____
Friday, December 22: 12PM - 7PM
Saturday, December 23: 10:30AM - 8PM
Sunday, December 24: 10AM - 5PM *reduced hours*
Monday, December 25: CLOSED
Tuesday, December 26: CLOSED
Wednesday, December 27 - Saturday, December 30: 12PM - 7PM
Sunday, December 31: 10AM - 5PM *reduced hours*
Monday, January 1: CLOSED
Tuesday, January 2: 12PM - 7PM *regular winter hours resume*
Friday, December 22: 9AM - 7PM
Saturday, December 23: 7AM - 5PM
Sunday, December 24: 8AM - 3PM
Monday, December 25: CLOSED
Tuesday, December 26: CLOSED
Wednesday, December 27 - Friday, December 29: 9AM - 7PM
Saturday, December 30: 7AM - 5PM
Sunday, December 31: 10AM - 5PM
Monday, January 1: CLOSED
Tuesday, January 2: 9AM - 7PM *regular winter hours resume*
Sunday, December 10: 11AM - 5PM
Sunday, December 17: 11AM - 5PM
Sunday, December 10: 11AM - 5PM
Sunday, December 17: 11AM - 5PM
Monday, December 18: 3PM - 7PM
Monday, December 25: CLOSED
Note: ChocoSol will be attending every other week starting in January.
Saturday, December 23: 9AM - 1PM
Saturday, December 30: 9AM - 1PM
Saturday, December 23: 8AM - 1PM
Saturday, December 30: 8AM - 1PM
Saturday, December 23: 6AM - 2PM
Saturday, December 30: 6AM - 2PM
The placement of the cacao bean has been our practice since launching the Darkness bar in 2008. Over the years, some customers have mistaken the bean for an almond, leaving many confused and concerned about our “free from nuts” labelling and reaching out to us to inquire. We want to thank those customers who have taken the time to contact us with their concerns and questions, all of whom were delighted to discover what a cacao bean looks and tastes like and were relieved that we are fully committed to our “free from nuts” approach.
As such, to avoid future confusion and concerns, we have decided to eliminate the cacao bean from the back of the Darkness bar. The recipe, size, cacao percentage, and nutritional content of the Darkness bars will remain exactly the same.
We have a strict commitment to using the highest-quality ingredients that are ecological, nutritious, and allergen-free. We appreciate your understanding as we continually strive to have the clearest communication by design in our ChocoSol products and the highest level of food quality, ecology, nutrition, and safety by design!
- The ChocoSolistas
]]>Here’s why: To avoid heavy metals, it is important to source cacao from regions with good organic soil content and no contamination from industry and to ensure that the winnowing (removal of the shell) is done to a very high degree and standard.
ChocoSol sent our 100% cacao chocolate to a lab for heavy metal testing in May 2022. We had received these questions in the past, and we wanted to be more proactive in replying with quantitative data that would complement the health and ecology of our regenerative agricultural and forest garden polyculture approaches we source our cacao, coffee and vanilla from. We chose our 100% Gratitude with no cacao butter, or sugar added because if it was within standards, all our chocolate would be. Our 100% cacao chocolate is as dark as chocolate can come, and because of our stone-ground low heat, the low-sheer process maintains more of the flavonoids that are good for you.
Our results were excellent and came from a certified lab at SGS Labs in Mississauga. This test also includes our green coffee.
You can see our direct lab results here:
In terms of lead, mercury, arsenic, and aflatoxins, our cacao was below the minimum detection levels (MDL), meaning it was lower than 10% of recommended levels. Our cadmium level was also quite low and was 32% of the recommended maximum level. In comparison to the chart tested in California of safe and not-so-safe chocolates, our darkest chocolate is a clear winner, ranking as good as or even lower than the safest recommendations made in the consumer report. Currently, we are continuing the questions to understand the comparative differences between the California standards as compared to the FDA, CFIA, EU and FAO standards. They appear to be quite similar, but there are some differences we are exploring in order to provide a more exact comparison.
With the help our a Sick Kids hospital child nutrition expert, we have shaped some 2023 tests and trials that we would like to use to explore some research questions.
They include:
1) What is the difference between forest garden cacao growing in polycultures and semi-wild environments, and cacao growing in more groomed plantation style.
2) What is the effect of longer fermentation on heavy metals that may naturally be contained in the seeds? To test this, we would select 2-3 regions where we could acquire similar beans from similar soils, and test the difference between cacao that fermented and dried for 3 days and cacao that was fermented for 7-8 days. The theory is that the fermentation process, which is done for fine flavour-aroma chocolate and not as much in industrial cacao, might also help with reducing the heavy-meatal through the acidic fermentation and leeching of the beans.
3) We will also test all of our origins in our blend independently to see the variation in the results by origin and by profile in order to better establish our healthy baseline for our standard Chocosol cacao blends. Terroir is important, and deepening our food safety approach to our chocolates is a key to our commitment to safe, clean, and healthy quality.
Stay tuned for more research, results and continued innovation & reflection from the ChocoSol team.
--
Lead Goose, Founder and Chief Ecological Research Officer of the ChocoSol Learning Community/Social Enterprise,
Michael Sacco, PhD
]]>We are all looking for something "unique" and "practical" when it comes to buying the perfect gifts during the holidays. At ChocoSol, find gifts that are local, sustainable, delicious, and affordable to all.
