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Sorting things out in Texas

June 12, 2014 by Caitlin

Cam and I took off for Texas last week to visit AMVT, a company that sells optical sorter machines. People’s eyes start to glaze over when I start talking about optical sorters until I mention that it could greatly improve the quality of our chocolate and decrease the amount of time it takes to prep beans before we roast them (maybe about half snap back to attention—and 100% of the Dandelion production team!).

The optical sorting machine in all its glory

Imagine a world where a machine with six eyes and a thousand lights is scanning the beans, rejecting anything cracked, moldy, flat, or foreign material. Then a chocolate maker can make sure nothing slips through rather than spending 20-30min per 5 kilos of beans like we do now (keep in mind batches are 30 kilos each and we are prepping roughly 65 kilos of beans per day). As a person hand sorts beans in the chilly bean room, attention can wander, and we miss things that a machine will be able to catch. This can help us make better chocolate by selecting only the best beans!

Things we want to get rid of

Assessing the sort done by the machine

We flew into Austin and stopped by La Barbecue to fuel up for the drive to Houston. We made it just in the nick of time to be their last late, late lunch customers of the day and got to sample some mighty fine brisket and pulled pork. It came with the most amazing sweet and tangy sauce and was just the ticket to kick off our Texas adventure. The AMVT lab had several machines and we were warmly welcomed by David and his colleague, Gary. There were several tests to try and we had brought an overweight checked bag (shh!) full of raw beans from a two different origins to play with.

David and Gary had calibrated the machine with a previous sample we had sent. We worked with them to understand the priorities around rejecting beans based on color, size, and shape. The machine has a set of cameras facing each other (so it can “see” both sides of the beans) and is fed from the top using gravity and slight vibration to move the beans down. The beans fall past the camera and then, if rejected, are blown into a different chute with compressed air. All simple in concept, complicated to achieve, and amazing to see in action.

David and Gary were incredibly knowledgeable and helpful and we both learned a lot during our visit. On our way out of town, we decided we needed one last barbecue fix before heading back to SF. We hit up Micklethwait Meat Company where we tried their pulled pork, pork shoulder, and brisket. These were accompanied by outstanding homemade pickles, jalepeño cheesy grits, and crisp coleslaw. The meat was delicious and the grits were amazing!

To top it all off, we stopped by Hay Elotes, a permanent structure version of a Mexican street cart selling all things corn and delicious ice cream/icees. Ivan helped us out and let us sample a few things and explained how they seek out the best corn in Mexico to import. He told us, “in Mexico, corn is life.” We were too full to sample the corn or the chicharones, but we both enjoyed mango, lime, and tamarind icees (kind of like sorbet). Ivan promised to come visit the factory next time he’s in SF.

All in all, a productive and illuminating trip to learn about some pretty amazing technology. Though we are still in the research phase, we are excited about the possibility of integrating this machine into our process.

Our Incredible Intern

November 20, 2013 by Caitlin

Our amazing, intern, Demitri, did some “homework” over the past couple weeks and we think you might like to take a peek.

A Series of Haiku about Dandelion Chocolate

By Demitri Hernandez and Pearl Wong

740 of

Valencia Street. Here stands

A Chocolate factory.

There is a chocolate

Who goes by Dandy Lion,

Fierce, and delicious.

Sweet Madagascar,

Nutty Patanemo and

Yummy Mantuano.

Papau New Guinea:

Honey, smokey barbecue

Draws much attention.

Steaming Guaniamo

Wards off chilly nights ahead—

Winter is coming.

Venezuela 4 of 4: Mantuano, Trincheras, Patanemo, and Canoabo

August 1, 2013 by Caitlin

This is part four of the chronicles of Greg’s and my trip to Venezuela. Here is part one, part two, and part three.

Kickass Lady Cooperative in Mantuano

Beatriz, Aurelia, and her sister-in-law run quite the co-op in Mantuano. They are eager students of all things cacao and it was fun to see them pepper Patrick with questions as soon as we got out of the car. They keep precise records of the beans going through each step of fermentation/drying and are very concerned with quality. These ladies are business savvy and boss all their husbands and brothers around to run their co-op on a tight ship, laughing all the while.

They had recently been having some problems with some beans that were blackened on the husk. We talked the problem through and thought of some solutions, but the mystery was revealed when Rodrigo, a farmer from another valley, came by and discovered that not enough of the liquid could drain off the beans during fermentation.

These inspiring ladies are always looking for the next opportunity. They have taken advantage of cooperative funding to set up a space at the front of their fermentary to make and sell chocolate and bon bons. Below is their roaster, cracker, winnower set up and Greg and I were very curious to see how it worked. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see it in action, but it was crazy to see one machine that combines these steps compared to our three machines. They are hopeful about their new business venture into making chocolate and talked about us coming back to do a knowledge exchange.

