond” single-origin truffle.” These days, his young shop is working on expanding beyond bars and bonbons into cacao-infused cocktails and cream chocolate desserts. At Markham & Fitz, you’ll get an experience that’s both transparent and immersive with chocolate.

Kala Northrup, 1990

Co-founder of Match Chocolate /// Alabama, USA

“While I was attending culinary school in New York City, I had the opportunity to do an internship at a chocolate factory. During that time, I fell in love with the process of manufacturing chocolate as well as the difficulty of the task. A few years later, I went back to school and earned another degree, this time in business analytics and finance with a concentration on supply chains. When I first started thinking about where our food comes from and the social concerns that accompany chocolate, I was really confused.

As a result, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to create my own chocolate using just two components, with an emphasis on the unique tastes that the creator and the farmers skillfully bring to the table. For me, it was really vital to have the supply chain organized in a way that was obvious and open. I really like the fact that I am in a position to educate people about a product that is well known yet little understood.

Elena Valdes, 1987

Founder of Lunaris Chocolate Artesanal /// Ensenada, Mexico

“Since childhood, I’ve had an insatiable curiosity in how things work. My interest in chocolate was piqued a few years ago when I tried one of the commercial chocolates. At the time, I was aware that the taste of the chocolate I was eating came nothing close to representing the “real” flavor of cacao. As a result, I began looking into one of the things that I like the most: where it comes from, how it is created, and finally, how we perceive the many facets of chocolate.

The creation of Lunaris Chocolate occurred some time after all of this enlightenment and insight. “The craft of creating chocolate is one of our absolute favorites. We want to remind people that Mexico has a culture full of cacao and full of tastes, and we want to bring them as near as possible to the hands that harvest it. This is why we want to share our passion and love with as many people as we can.

Max Gandy, 1995

Chocolate & Travel Writer at HSchocolateco.com /// USA & South Korea

I am able to state without equivocation that one individual single-handedly changed the course of my life in the year 2012. Since that day, the seed of unadulterated love and respect for hand-crafted chocolate has been growing within of me, and if I’ve done everything correctly, I’ve also planted it inside of others throughout the course of the years. Because, in the end, it all boils down to constructing a chocolate business that is founded more equally on equality.

When I was a teenager, I believed that manufacturing chocolate was the most effective method for me to accomplish my goal. However, I’ve come to the conclusion that the world of chocolate does not need another producer who has good intentions; rather, they need to get the word out. Instead, I choose to write about chocolate in a manner that is approachable even to those individuals who are not immersed in the handmade chocolate industry.

When I’m not spending my days writing and editing for 12 hours straight, I’m traveling the globe in search of incredible tales and the fascinating people that are behind them. On top of that, I have an excuse to consume my body weight in chocolate every year. More information about me may be found on the page under “On,” which can be accessed by clicking here. “I believe I can empower people to eat healthier chocolate, one bar at a time, by teaching customers from all backgrounds about where to get the greatest chocolate and what makes it the best.

Colin Hart, 1992

Cacao Researcher at UH-Manoa /// Hawai’i, USA

I was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawaii, and my family has owned and operated a farm near Hilo for as long as I can remember. I started producing cocoa there when I was about 14 years old. I am presently helping to manage a processing business that is run in the form of a cooperative. This enterprise buys cacao pods and wet seed from farmers in the Hilo-Hamakua area, ferments and dries the seed, and then sells the bean to chocolate producers both on the island and on the mainland. Colin’s study focuses on how various post-harvest techniques impact the final taste of the beans and the chocolate created out of them. Despite the fact that he has no interest in pursuing a career in chocolate making, Colin is also a graduate student at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. ​

It’s a burgeoning industry, and I’m really stoked to be a part of it, but I really wouldn’t be involved with cacao if it weren’t for people like Tom Sharkey, Dan O’Doherty, Skip Bittenbender, and Dylan Butterbaugh. ” I feel incredibly fortunate to be involved in agriculture at this point in time in Hawaii… It’s a blossoming industry, and I’m really stoked to be a part Note that while this is a photo of Colin, it is not from his Instagram account; if you want to follow him on Instagram, click on his name above. All of these people are wonderful friends and such incredible mentors. ”