Our mission is to bring chocolate that is good for mind, body and soil to your table through our slow food practices. We work directly with our growing partners to source sustainably grown cacao that fosters forest regeneration. By partnering with innovative companies like Rootree, TekPak and Priority Label to develop and supply beautiful packaging made from sustainable materials, we strive to be kinder to the planet.
Studies show that we generate 25% more waste over the holiday season than any other time of the year. So, this year, let's be kinder to the environment by gifting meaningful and ecological presents that will be appreciated by our family, friends and that the earth will appreciate too!
We have created this special gift guide, to help you choose something meaningful for the most exciting time of the year! From lovely gift packs to stocking stuffers - we've got products that are delicious, unique, and ecological.
Did you know that all of Chocosol’s products are free of nuts, dairy, gluten, soy and contain no preservatives? They make great gifts for anyone with food allergies to try something unique and delicious, that's made with them in mind.
Let's get started!
For Cacao Lovers - we have the Festive Joy Gift Box. It’s a selection of seven of our most popular chocolate bars (65% to 82% dark) It includes five of our classic Rustico bars and two Holiday Bars:
(Merry-Mint is a fresh, holiday-time favourite! This festive bar is 65% dark chocolate paired with organic mint, peppermint extract and a touch of spice.)
(Our Christmas Cranberry bar is 65% cacao embedded with sweet & tart organic cranberries from Northern Ontario.)
For Coffee Lovers - here's a gift pack that will bring extra cheer during these cold winter months!
This gift is ideal for the coffee lover in your life! Our medium-dark bold roast is a fan favourite which is in our Coffee Crunch chocolate as well. Our coffee is a well-rounded roast and great for any french press and drip coffee. It’s also great for making americanos, cold-brew, mochas, espresso, and even holiday cocktails!
Vanilla Pod Stocking Stuffers - for the baker or candlestick maker!
These Ecuadorian vanilla pods sparkle and smell like magic. We carefully package them up in triple packs that are the perfect size for a stocking. It also takes about three vanilla pods to make your own vanilla extract. Trust us, you won't regret it. Did you know, that vanilla grows in forest gardens as a vine on other trees including the cacao tree! We use this vanilla in our own chocolates including the infamous Vanilla Sea Salt. Let us know what you make with yours!
Golden Jaguar Gift Pack
Our Jaguar chocolates are in full stock! The Jaguar line includes four different bars:
Jaguar chocolates are made with theobroma bicolor (white cacao), and are uniquely satisfying and have tasting notes of caramel, coffee, butterscotch, nut butter.
Note: Chocosol products are completely NUT FREE! No actual nuts are involved in our production processes. These are a great gift for people with nut allergies to try something creamy and smooth, and for people who like lighter and sweeter chocolates!
3 Bar Gift Pack
Looking for a small gift that packs a flavourful punch? This triple pack of bars includes:
This mini pack is a great gift for anyone in need of a little holiday cheer!
Eco-Warrior Gift options:
Chocosol is serious about reducing waste and we know you are too!
Grab a Jar or bring your own container! We love to support eco-warriors like you, with in-store specials.
All of our store locations, boutiques and markets have our 'eco-warrior' special. So, bring your own container and pick up a variety of your favourite eating and drinking chocolate bars for an extra special holiday deal! You can wrap it up the way you like and gift it to your dear ones!
For those shopping online who prefer bulk deals, our whole Rustico line of chocolate is available to stock up in bulk! We offer a low packaging option for gifting to the ChocoSol fan in your life, or for sharing at family gatherings!
]]>Read on for a few common mistakes to avoid when cooking with chocolate:
Chocolate is a versatile ingredient, which means you can use it in many different recipes. But remember that all chocolate is not the same. For instance, if you replace the dark chocolate with white chocolate in your chili recipe, you will end up with a much different final product. Depending on what the recipe calls for, choosing the right type of chocolate can make a world of difference.
A common mistake people make when cooking with chocolate is overheating. But you need to make sure that the temperature doesn’t go above 133°F. If you are melting chocolate, keep the flame low to allow for the bar to melt slowly.
Many believe that the quality of chocolate doesn’t matter when it’s going to be mixed with other ingredients. In reality, it does. If there is a bar of chocolate you wouldn’t eat on its own, you might want to keep it away from your recipes.
You may be surprised to know that disregarding the cocoa percentage can have a huge impact on the recipe. For instance, if a recipe calls for a chocolate with 85% cacao, using one with less can result in a not-so-impressive taste and texture.
Always melt your chocolate fully. If you don’t, it will not incorporate properly into mixes and batters, which will make them heavy and keep your desserts from reaching their full expression.
For the uninitiated, choosing chocolate – whether for baking or simply a cup of hot chocolate – can seem like an intimidating task. But as long as you know where to buy, you can rest assured that you will be getting your money’s worth. ChocoSol Traders is your go-to destination for premium quality bean to bar chocolate, including artisanal dark chocolate in a wide array of unique and delicious flavors. All of our chocolate is stone-ground and made from the finest cacao beans for a rich, authentic flavor that can elevate any dish or drink. Browse through our online store to discover our cacao premium drinking chocolate, dark chocolate bars, cooking chocolate, and so much more.
