Coco'Blog

  • When Spinnaker Chocolate's Passion & Obsession Lead to a Mission

    Chris and Kelly Van Arsdale, brothers and co-founders of Spinnaker Chocolate, started crafting chocolate at home as a hobby. They were giving out chocolate bars to friends and family, and everyone would say: "Maybe you guys should be selling these."Many years and thousands of test batches later, ... View Post
  • Five People Behind 5 Mile Chocolate

    Your question, “What’s in my chocolate?” is the crux of who we are at 5 Mile Chocolate. The short answer is “cacao beans and organic sugar,” but you’re not really looking for the short answer, are you?With over a decade of experience in direct sourcing, coffee (as Oak Cliff Coffee), and the sweet... View Post
  • Travel as the Ultimate Discovery of CAR Artisan Chocolate

    Originally of Bosnian heritage, chocolate maker Haris Car spent 6 years working in the coffee industry for Philz Coffee, both in retail and wholesale. Having an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age, his time at Philz set the foundation for him to finally venture out on his own.In the summer o... View Post
  • Marjory and her chocolate-making process

    Marjory shares more about her chocolate-making process: “I'm a self-taught chocolate maker and did a lot of reading on John Nanci's website when I was first starting out, so the length of the first roast of a new bean is dependent on what I smell. I normally try to let everything cool overnight s... View Post
  • How Maribea Chocolate Got It's Name

    Mark Merritt began experimenting with making chocolate in 2013. Through much research, he taught himself how to make chocolate and bought the (small-scale) equipment: a winnower, melanger, and later, a tempering machine. Being the owner of a successful machine shop, he set up his miniature choco... View Post
  • Is Chocolate Vegan?

    Is Chocolate Vegan? Thanks to its rich, sweet taste, chocolate is one of the most popular treats in the world. If you adhere to a strict diet due to health or dietary needs, you may wonder how to find chocolate vegan options or vegetarian chocolate. Vegan chocolate has grown in popularity as more... View Post