Finding tasty vegan chocolate in South Florida can be hard. But with a little reading through this blog you can find out my three favorite single-origin vegan craft chocolate makers. They all support and work directly with cacao farmers by paying Fair Trade prices. They also all support the environment by only buying from small cacao growers.
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| Cao Chocolate Truffle, Coa Chocolates, Miami, Fla. Copyright 2017 by Helen A Lockey |
My three favorites are: Miami-based Cao
Chocolates, Stuart-based Castronovo Chocolates and Ecuador-based Pacari Chocolates.
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| Ricardo Trillos, owner and chocolate maker of Cao Chocolates, Miami, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
Cao Chocolates, established in 2009, became Miami-Dade County's first bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker in the county. Venezuelan born Ricardo Trillos and his wife Anelith, started their venture as a hobby and soon transformed it into a company. They are passionate about their chocolate and their process of sourcing beans to make single-origin vegan chocolate bars (chocolate made with just one type of bean).
Their chocolate bars are certified Vegan, Kosher Parve, and Fair for Life. Their bars are 100 percent gluten-free and contain no soy, no dairy, no nuts, and no wheat.
They know how to bring huge flavors out in their single origin bars.
You can find their bars and other chocolate items online at http://www.caochocolates.com
Or you can visit their storefront at: 9800 SW 77th Av Miami FL 33156 (near Pinecrest).
Or you can visit their storefront at: 9800 SW 77th Av Miami FL 33156 (near Pinecrest).
They are open Mon.-Fri. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Sat. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Their phone number is (305) 879-0281
Their bars sell online for $8.
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| Amazonas Rare Cacao Collection chocolate from Castronovo Chocolates, Stuart, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen a Lockey |
My next favorite is Castronovo Chocolates , established in 2013, by Denise and Jim Castronovo. They became Martin County's first bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker. Their dark chocolate is made without dairy and sweetened with organic, kosher parve sugar.
They have won multiple awards for their chocolate in both the United States and Internationally in London.
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| Denis Castronovo, owner and chocolate maker of Castronovo Chocolates, Stuart, Fla. Copyright 2018 by Helen A Lockey |
They also craft milk chocolates but are very careful about keeping their two styles separate. "We have a lot of customers that are sensitive to dairy so we make sure our equipment is very clean, says denis Castronovo.
Their single-origins dark chocolates bring the best of the bean out to your taste buds.
All of Castronovo Chocolates are also Nut-Free and Soy-Free.
All of Castronovo Chocolates are also Nut-Free and Soy-Free.
You can buy their bars online at : http://www.castronovochocolate.com
Or you can go to their storefront location at: 555 Colorado Avenue in Stuart, FL 34994
Or you can go to their storefront location at: 555 Colorado Avenue in Stuart, FL 34994
They are open Mon.-Fri. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sat. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Their phone number is (561) 512-7236
In their store the dark chocolate single-origin bars start at $9. Online their bars range in price from $10 to $14 plus shipping. But if you buy over $75 worth of products shipping is free in The United States
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| Pacari Organic Chocolate, Ft. Lauderdale Vegan Festival, Copyright 2017 by Helen a Lockey |
Pacari Chocolate is my next favorite even though they are not based in South Florida. Instead they are an Ecuadorian based organic single origin bean-to-bar craft chocolate company that was established in 2002. But even though they are not based here their chocolates can still be tasted and bought at many chocolate and vegan festivals in South Florida.
Their bars have won numerous chocolate awards here in the United States.
Pacari prides themselves in having their chocolate making factories within a few miles of their source farms in Ecuador. They also love educating their farmer friends in ways to improve their organic processes to improve the flavor of their Arriba Nacional cacao beans (the only bean Pacari uses).
Their bars are certified USDA organic, Kosher Parve, RAW Cacao, Deneter (biodynamic) and Vegan. Their bars are also Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free.
You can buy their bars online at https://pacarichocolate.us
Pacari also produces Raw-Vegan chocolate bars.
Pacari also produces Raw-Vegan chocolate bars.
Their online chocolate price ranges from $6.20-$15.00 a bar.
You can also find their bars at select Whole Foods Markets.