]]>Administrative/Organizational Duties
Sales
Hospitality
Barista (Basic for product knowledge)
Cleanliness and general cleaning
Administrative/Organizational Duties
What’s not to love about melted chocolate? It is delicious, decadent, and the perfect way to elevate even the most basic sweet treat. For instance, a little drizzle of our melted Vanilla Sea Salt chocolate can turn a scoop of vanilla ice cream into an indulgent dessert or take a homemade chocolate cake to the next level. But even the most experienced bakers will tell you that melting chocolate isn’t the easiest task. Getting that smooth, silky drizzle isn’t as simple as it might seem. There’s so much that could go wrong. One false move and you could end up with unusable lumps or a burnt mess.
Lucky for you, we have made a list of a few easy ways in which you can melt chocolate at home. You don’t need any fancy equipment to get the glossiest melted chocolate for your cakes, chocolate-covered strawberries, dipped cookies, and more.
Here are some of the best and easiest ways to melt chocolate:
The double boiler method, also known as the stovetop method, is most commonly used by baking professionals as it allows you to keep a close watch on the chocolate and its consistency. A double boiler or bain-marie is one pot stacked on top of another. Fill the lower pot with water and let it simmer. It is the heat from this water that will heat the upper pot and gradually melt the chocolate. Stir the chocolate gently and frequently until it has melted. Make sure, however, that the bottom of the upper pot doesn’t touch the water.
If you are looking for a way to make a large batch of melted chocolate, maybe for a fondue night or simply to store for future use, the slow cooker method is the best option. Chop up your chocolate evenly and place the pieces into the slow cooker. Do not add any water. Set the heat to high and let the chocolate cook, covered, for an hour. After an hour, reduce the heat and continue to cook for another hour or until the chocolate is completely melted. Don’t forget to stir the chocolate occasionally to prevent lumps and keep it from sticking to the bottom of your slow cooker.
The microwave method is, arguably, the best way to melt chocolate without making any mess or dirtying too many tools. All you need to do is chop up your chocolate and place it in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for a minute, take it out, and stir the chocolate. Continue to microwave in 20 to 30-second increments and stir continuously, until all the chocolate has melted. But during this process, make sure you keep a careful eye on your chocolate so to prevent it from getting burnt.
At ChocoSol Traders, we offer bean to bar chocolates, including some of our most popular products like Darkness and Gratitude (with 100% cacao content), which are perfect for all your home baking experiments. We also offer premium drinking cacao chocolate. Browse through our online store to discover our decadent chocolates and chocolate products. Shop now.
]]>This past August for the first time in the company's history we received a report of an individual having an allergic reaction to one of our chocolates.
Our research has indicated that the allergic reaction was most likely caused by annatto (achiote) (see links below), and that those with nut allergies in rare instances can have cross sensitivity to achiote. However we have received consistent feedback from other customers in the past who have (or their children) nut allergies but are not triggered by annatto or any other ingredients in the jaguar chocolate. It is important to note that we steep the achiote seeds in our cacao butter before adding it to the jaguar chocolate - we do not grind the seeds with our cacao.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1994783/ - “Annatto dye may contain contaminating or residual seed proteins to which our patient developed IgE hypersensitivity.”
https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-is-an-annatto-allergy-1324369 - “There has not been any large-scale study done of annatto allergy, although there are a few case studies of anaphylaxis due to annatto in the medical literature.”
https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/food-additives-and-allergies/intolerances - “Annatto is an orange food coloring made from the seeds of a South American tree, Bixa orellana. This additive has been found to cause allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and hives/swelling."
Despite the rarity of such a reaction, we have decided to voluntarily take the following action as an organization:
1) Effective immediately we will be removing achiote from new batches of the following recipes:
Achiote is still present in our existing inventory and in the backstock of bulk chocolates that will be tempered into finished bars. It will continue to be listed in our ingredients label. By early 2022 the inventory of chili chocolates will be free of achiote, and by mid-2022 the inventory of jaguar chocolates will be free of achiote. We don’t anticipate a large flavour fluctuation as this ingredient is used in very small quantities.
We love the allopathic role and the polyculture role of achiote in the traditional Indigenous forest garden, however the inclusion or exclusion of this ingredient is not a deal breaker. What is a deal breaker for us is the one in a million potential of a mild allergic reaction that could occur.
We will be attaching this update to our website and our newsletter, and will be including some of the research links we have used in gathering this information. We are very grateful to all of our customers and business partners who continue to give us feedback that helps us to continuously and iteratively make the best food of the gods chocolate humanly possible.
If you have any thoughts, concerns, or questions please write to us and we will be happy to reply. Thank you so much for reading our updates and for participating in this process and re-evolution with us.
With much love and gratitude
Michael Sacco
Founder of the ChocoSol Learning Community Social Enterprise
]]>Chocosol - EcoFair Toronto 2020 from EcoFair Toronto on Vimeo.
]]>And thank you for enjoying our Halloween Chocolate That Isn't Scary as part of your Halloween celebrations. We hope this interactive learning activity is fun for kids of all ages (grown up kids included)!
Open up your Halloween Pack and take out:
Grab a glass of water to sip on, and you're all set!
You can also download the presentation here!
]]>We love celebrating the day of treats, tricks, laughter, and costumes.
But beware many industrial Halloween chocolates...