Juan Rafael, 1986

Co-founder of Aurea Tradings /// El Salvador & Sardegna, Italy

When Juan Rafael’s family expanded their coffee estate to include a cacao plantation, that’s when he became interested in chocolate. He gained knowledge from his father, assisted in the transition, and promoted the growth of cacao with a more refined taste by working with a local cooperative. Elisa, his spouse from Sardinia, was working in El Salvador for UN Women in the area of human rights when she became interested in the environmental elements of cocoa.

Together, they established Aurea Tradings and launched their brand VAICACAO with the goal of satisfying the growing demand for pure and authentic products by providing a selection of nutritious chocolates and other cacao-based goods. This was done with the intention of meeting the demand that had been created. Each one retains the taste and aromatic qualities that are distinctive to its place of origin, in addition to providing the possibility for other growers to access consumer markets in other countries.

Madeline Weeks, 1989

PhD student in Geography at UC-Davis /// California, USA

“Chocolate, for me, symbolizes a universe full of contrasting elements. Both the good and the bad are inherent parts of life. As someone who is currently pursuing a doctorate in geography, I find it fascinating that chocolate can be used to learn about the complexities of the planet. Chocolate has the potential to be a game-changer in society, helping us move closer to a world where respect, compassion, and community are paramount values. This is the future I see for this sector of the food business. It is an exciting moment to be a youthful voice in the chocolate business, which comes with it significant responsibility in addition to the prospect of catalyzing change.

South America

Luisa Abrams, 1991

Founder & Chocolate Maker at Luisa Abram Chocolate /// Sao Paulo, Brazil

Luisa is considered to be one of the pioneers of the bean-to-bar movement in Brazil. She began producing chocolate for the first time in 2014 after reading a book on the subject when she was attending culinary school. She reflected on the event by saying, “At that moment, I truly felt like I was on an island.” In the five and a half years that have passed since that epoch-making event, she and her family have established a chocolate business in Sao Paulo, where she was born and raised, obtaining cacao from different sections of the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest.

Luisa considers herself to be quite fortunate due to the fact that she was born in England and has since traveled all over the globe. However, she couldn’t stop thinking about the incredible range of natural tastes and colors that can be found in her own region. She has seen much more excitement about growing local businesses over the course of her young adulthood, and it has gotten her quite excited about the possibilities for her young family business. People of her parents’ generation frequently left the country when they could, but she has seen much more excitement about growing local businesses over the course of her young adulthood.

Jonas Rosales, 1996

Founder of Hult Chocolate Society /// Venezuela & London, England

“I got into chocolate via a wild adventure: I wanted to understand more about why Venezuelans thought we had the greatest cacao in the world,” he added. “It was their claim that got me interested in chocolate.” To cut to the chase, even though we are already two years into this endeavor, there is no indication that it will ever end. In point of fact, Jonas’s love for chocolate became so intense that he established a group at his school called the Hult Chocolate Society. The purpose of the organization is twofold: first, to prove that young people are a strong market for handmade chocolate; second, to use chocolate as a medium through which students may get an understanding of business and environmental responsibility by using chocolate as a teaching tool.

The choices we make and the thoughts we have are important, and the moment has come to steer them in a constructive path.

“Not only do we provide young people with instruction on delicious chocolate, but we also provide chocolate enterprises with student advice (from students majoring in business)… We are enlightening a younger generation to the concept that chocolate is so much more than a sweet treat by sharing our knowledge with them. What should we do next? Producing chocolate for the Hult Chocolate Society.