Mr. Katao and his Vino Loco

Trincheras is unusual because unlike most cacao-growing places in Venezuela which are towns surrounded by farmland, it has cacao trees scattered all throughout town. Jose, the head of the cooperative there, told us his biggest pest problem is the village children who like to eat the sweet sticky pulp found inside the pod. Clearly, he hasn’t come down on them too harshly because they all fondly refer to him as Señor Katao (unable to say cacao). We heard from Patrick, he always has a new idea brewing and makes cacao punch (think chocolate milk rum drink), cacao wine from the cobb part of the pod, chocolates, and ganache/pudding cups. I imagine he is pretty popular in Trincheras.

While we were at the collection center (place where beans are communally fermented and dried) in Trincheras, we were lucky enough to come across three local farmers. We got to share our chocolate with them and see the harvesting tools they use.

Photo credit: Diego Mata Martinez

They received a grant from an international aid organization to build a fermentary. By creating a fermentation center, beans are taken from many different farms but all fermented in the same way so that they can achieve better and more consistent fermentation. To ferment cacao, beans are taken from the fresh cacao pods, heaped into a wooden box, and then covered with banana leaves. The naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria in the pulp/air start to digest the sugar in the cacao pulp and turn the sugars into alcohol. The second step is the alcohol is digested by other bacteria and turned into acetic acid. This penetrates the shell of the bean and creates flavor precursors. A well fermented bean has lots of fissures in it that make it look kind of like a brain. After fermentation (which takes 5-6 days), the beans are dried for 3 days and then are ready to ship to be made into chocolate!

Patanemo, The Peaceful Valley and the Farmer’s Wife

Bright and early, we hiked up the steep drive to get to the house of Donaldo.. We were ushered in by Marisol who said her husband was up the mountain dealing with some cattle. I was surprised to learn their cacao trees were much further up the very steep hillside. Marisol told us that her husband harvests the cacao and carries it down by hand (each cacao sack weighs around 60 kilos!). Marisol showed us around the house starting with the tiniest, cutest, duckling who lost its mother to a fox the night before.

Patrick told us about how Donaldo was an incredible craftsman and had built the house himself. Every angle was perfect, and built with care. Marisol took us up to the cement roof which serves as their fermentation area and drying bed (at least until their son wants to move in), This keeps the beans safe from the numerous farm animals they have on their property. The most breath-taking part of the tour was the view of the entire Patanemo valley spreading out below us. Patanemo was named by run-away slaves who originally settled there and came from “paz tenemos” meaning we have peace or peace at last. I could almost feel my heart rate slowing down and the road weariness melting away.

Greg in awe of the view standing on the top of Donaldo and Marisol’s house that doubles as a drying bed

After the tour, we sat down to chat and have Marisol try the chocolate bar. She shyly said she liked it because it was so chocolate-y and we knew it was true because as we talked she took another square to nibble and another. She told us how she runs a co-op to make cacao products such as cacao punch (kind of like chocolate milk with rum), cacao vinegar, hair balm, and soaps. In Venezuela, if you form a co-op, the government will give you seed money to start your operation. In some cases, this system is abused because there is little oversight or follow-up and seems to be no penalty if you do not actually do what you set out to do. Marisol has found the co-op frustrating because she is very industrious and makes/sell tons of products whereas the other members make less but they all share the profit equally.

Marisol talking about the cooperative and holding cacao vinegar (the pink one will age to look like the more clear one). She hand sorts through all the beans after they are dried and before they are shipped out.

Canoabo, A Scientific Farmer Revives a Nearly Forgotten Variety

Our final stop was in Canoabo to visit Rodrigo’s farm. He, unlike most Venezuelan cocoa farmers, did not grow up cocoa farming. Rodrigo went to university in Valencia when he realized he didn’t like the noise, crime, and traffic of city life so he and his father searched for an ideal place to have a cocoa farm. They landed on Canoabo valley, which used to be part of one big hacienda, but is now divided up among farmers. He loves to challenge the old timer cacao farming knowledge in the area, by implementing new cultivation methods he gleans from the many books he reads. He says they just laugh at him, but he has had a lot of success using techniques like grafting to propagate the canoabo variety which is specific to the region and was nearly lost. It is characterized by larger beans with a pleasant, chocolatey flavor. Even the raw beans tasted pretty good…which is rare! Most beans need to be fermented, dried, and roasted before I want them anywhere near my taste buds.

Rodrigo had the neatest bean drying patio I’ve ever seen.

These are cut tests done on raw beans (fresh from the pod). Lighter colored beans, like the one in the center of my hand, tend to indicate more criollo genetics.

