Chocrì Meine Schokolade

A few days ago a newer chocolate company Chocrì found me on Twitter. They have a fairly unique concept of building your own chocolate bars.

From their press release:

Chocri is a create-your-own chocolate bar that is hand-manufactured in Germany, with organic, premium qua- lity chocolate from Belgium. With chocri, the combinations are endless (literally). Consumers can choose from three base chocolates (dark, milk or white), and then select from over 80 toppings: from the usual suspects like peanuts, raisins, and almonds, to fun, unexpected ingredients like organic flax seeds, fennel and coriander! With over 10 billion combinations to choose from, your unique chocolate creation is only a few clicks away.

Chocri was founded by 20-something entrepreneurs Michael Bruck and Franz Duge in early 2008. It was Franz who had the "light bulb" idea to start a custom chocolate bar company when he couldn’t think of a personal gift to give his girlfriend on her birthday. At the time, Franz and Michael were running a chocolate fountain compa- ny, so Franz came up with the idea of using the liquid chocolate from that company, and turning it into a bar, which he topped with his girlfriend’s favorite snacks: gummy bears and trail mix. Needless to say, the gift made quite an impression! When Franz’s friends heard about his creative chocolate concoction, they asked him if he could make some for them too – and that’s how chocri was born.

Within the first year of launching, chocri sold over 120,000 bars of chocolate in Germany alone! The chocolate can be shipped to Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, and soon, the U.K. and U.S.! "We could no longer continue to deny Americans the right to create their own chocolate bars!" quips chocri co-founder Michael Bruck.

The chocri team also firmly believes in ethical chocolate manufacturing, in all stages of production: from how the chocolate is grown, handled, and produced, to how they are sold and packaged. Cacao, the main ingredient in chocolate, is usually grown in third-world countries where unethical working conditions and farming practi- ces are common. The quality of the chocri chocolate bar is reflected not only in its superior taste, but also in its respect for the environment and for fair working conditions. Thus, chocri chocolates are organic, and fair trade certified. In addition, 1% of all sales of the chocolate bars are donated to DIV Kinder, a German-based child welfare organization that helps children in Ivory Coast, the biggest exporter of cacao beans.

In January 2010, chocri will be made available for the U.S. market. Ethical, whimsical, and personal – chocri chocolate bars make the perfect gift for that special someone.

I took the plunge and ordered five bars. It will take a while to get to me. Arrival date is expected around Jan. 21, 2010. But they will keep you posted every step of the way like when your chocolate is being made and then sent.

I created five bars and named them.

Old World: Dark Chocolate (64%) with Anise, Rosemary, Sea Salt, Date Bits and Fig Bits.

Health Bar: Dark Chocolate (64%) with Blueberries, Cranberries, Organic Flax Seeds, Goji Berries and mymuesli - Organic Muesli.

Strawberry Basil Martini: Dark Chocolate (64%) with Strawberry, Ground Chili, Basil and Organic Mint Leaves.

Banana Nut: Milk Chocolate with Banana Chips, Cinnamon and Walnuts.

Pretty: White Chocolate with Strawberry, Papaya Cubes, Flower Mix, Silver Pearls and Macadamia Nuts.


So while this will take a while to be hand made and shipped out, you should really check them out and all the kinds of blends you can create and name yourself. They also have popular flavor blends you can choose from.

As I was blogging about this, I received notice that my bars have been made.

Dear Candice,

Your customized chocolate bars have been made! We will send them on their way to you either today or the next business day. Typically, shipping takes 4-6 days, so please expect your pieces of art to arrive on 21.01.2010.

These are the owners Franz Duge and Michael Bruck.

Images from their website creating custom bars and what the bars look like.

 

 

Their website also has a section for charitable donations. I definitely donated with my purchase of chocolate.

DVI-Kinder

DIV-Kinder (which stands for Deutsch-Ivorische-Verein and means German-Ivory Association) is a Christian organization that cares for the needs of homeless and orphaned children of the Ivory Coast. Their primary interest is to provide the children with shelter and supervision. The organization’s employees work directly in these countries and make sure that donations and supplies from Germany are transferred to the homes for children.

1% of every chocolate bar purchased goes directly to the children of the Ivory Coast. So far, the first major donation project we financed was very successful and you are welcome to read more about this project and future ones on our blog.

A conscious company with customized chocolate market. So far I really like them.

*All images via their website.

Comments

[ceecee]

mmmm the banana one sounds great!

[Bromography]

Thanks for sharing this interesting company! I am thinking of the endless combinations.