Mariana De La Rosa, 1985

Founder of Puro Origen /// Venezuela & Utrecht, Netherlands

“I had my first experience with chocolate ten years ago, while I was working on my thesis research at the university. To give it a broad outline, it had something to do with collecting garbage from a candy manufacturing business (i.e recovering cacao shell, among others types of waste). This whole thing was carried out at Nestle (I know what you are all thinking… but it’s undeniably a wonderful school to learn about industrial chocolate). I became quite enthusiastic about the chocolate and cacao industry in general, as well as all of the procedures that are involved.

Because of this, I decided to launch a new era in my professional life and establish my own firm, Puro Origen. I am a full-time ambassador for Premium Venezuelan chocolate and cacao derivatives, based in the Netherlands, and my mission is to provide the best-in-class products and services for chocolatiers and consumers in Europe. I devote all of my efforts to this role, and I do so with the utmost dedication.

Sebastián Faura, 1990

Founder & Chocolate Maker at Cocama Chocolate /// Lima, Peru

“My experience with cocoa dates back to my days working as an economist for a Peruvian government agency in the early part of my career. During my time there, I worked on initiatives that were relevant to the development of cocoa-producing villages throughout the whole of Peru. However, I did not begin manufacturing chocolate until after I had returned from an internship at the Belgian Chocolate School in Antwerp. It was there that I first learned how to create chocolate from bean to bar.

After that, I began my own learning process by making mistakes and learning from them, and finally, I was able to establish my own chocolate firm in Peru, where I was born and raised. We now offer 11 different product lines, one of which is called “chocoaz,” and it is a kind of chocolate that is derived from a cocoa related that grows in the Amazon rainforest. Our mission is to transform the cocoa industry in Peru into a successful and sustainable business.

Mary Jose Lozada, 1993

Co-founder of Primos de Origen /// Venezuela & Santander, Spain

In order to launch Primos de Origen, a speciality coffee roastery and artisan chocolate store in Santander, Spain, Mary decided to abandon her previous professional path in the renewable energy industry. This shift in perspective started from the very beginning, when her parents bought and renovated an ancient coffee estate in Venezuela. Mary’s leisure time was suddenly consumed with volunteering, which she did by studying cacao genetics, post-harvesting processes, quality control, roasting, processing, and tastings; she also took classes related to these topics. The more she discovered about cacao, the more enthralled she got by it, and the more motivated she became to educate others about its benefits.

Putting aside the helplessness that she feels as a result of Venezuela’s unstable political climate, this move in her line of work is a means for her to give back to her nation and appreciate the hard work of her family and other producers. Since they first opened their doors in 2017, they have established their own coffee brand and significantly increased their distribution throughout Spain. Customers at her café have developed an appreciation for chocolate and coffee on par with the appreciation that Spaniards have traditionally shown for wine. They want bars with a variety of flavor profiles and inquire about the inspiration behind each kind. “In order to do this, the Primos crew has traveled all the way here, and this is just the beginning.”

Europe

Lilla Toth-Tatai, 1987

Founder of Little Beetle Chocolates /// Budapest, Hungary

​

Chocolate was initially Lilla’s backup option while she was developing the recipe. She started studying to become a chocolatier when her job as an interpreter did not go according to plan, and she was swiftly caught up in the bean to bar chocolate movement. Her first bite was of Benoit Nihant’s Chuao bar, which she calls “a genuine epiphany” after experiencing it for the first time. She elaborates as follows: “It was at the very first London Chocolate Show, and I didn’t know this manufacturer (or any of the others actually), so I simply sampled the samples they offered.” My first reaction to this Chuao was “wow, such a beautiful milk chocolate.”

It turned out to be 74% darker than expected! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I can still recall the flavor that was in my tongue.” In the years that have passed since then, Lilla has developed her own set of ideals on good chocolate, which are based on tasting with awareness and gaining comprehension via knowledge. She has also relocated from London to her home country of Hungary and is working on opening a business there in the near future. “Right now, my primary emphasis is on helping handmade chocolate manufacturers spread their knowledge to a wider audience by writing blog posts, hosting tasting events, and selling bars of chocolate in my shop (my motto). I like to think of chocolate as the “global language” since everyone can comprehend it. In the end, I’m a translator who specializes in chocolate.