Behind the sweet treat you'll often find tricks, from hidden sugars, additives and chemical flavourings, to environmental destruction and deforestation from expanding cocoa plantations, and the ongoing labour conflicts in cocoa farming, including child labour...
We know that chocolate can be a scary world.
Our dark chocolate is made from only whole-food, simple ingredients. No preservatives, artificial flavouring, or hidden sugars. All our of chocolates are also vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free, making them safe to share and enjoy!
Our chocolate is stone-ground from freshly roasted cacao beans that we source directly from Indigenous communities in southern Mexico, and farmer co-operatives in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. We work with small-scale farming communities and co-operatives that value environmental sustainability and reforestation efforts. In fact, our cacao is helping to regenerate the forest gardens in Oaxaca, Mexico, and in the Dominican Republic.
As a direct-trade company, we visit our sourcing partners ourselves and work closely with the families to ensure that farmers are paid a fair, livable wage for their cacao and their hard work. On average, we pay over 30% more than Fair Trade prices for cacao- because we know the hard work that goes into growing and harvesting sustainable, quality cacao!
What's more- our Kakai+Cacao chocolate is a celebration of the Ontario harvest as well! We use locally grown kakai pumpkins and local maple syrup to support the forest gardens of the North.
Additional pick ups have been handed off to our partners at Earth & City
Please order through their website directly for the following locations
Please note:
Farmers' markets and local food pick ups currently open:
Online only farmers' markets:
Free In-Store Pick Up
As always, you can pick up your order from 1131 St. Clair West. Our reduced hours for pick-up are Monday to Sunday from 12pm – 6pm.
We do ask for a minimum of 24 hours to pack your order and get it ready for pick-up, but we can try to accommodate same day pick-up if possible. If you’re in a rush, give us a call at (416) 923-6675 to see if your order is ready.
Local Delivery
If you live in our local Toronto area, we are offering $7 flat-rate delivery by our own crew of bikes and vans! We are working to get your chocolate to your faster and safely by offering direct delivery. If you are in our selected areas, you will see “Local Delivery” as a shipping option. If you do not see it but live within 5km of our storefront, please send us a message and we will work to add you to our local network!
Please note that we can only offer this to a limited number of areas, but we are working on expanding this option. Orders are typically delivered within 1-2 business days but can take up to 4-6 days.
Delivery across the GTA, Canada, and the U.S.
At checkout, you can select delivery via Canada Post, UPS, Purolator, or FedEx.
Please note that all shipping couriers are experiencing delays due to increased demand for delivery services. We do our best to get its package out our door as quickly as possible!
]]>You can begin planting amaranth seed anytime between mid-May to mid-June. Seedlings can be started indoors, or the seeds can be directly planted into the garden anytime after the last frost!
Interested in growing amaranth?
We are selling a limited number of bags of garden-ready amaranth seeds sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico. These seeds grow into tall, beautiful plants with red and purple flowers.
Order your amaranth seeds online here and use the discount code "SpringtimeGarden20" to get 20% off these seeds or our Cacao Mulch!
As well as being eaten in Mexico, amaranth is also a popular edible green in many other countries and regions including China, Southeast Asia, India, Jamaica, and West Africa. The beautiful green and purple leaves of this plant are edible and highly nutritious. The leaves can be used like spinach and can be sauteed, steamed, added to soups, and much more. The dried amaranth seeds can be popped like popcorn, ground into flour, cooked into breakfast porridge, used to thicken soups and stews, and more!
For such a tiny seed, amaranth packs a powerful punch! It is a good source of complete protein (it contains all nine essential amino acids). Amaranth is also a good source of essential nutrients and minerals, including magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. It is also high in fibre, iron, selenium and vitamin B6.
Need mulch? We’ve got you(r garden) covered!Try our cacao shell mulch, available online for in-store pick-up! Made from our organic cacao shells, this mulch provides a nutrient-rich cover perfect for your gardening and farming needs. Bonus, it smells like chocolate!
Order our mulch by clicking here.
]]>With the increase in demand for our coffee during COVID19 (hands up if you’re drinking more coffee), we have temporarily run out of our classic skull-design bags. For the time being, we have switched to using plain paper bags for our coffee beans.
These bags still use a recyclable inner lining, so your coffee beans are protected from moisture and will stay fresh! We recommend storing these bags in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
We played around with the name “Forest Garden” for our new COVID19 Stay Home & Stock Up Bulk Coffee Deal. However, we realised this was confusing for our customers and so have now switched back to using our classic coffee name: Oaxaca Profundo.
If you receive coffee with a label saying “Forest Garden Coffee”, please rest assured that it is the same coffee you know and love!
Good eye (and taste buds)! As of February, 2020, we have begun to roast our own coffee beans using our new roaster! This exciting news means we have more control over our roast profiles. Due to popular demand, we have slightly decreased the roast to a more medium profile and have reduced the oiliness of the beans.
Please note, if you received coffee from us during the month of April, you may have seen some difference in the beans- this was our time of trying very minor tweaks to get our coffee just right!
Our coffee maintains its beautifully low-acid flavour profile with notes of chocolate and hazelnut.
If you have any other questions about our Oaxaca Profundo coffee beans, please don't hesitate to reach out to onlinestore@chocosoltraders.com
]]>“Farmer prosperity is a key ingredient in good chocolate”.
