Our Story

Schoki Chocolate is a small bean to bar chocolate-making company my wife and I started in 2020. We started Schoki because of our love for good quality chocolate and because of our passion for the protection of the environment as well as the well-being of the cacao farmers we work with.

For us, the most important aspects of our chocolate company is traceability, sustainability and ethics. We buy our cacao beans through co-operatives of farmers and trading partners. We pay a higher price for our cacao beans to ensure the farmers are paid a fair wage and that the environment is protected in the process. We also carefully select the finest cacao and local ingredients to craft European style premium chocolate and flavours inspired by the Pacific Northwest. At Schoki Chocolate we are proud of our chocolate and we hope you enjoy eating it as much as we enjoy making it.  — Yoann

How it started

I was born and raised in Switzerland, so chocolate was part of my upbringing. After visiting a chocolate factory when I was in my early 20s, I asked myself if I could turn a cacao bean into a chocolate bar.

In 2019, more than 12 years later, I decided to dive in and learn about the process of making chocolate directly from the cacao bean. I started to experiment with the magic of roasting cacao beans in my home kitchen, using equipment I built myself. I constructed a vacuum system that attached to a wooden box to crack the cacao beans and remove the shells. Then I used a small stone grinder to turn the cacao nibs into chocolate. These beans became my first chocolate bars. I constantly researched and tested the process to enhance the beans’ flavour profiles to create a chocolate bar where the taste reflected the origin.

After more than a year making small batches for friends and family in my garage, I turned my chocolate-making hobby into a business  that reflects my childhood, my vision, and my values.

Schoki Chocolate was born.

 

Why the name Schoki

We named our company Schoki in memory of my Swiss German grandmother. Every time I visited my grandparents, she asked if I wanted a “schoki”: a small piece of chocolate. To me, chocolate brings back great memories of my childhood in Switzerland, and also is part of creating new memories when we gather with friends and family. That is why we decided Schoki was the perfect name for our new chocolate adventure.

 

Our mission

At Schoki Chocolate our mission is simple. We want to make the best chocolate possible while ensuring ethics and sustainability are at the heart of our process.

The sourcing of our cacao is just as important as the finished product. For us, the ethics and sustainability of making chocolate start with traceability. At Schoki Chocolate we are buying premium single-origin cacao from co-operatives of farmers and direct trade partners who are all committed to the sustainable and fair development of their land, and treat workers with dignity and respect.

We are proud participants in the movement for positive change in the chocolate industry and we appreciate your support!