Carl Schweizer, 1985

Co-founder at To’ak Chocolate /// Quito, Ecuador

“I spent my childhood in a remote region in the Austrian Alps, surrounded on all sides by organic and biodynamic farmers. I began my education in graphic design and communications when I was 15 years old, and after I finished my degree, I wanted to have a deeper understanding of the world outside of Europe. My interest in the pre-Columbian civilizations of Latin America led me to spend a year in Ecuador, where I first met the woman who would become my wife. After that, I found Jerry, who would go on to become my business partner.

To’ak is a project that is driven by passion and values, and during those years that followed, we came across all of the incredible discoveries that have made it what it is today. To’ak is a project in which we try to keep dreaming as big as possible, despite the fact that we start smaller than most people would ever imagine. The biodiversity of our world is in jeopardy, and with it comes the possibility of having experiences with more nuanced natural sensations. At To’ak, we are firm believers that approaching challenges from a unique perspective can not only support but also inspire change that extends beyond cacao and chocolate. Only a healthy eco-system can ensure that future generations have access to high-quality meals and a high-quality standard of living.

Malou Dronkers, 1988

Founder of Macao Movement /// Amsterdam, Netherlands

“A single bar of chocolate is not everything that chocolate has to offer.” While Malou was residing in Costa Rica a number of years ago, she came to this realization on her own. I found a cacao fruit on the side of the road, brought it home, and let the beans dry out in my backyard. A buddy of mine stopped by, and we decided to make chocolate out of it on the spot. Instantaneously, she became aware of the fact that, despite appearances, there is logic to the seemingly chaotic process of manufacturing chocolate.

This is when she first started her chocolate and cacao company, which is now known as Macao Movement. “I find great satisfaction in the creation of new items and ideas, as well as in exploring the scope of possible enhancements and resolving existing issues. Working with cacao is a fantastic method to make a product that has a beneficial effect on both people and the environment, which is a goal of mine for the items I create.

Marika van Santvoort, 1985

Founder of Moving Cocoa & Chocoa Organizer /// Utrecht, Netherlands

“It is my opinion that the only way for there to be sustainability, justice, and a livable wage is for the supply chain to be kept as short as possible while still being transparent. Farmers are more motivated to produce and preserve different varieties of cacao distinct when they are offered a price that takes into account both the quality and the variety of the cacao in question. When we all work together as partners inside the cooperative and make an effort to remove obstacles that prevent people from doing business, we are genuinely propelling the market ahead.

At the moment, I’m focusing on cocoa quality and logistics, and in the future, I’d want to play a larger role in the procurement and trading of cocoa. I am the organizer of Chocoa, a cocoa and chocolate festival that takes place in Amsterdam over the course of 5 days. Working closely with producers, chocolate manufacturers, and suppliers from all over the globe has provided me with invaluable knowledge that has enabled me to develop innovative, cutting-edge, and engaging programming for Chocoa.

Hazel Lee, 1989

Chocolate Consultant /// London, England

“In 2013, while working as a volunteer at La Iguana Chocolate, a gorgeous cocoa farm operated by a family in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest, I formally and irrevocably fell in love with chocolate. My current hobbies include producing chocolate from bean to bar at home, traveling to cocoa farms and chocolate factories in different parts of the globe, and serving as a judge for international chocolate awards.

I also give workshops using Taste With Colour®: The Chocolate Tasting Flavour Map, which is a tool for identifying flavours in chocolate that I developed and launched in July 2017. I attend and participate in chocolate events in the UK and beyond. I consult clients in bean to bar chocolate making and product development. As another one of Hazel’s many interests, interacting with other people in the business and helping others tell their handmade chocolate tales via the use of social media is very important to her.