ChocoSol has been working with Uncommon Cacao for a few years, and last year marked the first sale of albino cacao through ChocoSol to other markets. In 2019, for the first time ever, we facilitated the sale of 500kg to Uncommon Cacao. This year, 2020, we sold them almost 2 tonnes of rare albino cacao. This is exciting news for us for four reasons!
It supports the community of San Felipe de Leon.
Years ago, our partners in San Felipe were telling us that they have too much albino cacao. As the only international buyers of the albino cacao, we simply couldn’t keep up with the rapidly increasing supply of albino cacao as the albino cacao trees planted years ago as part of the ecological regeneration project all came into their peak production years. By establishing a partnership with a trusted, value-based cacao supply chain organisation, we are able to facilitate the sale of more albino cacao than ever before. This not only financially supports the growers, but also increases overall value of albino cacao in the region.
It protects the regeneration of Oaxaca’s forest gardens.
Increased value and demand for albino cacao ensures the long-term sustainability of the region’s ecological regeneration and biodiversity projects. Albino cacao plays an important role in the region’s ecosystem, but years of coffee monocultures had taken a toll on the ecosystem and left many communities vulnerable to drops in coffee prices or blights of disease. You can read more about the ecological regeneration project in the Chinantla region here.
It expands the knowledge and use of albino cacao in the craft chocolate industry.
We are proud to be one of the first chocolate makers in the world to experiment with albino cacao chocolates- but our vision has always been to challenge the craft chocolate industry to expand its values and its understanding of chocolate. That’s why we entered our entirely unique albino cacao Jaguar Pure and Jaguar Swirl chocolate bars into the International Chocolate Awards and were rewarded with new prizes and categories being created just for them! Today, we’re thrilled to have helped and to see more craft chocolate makers in Mexico, Canada, and around the world experimenting with red and albino cacao integrations and combinations in their chocolates. By partnering with Uncommon Cacao, we can invite even more craft chocolate makers and chocolatiers to take part in the albino cacao revolution.
It increases our capacity to shift the cacao supply chain towards one based on conviviality, ethics, and sustainability.
By working alongside organisations with a similar set of values and ethos, we have the opportunity to join forces in our efforts to disrupt the status quo cacao supply chain- one structured on poverty, child labour, and environmental degradation. Instead, we can work collaboratively on our shared visions of a people-centred cacao supply chain. Today, individuals are increasingly aware of their consumer impacts, and chocolate makers are seeing that ethical, direct-trade cacao can be financially viable and sustainable. Together, we can build a socially-just and ecologically sustainable cacao supply chain.
While our storefront remains closed, we are now offering window service and can accommodate limited numbers of walk-up customers at a time. We are also offering our hot and iced chocolate and coffee drinks to go! In order to limit interaction and maintain social distancing practices, we do ask that customers continue to place to orders online and select pickup at our 1131 St. Clair West store (drinks can be ordered when you arrive).
*New* Farmers' Market Pick Up
With the slow re-opening of some of our regular farmers' markets, we are now offering free pick up at these locations. Order online and visit us at your selected Saturday morning market to pick up your order!
At checkout, select "Farmers' Market Pick Up" as your shipping option. Enter the discount code corresponding to your selected farmers' market, and you'll receive free shipping on your order. Please note any order tagged with these discount codes will NOT be shipped to your home address, but will only be available for pickup at your selected farmers' market!
All orders must be in by Thursday at noon in order to be packaged and delivered to our weekend farmers' markets. Orders placed after this cutoff will be delivered to the farmers' market the following week.
Free In-Store Pick Up
As always, you can pick up your order from 1131 St. Clair West. Our reduced hours for pick-up are Monday to Sunday from 12pm – 6pm.
We do ask for a minimum of 24 hours to pack your order and get it ready for pick-up, but we can try to accommodate same day pick-up if possible. If you’re in a rush, give us a call at (416) 923-6675 to see if your order is ready.
Local Delivery
If you live in our local Toronto area, we are offering $7 flat-rate delivery by our own crew of bikes and vans! We are working to get your chocolate to your faster and safely by offering direct delivery. If you are in our selected areas, you will see “Local Delivery” as a shipping option. If you do not see it but live within 5km of our storefront, please send us a message and we will work to add you to our local network!
Please note that we can only offer this to a limited number of areas, but we are working on expanding this option. Orders are typically delivered within 1-2 business days but can take up to 4-6 days.
Delivery across the GTA, Canada, and the U.S.
At checkout, you can select delivery via Canada Post, UPS, Purolator, or FedEx.
Please note that all shipping couriers are experiencing delays due to increased demand for delivery services. We do our best to get its package out our door as quickly as possible!
At the time of writing, most of our regular summer farmers’ markets and events have been cancelled due to COVID19 mitigation efforts.
*New Update 29th of June*
Farmers' markets and local food pick ups currently open:
Online only farmers' markets:
Back again while supplies last! As a way to keep our chocolate wheels grinding, we are offering 1kg bulk deals of some of our classic chocolates at a huge discount, reduce packaging and waste, help ensure you always have a stash of your favourite flavour, and give us all a needed boost during a difficult time! We think it's a win-win-win..-win.
From new practices to minimize product handling, increased sanitation and hand washing protocols, mandatory use of face masks and protective clothing, and limited operation hours and staffing, we have been working hard to put in place health and safety measures to keep both our customers and our staff safe.