Michael Ryan, 1993

Cacao Sourcer at Omnom Chocolate /// Reykjavik, Iceland

“When I was attending the Culinary Institute of America to train to become a pastry chef, I was the first time that I was ‘bit by the chocolate bug.'” After that, I moved on to making artisan chocolate and quickly realized how much I like it. For me, the purpose of artisanal chocolate is to convey to consumers the laborious efforts that producers put forth in their countries of origin. When people’s only experience with chocolate has been cheap, mass-produced chocolate, it might be challenging to convince them to spend more for chocolate of a better quality. Being modest, showing respect for the source, and coming up with methods to engage the audience that are both welcoming and unique are, in my experience, the most effective strategies for doing this.

Sharon Terenzi, 1990

Social Media Consultant for Chocolate Businesses /// Italy

Sharon is a well-known name in the chocolate industry, and for good reason: her website, “The Chocolate Journalist,” is a hub for discussions on the ever-changing chocolate industry, as well as a space in which she shares her own well-researched articles about chocolate. This is just one of the many reasons why Sharon is so well-known in the chocolate industry. Sharon’s adventure into the world of artisan chocolate began in 2013 while she was still residing in the United States. She is also well-known for the prominence of her Instagram profile.

Her website and the social media company that evolved from it are an expression of her passion for both chocolate and the community that she has come to cherish. She, like the majority of people who call themselves chocoholics, has no interest in ever learning how to manufacture chocolate, but that doesn’t mean she’ll ever stop obsessing over it like the rest of us.

Asia

Arun Viswanathan, 1989

Founder & Chocolate Maker at Chitra’m Craft Chocolate /// Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

“There are very few things in this world that have the capacity to permeate everything else as chocolate does. During my time at Cornell University, while I was working toward earning a master’s degree in Food Science and Technology, I discovered a love for the art of chocolate creation. After visiting the biggest chocolate festival in New York, I came to the profound conviction that chocolate presents a one-of-a-kind chance to showcase one’s originality via the medium’s flavor as well as its appearance.

After that, I decided to make chocolates my area of expertise and pursued my education in Belgium for a while before coming back to India. My chocolate shop, which bears the name “Ganache For Da Chocoholics,” opened its doors in 2014. It is a gourmet chocolate shop with the goal of developing a chocolate that exemplifies the adaptability of Indian products. From there, I opened a savory cocoa café called Infusions, and in the middle of 2018, my business partner and I created the widely acclaimed bean-to-bar company Chitra’s Artisanal Chocolates in honor of my late mother.

Hanbin “Emily” Paek, 1985

Founder of Public Chocolatory /// Chuncheon, South Korea

Emily was a member of the first wave of handmade chocolate makers in Korea, which was a trend that got its start in earnest around the year 2013. Emily relocated to Wellington, New Zealand, in 2014, where she worked for almost two years with Wellington Chocolate Factory. She was motivated to make the move after reading the tales of people who made chocolate in small batches in different parts of the globe.

After she had finished her training, she went back to Korea with the intention of opening her own chocolate factory there. However, she took a bit of her heart with her when she departed New Zealand. Late in the year 2016, the doors of Public Chocolatory were opened to the general public in Korea, marking the beginning of chocolate education in yet another nation. Emily is now focusing her efforts on increasing her understanding of cacao production, exploring new sources, and investigating the possibility of establishing direct trading links with the farmers on whose cacao she relies.

Kathy Johnston, 1984

Chief Chocolate Officer, Mirzam Chocolate /// Dubai, UAE

“Chocolate has had a special place in my heart for as long as I can remember, and the term ‘obsession’ may not even do it justice. Because my education is in a completely different field from the one I’m now working in, I never would have dreamed that I would be able to get employment in this sector. Because of this, I think that Mirzam and I were destined to meet when I decided to leave my former job as a strategy consultant to seek a career in the chocolate industry.

In the future, I am looking forward to being more engaged in sustainability activities, particularly in the chocolate industry, but also in the manufacture of textiles and other farm-to-consumer businesses that are beginning to transition as a result of the third wave of consumer knowledge. Kathy, as a member of the founding team at Mirzam, has an insider’s view on the many challenges that a small scale chocolate company has while establishing itself in the Middle East, but she wouldn’t have it any other way and she wouldn’t change a thing about the experience.

Linh Đào, 1993

Chocolate & Cacao Exporter /// Hanoi, Vietnam

Linh has always had a soft spot in her heart for sweet treats, especially chocolate, ever since she was a child. However, the beginning of her adventure into the world of cocoa did not start until she and Taka, her employer in Japan, encountered a local chocolate manufacturer. Linh embraced the request to collaborate with their team as a chance to share Vietnamese cacao with the world since Azzan had just begun creating chocolate a year earlier, building off of the team’s expertise in the coffee sector. Almost immediately, she came to the realization that “the farmers didn’t know how to utilize the cacao, so they merely sold the raw beans.”

Bringing about this change became their primary objective. At the present, Azzan is only dealing with Dak Lak cacao that comes from the area immediately around their farm. This cacao is cultivated only by members of one of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities. The firm designs and manufactures its very own technology, educates farmers on fermentation, and creates tree-to-bar chocolate that would make a younger version of Linh glisten with pride.

Jay Chua, 1988

Founder of Fossa Chocolate /// Singapore

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My interest in chocolate began when I went to a cocoa farm and learned that the cacao bean goes through a fermentation process. Fermentation has always been one of those processes that fascinates me because of the variety of flavors that may result from changing just a few parameters throughout the process. It’s one of my favorite things about chocolate that it’s such a good vehicle for carrying many flavors, both in single origin dark chocolates and as inclusions or mixes in other kinds of chocolate. At Fossa, we are currently working on a line of tea chocolates that will challenge the way that people traditionally perceive tea chocolates. These tea chocolates will provide a unique flavor profile. ​

We are looking for cacao that has a wider variety of flavor profiles and probably more beans from Asia, since this region is located geographically closer to us.

When we first began, the market for handmade chocolate in Singapore was nonexistent, but we had a lot of fun developing new flavors and collaborating with beans that we like using. It seems sense that when others see us having a good time, they would be interested in trying the food that we provide. ​

Yurim Go, 1987

Co-founder of CACAODADA /// Seoul, South Korea

When Yurim was working as a part-time employee at a chocolaterie close to her university in 2010, she began experimenting with working with chocolate. A little over a year later, she made the acquaintance of Hyungwon Yoon, who is now both her husband and her business partner. Soon after that, in 2012, the pair began creating bean-to-bar chocolate and selling it. By the time they launched their store in 2016, they were only utilizing their own artisan chocolate in all of their products. “At the moment, we are in the process of developing a new origin; however, we are still in the testing phase.

By providing chocolate in a wide range of diverse shapes and sizes, we want to accomplish our mission of making it more available to those living in Korea. The repetitive flavor of supermarket chocolates and the festive bonbons that are sold at celebrations are now driving the majority of sales in Korea’s chocolate business. Therefore, the mission of CACAODADA is to educate people about the origin of chocolate while showcasing the myriad of taste characteristics that can be found in chocolate. People in this region are familiar with the flavor of chocolate, but they have not yet developed a taste for cacao. (This is a translation from the Korean.)

Sheila Reyes-Lao, 1985

Co-founder of Cacao Culture Philippines /// Davao City, Philippines

“We grew up drinking Tablea Hot Chocolate, but since we were raised in the city, I never had the opportunity to learn about the agricultural side of chocolate. My husband and I fell in love with the agricultural side of cacao when we relocated to Davao City, which is known as the cacao capital of the Philippines. As a result, we made the decision to become involved in the industry. We want Cacao Culture Farms to become the go-to place for cacao and cacao-based goods of the highest possible quality. We want to improve the lives of the people in our community, thus by establishing this very ambitious objective, we expect to be able to provide additional work opportunities. We are now working on making chocolates for the expanding vegan market in the Philippines, as well as developing cosmetics that are based on cacao.