Most recently, we purchased a new contactless tap payment system to ensure our pick-up customers and staff can maintain social distancing practices.
There are currently no reported cases of COVID-19 being spread through food.
We recommend all of our customers practice safe food handling and health precautions: practice contactless delivery when possible and wash your hands after handling delivery and food packages.
We continue to monitor updates from our local, municipal, and national health authorities.
Thanks for asking! These are difficult, unprecedented times for all of us. But we have seen our communities rally together to protect the most vulnerable and support each other. Along with many local, small businesses, we appreciate you and your continued support through these times. We truly believe we have the opportunity now more than ever to each support a brighter, better future.
From our team in Toronto and our partners across the Americas- thank you and we wish you all the best of health!
]]>In the age of the pandemic it is more important than ever to practice gratitude.
That means looking beyond the obvious challenges of being locked in our homes, or the suffering that comes with having loved ones or friends that are sick. COVID19 is a reminder for humans to slow down our economic activity that is destroying the planet, and the health of animals, humans and ecosystems alike. It is a reminder not to take the little things for granted.
At ChocoSol we are committed to an ecologically regenerative supply chain, and a spiritual ecology that includes the spirit with which we undertake the work of “pedalling chocolate and coffee." We take pride in feeding a hunger for food that is a symbol and vehicle for hope and regeneration.
We are grateful to the customers who found our online store and are keen to improve our online community with excellent value and ever better-quality offerings.
Sending the gift of dark chocolate and coffee can be a simple and beautiful reminder of friendship and love to someone who might need a bit of heart medicine right now, and we are happy to help you do that. Or simply sharing some extra bulk chocolate with your parents or neighbours can be a symbol of solidarity and support.
Our prayer for our food community yes that you stay strong, spring clean, and rekindle the spiritual ecology that healing from this pandemic requires.
Our mission is to help our food community stay strong in the most nutritious, tasty, ecological an affordable way possible, and that is why we like to say that our cacao, chocolate and coffee are “Good for mind, body and soil”.
With love, grief, and gratitude,
Michael Sacco
Lead goose of the ChocoSolista army for ecological regeneration.
Our low emission, low food mile, direct traded, Indigenous forest garden coffee of Oaxaca has kept many people energized and contented during the COVID19 stay at home order. Sharing a delicious healthy, ethical, tasty, ecological, affordable coffee is truly a great way to start the day and practice gratitude. We have integrated our new low-emission Loring Smart Roaster- purchased thanks in part to the Fair Finance Fund - to ensure that our ChocoSol Oaxaca Profundo Eco-Coffee remains one of the most delicious, great value, ecological coffees available in Canada! Keep your eyes open for 5LB value bags and new added roast profiles in months to come thanks to our flavour technician, Paul DeCampo!
]]>What is Day of the Dead? Our friends at Día de Los Muertos Collective say it best:
"In traditional Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos festivities in Mexico, friends and family gather to remember loved ones who have passed away, and to support their spiritual journey onward. To commemorate those who have died — whether in our own families or circle of friends or as a result of political persecution or neglect — we celebrate our being alive with food and dance, honour the memory of those gone through altars and art, and create an awareness of the fragility of life and its constant interweaving with death by way of the festivity’s geography. Celebrating together, we acknowledge death’s universality, honour the dead, and make a stand for a better future of greater justice."
This year, you can find us serving our Mexican-style drinking chocolate, dark chocolate bars, and of course specialty Day of the Dead chocolate skulls and bites at events all around the city.
Día de Los Muertos at Artscape Wychwood Barns
Saturday, October 26th, 4pm - 10pm
Día de Los Muertos at Evergreen Brickworks
Sunday, October 27th, 10am - 3pm
Día de Los Muertos at Toronto Harbourfront Centre
Saturday, November 9th, 11am - 8pm
Sunday, November 10th, 11am - 7pm
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Why vote for us?
We make food, not candy. Our chocolate is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and dairy-free, plus low-sugar and made from only whole-food ingredients. We never use artificial flavours, additives, or preservatives.
Our chocolate is truly made from scratch, also known as bean-to-bar. Starting with raw cacao beans, we do our own roasting, winnowing, and grinding on site to produce some of Toronto's freshest chocolate.
Our materia prima, cacao, is directly sourced from Indigenous communities in southern Mexico. More recently, we've begun working alongside social and ecological cooperatives in Guatemala, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.
Our practices are ecological and sustainable. All of our ingredients are organically grown, using no pesticides or chemical inputs. We aim to produce as little waste as possible, from selling our chocolates directly without bags or packaging, to upcycling our ground coffee into an incredible fertiliser to use on our rooftop garden.
We are a small, growing team of chocolate makers and lovers! Come by our store to say hello, and see the passion and excitement we hold everyday for our work. Pick up a bar of our classic Rustico Line and taste the difference in stone-ground chocolate. Try our Specialty Line for limited-edition, specialty ingredient bars and bites.
We are so much more than just a bar of chocolate!
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Our albino cacao chocolate is proving that the best chocolate in the world can be stone-ground, nutritious, and still award-winning.
Check out the full page of winners here.