Katie Chan, 1984

Founder of The Chocolate Club Hong Kong /// Hong Kong

“My love with chocolate began while I was working as a Product Developer for a commercial chocolate brand named “Awfully Chocolate.” At that time, I was introduced to the world of chocolate. During the course of my investigation, I came upon a television presentation in which the creator of Willie’s Cacao explained how chocolate is manufactured, beginning with the tree and ending with the bar. Both his tale and his enthusiasm held a lot of my interest. I took a flight to London to participate in the IICCT course for chocolate appreciation so that I could learn more about the world of excellent chocolate. In a very short amount of time after that, in 2013, I established The Chocolate Club HK.

Because I think that chocolate is a means for both connecting people and sharing enjoyment, our mission is to spread chocolate appreciation to as many people as possible, and we want to import a carefully selected selection of artisanal chocolate companies. Chocolate is a medium for both. The chocolate lovers of Asia are our target audience, and we wish to share both our expertise and our enthusiasm with them.

Africa

Simran Bindra, 1985

Co-founder of Kokoa Kamili /// Kilombero Valley, Tanzania

“I’m one of the two people that started Kokoa Kamili back in the day. We deal with several thousand smallholder cocoa growers in the Kilombero Valley in central Tanzania, which is where our headquarters are located. The last five years have been devoted on our efforts to guarantee that Tanzania is recognized as a leader in the production of speciality cocoa and that the farmers with whom we work are able to appreciate the advantages of being able to access better markets as a result of their hard work. I have high hopes that the artisan chocolate industry will continue its upward trajectory, and that bigger chocolate manufacturers will start to pay attention to the trends that the bean-to-bar market is pioneering, as well as pay greater attention to the origins of the beans they use in their products.

Seun Ogunmoroti, 1992

Chocolate Maker at Thirty Six Foods Nigeria /// Surulere Lagos Nigeria

“During my childhood in Nigeria, I was never taught the practical applications of cocoa. I was aware of chocolate, but my knowledge was limited to the fact that it was imported. Since the age of sixteen, I’ve had a variety of occupations, some of which include working as a cleaner in a cocoa processing factory and as a chef in a Chinese restaurant in Lagos. I’m now twenty-one years old. During my most recent position, I became acquainted with the person who would later come to be regarded as my father. He is one of the founders of Thirty Six Foods, and he extended an invitation to me to submit an application for a position in production at the company.

I wasn’t sure what to anticipate, but I wanted to give it a go, so I applied to work for the new firm and was one of their first workers. Before being trained by our company’s founders, I had no prior knowledge of the steps involved in chocolate production. It fills me with immense pride that not only is it possible for us to produce chocolate in Nigeria utilizing Nigerian cocoa at every stage of the process, but also that people like our chocolate. I have a sweet tooth, so it seems sense that my favorite flavor is white chocolate.

Oceania

Luke Owen Smith, 1984

Founder & Curator of The Chocolate Bar /// Wellington, New Zealand

“My background in the world of craft beer led me to the world of artisan chocolate. Starting when I was 17 years old, I found employment at genuine ale pubs in England. When I moved to Wellington in 2012, I began working as the manager of a small craft beer bar. I didn’t spend much time getting settled in before I was introduced to the folks at Wellington Chocolate Factory, and after that, I was hooked on the world of artisanal chocolate. At this time, I had given up drinking, and chocolate had replaced alcoholic beverages as my go-to indulgence.

The more I learned about chocolate, the more infatuated I became with it, but at the same time, I became disappointed by how difficult it was to get my hands on high-quality chocolate in New Zealand. In addition to that, I had a strong urge to cease pouring pints, therefore sooner or later, I got the epiphany that I should open The Chocolate Bar. I’ve never looked back.”

My lifelong preoccupation has always been chocolate. I never get beyond the word “chocolate” when I’m looking at a menu since it’s the first thing that catches my eye. Since I don’t drink coffee, I’ve had to depend on hot chocolates to satisfy my cravings, which they didn’t do for a long time… until I found some fantastic ones! Sarah’s experience is one that many of us can relate to; chocolate has always been a part of her life, and eventually it became an essential component of her story and how she characterizes herself. Her introduction to artisanal chocolate began at Wellington Chocolate Factory, where she learned not only about the product itself but also the history of the people who created it.