]]>This article outlines the limitations and potential for certifications such as Fairtrade, and what direct-trade can mean for cacao producers and chocolate makers alike. At ChocoSol, we're proud to work directly with growers in Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador. It's great to see other chocolate makers like Taza Chocolate and LetterPress Chocolate engaging with direct-trade, and we hope more organisations can do the same!
What does direct-trade mean to us? In part, it means ChocoSol has both the honour and the responsibility to represent our growing partners through our space, community, delicious chocolate, coffee, and more. Spending time in the communities- and with the women, men, and children who make up the communities- is one way for our team to experience and gain a deeper understanding of the life, work, commitment, and respect embedded in growing and processing cacao. In sharing these experiences, we hope to constantly renew the ways in which we represent the stories of our evolving and dynamic partners in the South.
Another element of direct- and horizontal-trade is the capacity to walk and learn together across generations. Some of the youngest members of the grower communities, like Diana, have much to teach us about the plants, animals, and the future of communities like hers in Chiapas. In a time when many are leaving their communities for larger cities, our commitment is to listen to and work with younger generations to make cacao growing dignified, sustainable, and fulfilling work for those who wish to continue or return.
]]>The Chinantla region of southern Mexico is home to over 4,000 species of plants and is recognised worldwide as a biodiversity hotspot. Renewing and regenerating the biodiversity of the land is vital for a resilient ecosystem and habitat for the natural flora and fauna. A diverse forest ecosystem also diversifies and thereby strengthens the sources of subsistence and income for the community. Community members are planting albino cacao and cacao rojo trees alongside achiote, vanilla, coffee, and much more- creating a diverse forest garden that is resilient to disease, pests, changing weather, fluctuating prices, and unpredictable market dynamics- and that will feed and support the community of San Felipe de León for generations to come.
Community elder and our good friend Don Max says meeting ChocoSol marked a significant moment for the community because although cacao blanco has always been grown in San Felipe de León, it was never sold before ChocoSol started experimenting with Jaguar chocolate. Today, the community is planting more and more cacao blanco, with sales primarily to ChocoSol and to women making one of Oaxaca’s prehispanic beverages- tejate. Don Max thinks that in the future, more people in Oaxaca will know about the rich flavour and benefits of cacao blanco- and perhaps begin to experiment with it in the region’s famous array of chocolate and cacao drinks! Don Max also explains that cacao blanco has played an integral part in the renewal of the area’s biodiversity. Previously, many growers in the community planted only coffee trees, creating a semi-monoculture which left the ecosystem and the community vulnerable to bouts of coffee disease. Says Don Max, regenerating the diversity of the surrounding ecosystem through cacao blanco (alongside many other plants) means a more sustainable, stable, and resilient way of life for the community. To him, cacao blanco is a gift for his family, the forests, and the community.
]]>We are incredibly proud to announce that ChocoSol is the recipient of four medals in the Americas 2018 International Chocolate Awards!
With gratitude, we see these awards as a testament to the fact that direct-trade, socially-just, ecologically regenerative, and nutritious stone-ground dark chocolate can compete with the best. We are proud to continually strive towards being and doing better.
A huge thank you to our partners in southern Mexico who make all of our chocolate possible, thank you to the International Chocolate Awards for the honour to compete and be recognised, and congratulations to all the 2018 winners!
Article by Christine Laliberté, 19 October 2017
ChocoSol Traders is a tree-to-bar chocolate maker social enterprise based in Toronto (https://chocosoltraders.com/). ChocoSol buys fermented cacao beans directly from cacao producers in Mexico, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic (DR). At the shop, the ChocoSolista team crafts different lines of chocolate bars using stone ground, whole food artisanal methods. One of the “Fino Line” flavours featured is called Bird Sanctuary. This appellation salutes the Hispaniola region of northen Dominican Republic which is where the Zorzal - Agroforestry System is located, a first of it’s kind for this country (http://zorzalcacao.com/). This region is the the winter habitat of the Bicknell Thrush.
Look up in the Spring and depending upon what part of north eastern North America you are in you may observe a flock of Bicknell Thrushes moving along the Atlantic ocean during their migration. In the summer this small bird migrates to the vast Laurentia forest within southeastern Quebec and Vermont.(http://www.audubon.org/). Like the Bicknell Thrush, I was also born in a maple forest region. I feel that we are sharing a similar ritual; we are both “secretive forest singer[s].”
Made with 85% cacao from the Zorzal Reserve, this is my favorite mini bar made at ChocoSol. Bird Sanctuary reveals a distinct level of chocolate, expresses a balance of acidity and suggests a subtle nutty & fruity flavor. The added sea salt represents the Atlantic Ocean, the area covered by these birds during their seasonal migration. Also, the maple sugar crumble used to sweeten the bar on the back is a call out to the forest gardens of the North that provide food and habitat for these endangered birds.