“It’s one of my favorite things in the world when you meet someone who is so wonderfully enthusiastic about what they do that their enthusiasm rubs off on you… “[Chocolate] is all about the people it brings together, especially the folks who live back at the roots of where the cacao is cultivated.” She then goes on to explain how every ardent individual working in the chocolate business is working to improve the sector using the resources that are available to them. “The contributions of individuals are proving to be invaluable. And customers may do so as well.”

According to all accounts, this was a really draining event.

Managing the varied aspects of the identities of a few dozen different individuals was like playing a perpetual game of switching time zones. There were three separate postponements of the book’s initial publishing date in May of 2018. Despite this, I made the decision to republish the essay because I wanted to complete it in a manner that seemed to be in accordance with the situation of specialized chocolate and cacao at the present time. And voilà! The completed edition of Millennials in Chocolate, which highlights 35 remarkable young individuals making significant contributions, is now available. You’ve probably already seen their names and some of the lovely things they have to say, but I cannot possible thank them enough for the contributions they have made.

My conversations, whether they were brief or extremely lengthy, with all of the individuals included in this article have been an incredible source of motivation for me. This is by no means a complete list of young individuals who have appeared in chocolate, as you may have guessed. But as the business continues to expand and the next generation of chocolate people comes of age, it is my sincere hope that our tales will be able to assist them in defining their own roles within the sector.

But more than anything else, I want that the next generation will have a beneficial influence that is felt much more than ours has been.

Where did YOU begin your journey into the world of chocolate and cacao?

Sarah McKenzie, 1991

Community Builder at Miss_Chocoholic_NZ /// Auckland, New Zealand

My lifelong preoccupation has always been chocolate. I never get beyond the word “chocolate” when I’m looking at a menu since it’s the first thing that catches my eye. Since I don’t drink coffee, I’ve had to depend on hot chocolates to satisfy my cravings, which they didn’t do for a long time… until I found some fantastic ones! Sarah’s experience is one that many of us can relate to; chocolate has always been a part of her life, and eventually it became an essential component of her story and how she characterizes herself. Her introduction to artisanal chocolate began at Wellington Chocolate Factory, where she learned not only about the product itself but also the history of the people who created it.

“It’s one of my favorite things in the world when you meet someone who is so wonderfully enthusiastic about what they do that their enthusiasm rubs off on you… “[Chocolate] is all about the people it brings together, especially the folks who live back at the roots of where the cacao is cultivated.” She then goes on to explain how every ardent individual working in the chocolate business is working to improve the sector using the resources that are available to them. “The contributions of individuals are proving to be invaluable. And customers may do so as well.”

According to all accounts, this was a really draining event.

Managing the varied aspects of the identities of a few dozen different individuals was like playing a perpetual game of switching time zones. There were three separate postponements of the book’s initial publishing date in May of 2018. Despite this, I made the decision to republish the essay because I wanted to complete it in a manner that seemed to be in accordance with the situation of specialized chocolate and cacao at the present time. And voilà! The completed edition of Millennials in Chocolate, which highlights 35 remarkable young individuals making significant contributions, is now available. You’ve probably already seen their names and some of the lovely things they have to say, but I cannot possible thank them enough for the contributions they have made.

My conversations, whether they were brief or extremely lengthy, with all of the individuals included in this article have been an incredible source of motivation for me. This is by no means a complete list of young individuals who have appeared in chocolate, as you may have guessed. But as the business continues to expand and the next generation of chocolate people comes of age, it is my sincere hope that our tales will be able to assist them in defining their own roles within the sector.

But more than anything else, I want that the next generation will have a beneficial influence that is felt much more than ours has been.

Where did YOU begin your journey into the world of chocolate and cacao?