Let me invite you to read the story of how I met a network and chain of artisans, technicians, ecologists and farmers who have devoted their lives to create a sustainable cacao product chain. Specifically, my article will focus on these four contributors:
MICHAEL SACCO - ChocoSol Founder, Toronto, CA
Dr. CHARLES KERCHNER- Zorzal Reserve Co-Founder & Artisanal Cacao Farm Operations Chief, DR GREG D’ALESANDRE - Chocolate Sourcer & Co-Owner at Dandelion Chocolate, CA, USA
CYNTHIA JONASSON - Chocolatier & Master Chocolate Maker Teacher at Dandelion Chocolate, CA, USA
While interning at ChocoSol Traders a member of the ChocoSolista Team, Rebecca Jacobs, once told me an idyllic story about the existence of a bird sanctuary. She described that there are two countries involved in this migratory route with an ocean separating its distinct winter and summer habitats. The story which inspired the name for “Bird Sanctuary” chocolate bar has the charm of a fairy tale but the narrative has peaked my curiosity about ethical chocolate sourcing. Moreover, I was interested in getting a better understanding of ChocoSol’s horizontal trading business relationships with their producers. Horizontal trade is an invitation ”to participate in an intercultural dialogue and movement to create a socially-just, equitable, & ecological food system” (https://chocosoltraders.com/). As a result of the generous help of Michael Sacco (TEDxWaterloo - Michael Sacco - 2/25/10) I was able to connect with Dr. Charles Kerchner (http://zorzalcacao.com/), a ZorzalCacao producer and was able to visit a small forest garden cacao reserve in the DR. The purpose of my trip was to also explore my enthusiasm for sustainable agro-ecology and to see with my own eyes how cacao is grown and how such an innovative agroforestry project could benefit the community and help preserve the ecosystem. ChocoSol was the first international buyer to purchase the carbon credit Zorzal beans in 2014, (http://www.cepf.net/news/top_stories/).
This agroforestory project is sucessful because of Dr. Charles Kerchner's leadership. The Chief Troublemaker (as he’s described on the Zorzal website!) has demonstrated his environmental stewardship of the Reserva Zorzal for more than a decade with collaborative conservation efforts from different political levels and private sector. Additionally, Charles is kind-hearted and generous towards his dedicated staff, hardworking-farmers & their families. Besides being a good business man, Charles is an excellent host from which he has kindly invited me to join the Dandelion Chocolate Group (https://www.dandelionchocolate.com/), who happened to be in the country for one of their chocolate trips. My impromptu addition to these travellers gave me an invaluable opportunity to meet one the best single source bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the world.
I also had the privilege to participate in a hands-on workshop focussing on cacao bean and chocolate tasting with the amazing Dandelion Chocolate team. The session was taught by Greg D’Alesandre (What A Chocolate 'Sourcerer' Learned From Working At Google by Forbes ) where he introduced the importance of having a good qualitative method to “consistently and accurately communicate about flavor” (Getting-good-grades-for-cacao, July 14, 2017 by Greg). Greg presented a standard protocol that was created by the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute (FCCI). The workshop was very educative and Greg’s expertise and insights of global cacao cultivation and industries are tremendous. Greg answered questions about fruit harvesting, evaluation of fermentation installations and discussing chocolate marketing with contagious enthusiasm. He belives that trust is a “crucial component” for an equitable economic system where the essential aspect of fair and ecological trade is based on sustainable relationships (Greg D’Alesandre from Dandelion Chocolate speaking at the Collaborative Trade Accelerator Culmination Event https://vimeo.com/173170530); this is a shared-value that is championed by Micheal Sacco and his ChocoSolistas in Toronto.
Cynthia Jonasson is a Canadian Master Chocolatier and a teacher at Dandelion Chocolate. She still thrives on learning about chocolate including the history of cacao and its application across civilizations, investigating the several origins of Theobroma pods, evaluating the different fermentation processes and assessing diverse types of installation and testing recipes in her shop. Moreover, she is an excellent educator. She has been a resourceful person for all of the technical aspects regarding chocolate making . I am very grateful to Cynthia to share all her “tips & tricks”. I invited you to read her articles posted on the “Education Station” from the Dandelion Chocolate website (Dandelion Education Station with Cynthia).
Based on my observations during my stay in the jungle, the members of the Zorzal team have adopted sustainable practices involved in cacao cultivation (e.g., agricultural practices work with natural processess to preserve the resources; design and manage organic farming operations ). Furthermore, I feel that the jungle garden sustains the economic viability and enhances the quality of life for DR farmers.Cacao Zorzal, Dandelion Chocolate, and ChocoSol are partners that are successful social enterprises. They are playing a role in addressing climate change, in supporting local communities, and in protecting endangered wildlife with collaborative conservation efforts. Moreover, as reported, “the chocolate makers who buy Zorzal cacao are willing to pay an additional value for each pound of cacao to invest in Plan Vivo reforestation efforts.” In summary, Zorzal philosophy is that:
We believe that good business practices can help foster positive social, environmental, and economic change, and we are committed to increasing transparency in both our own process as well as across the supply chain.
My trip reiterates my belief of supporting the fair trade market when you are sourcing and producing a commodity. I have a better understanding of the full implications involved when paying a premium for “Fair Trade” produce. Although it can have a higher cost to support the sustainability, as a cutomer I am ready to take a few extra dollars from my thin wallet to cover these operations related to this artisanal method. The chocolate industry requires a colossal demand for physical labor throughout the entire process of seeding, harvesting and crafting chocolate. For the respect of the Theobroma cacao plant and it’s workers, biting into a piece of chocolate has forever changed outlook on the chocolate industry. Next time you eat a delicious bitter square of dark chocolate, perhaps you could try savouring it a little longer... being mindful of experiencing the “Food of the Gods” and its sweet contributions from numerous human beings.
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