All in all, it was an amazing trip and I feel so lucky to have been able to learn from these farmers and share our part of the process with them. Thanks for following the chronicles of our trip and hopefully, the suspense didn’t kill you. Over and out until the next trip!

Won’t you take me to…COCOATOWN?!?

July 26, 2013 by Caitlin

Or rather Cocoatown came to us!

Our two new melangers are up and running and we have retired our first melanger–fondly known as Granny–to only be used in case one breaks. This brings us up to a total of five working melangers!

Here’s our buff team who moved the melangers in place! Look at all those chocofit™ muscles! Also, special shout out to Greg and Cam, our executive tinkerers who made them operable!

Venezuela 3 of 4: Cumboto, A Charmed Cacao Farm

June 27, 2013 by Caitlin

This is part 3 of 4 documenting Greg and Caitlin’s trip to Venezuela. Here’s part one and here’s part two.

Cumboto, Venezuela

We got out of the car, dusty and car sick from the road that never did seem to straighten out and a bad encounter with some spiced caiman at the previous day’s lunch.

On second thought, maybe it was the salsa…(yes, that’s fire ant salsa)

The day was already alive with bugs and the sounds of birds welcoming us. To get to the farm itself we had to cross a small stream which everyone in boots could wade through. I kicked my shoes off and felt the sandy soil slip under my feet sliding down into the river. We splashed across, following Lugo like a bunch of ducklings. I didn’t want to leave the perfectly refreshing water, but there was no time to dawdle.

Up the next bank and into the forest we hopped along the path avoiding the spiny plants, low tree limbs, and ants that bite. Small cacao farms don’t feel much like farms at all. Covered in a canopy of shade trees and the ground carpeted with plants, you simply feel like you are in the forest. Patrick, our fearless Venezuelan host, relived how the last time he was at this clearing, he had been barefoot. He had accidentally stepped into a fire ant nest and while he was trying to brush them off, he felt a mosquito biting his neck. He reached up to slap at the mosquito and suddenly there were ants on his neck. He hurriedly brushed them off and then while attempting to get the last of them off his neck he leaned up against the nearest tree, only to find out the hard way that it was covered in half inch thorns.

We picked our way carefully along the small foot-worn path until we came to a clearing. Jose Lugo proudly announced that the giant cacao tree standing before us was his favorite tree. It was around 150 years old, which made a stark comparison to the 20 year old trees we had seenat the Piaroan farms. It was hung with light pink pods and taller than any cacao tree I had seen. Lugo stood, holding onto the trunk like a proud father, while he told us all about the tree. Older cacao trees are less practical because they grow more of their fruit in their canopy which makes it difficult to harvest. It was so quiet and cool among the trees and the smile on Lugo’s face showed us how proud he was of his farm.

We stopped at another farmer’s grove further down the road so Lugo could show us some grafted trees. Grafting is a process where you can splice the varietal you want to grow onto already established root stock (commonly used in apple orchards). It is helpful with cacao because farmers can grow cacao with more desirable genetics and the trees produce cacao pods faster (because the roots are already established so they can provide more nutrients and water).

Lugo knows so much about cacao farming and it was such an honor to get to travel around with him and see all the knowledge he shares with others along the way.

Venezuela 2 of 4: Guaniamo, A Piaroan Experience

May 8, 2013 by Caitlin

Guaniamo, A Piaroan Experience.

Photo credit: Diego Mata Martinez

Everyone sprung to action, looking for a tree limb or log big enough to leverage the 4×4 up. Patrick, our host, and Jose Lugo, a farmer from the Ocumare region, moved quickly — donning rubber boots and looking in the river for a log big enough. They found one and hoisted it up. After trying a few leverage points and only falling in the river once, they managed to pry the truck up just enough so the driver could throw it into reverse and skid backwards up the river bank. The second attempt was much more successful and we were soon all back in the 4×4 and bumping along, the sides of our vehicle brushing vegetation on both sides. Suddenly, something loomed in our headlights. It was a man! With a rifle! In the middle of the night. With no light. In the jungle. Was this the part where we were getting kidnapped? But then I heard someone in the back seat whisper, “cazador” (hunter in Spanish) and I breathed a sigh of relief. But as we passed him, he waved and I thought, “you my friend have got cojones.”

We arrived at the village around 11:30 at night and set up our hammocks in a thatched mud building while some bleary eyed Piaroans looked on curiously at all the hubbub of guests. The next day dawned early and I got to breakfast on a guanabana. Little did I know, this would be the last food I would be getting for awhile. Due to some mix ups or things lost in translation, the plan to cook up the supplies and eat together with the villagers was not happening. Thank goodness for protein bars!

The whole village gathered and we trekked into the forest to see the cacao trees. Jose Lugo and Patrick led a workshop on pruning. Like many fruit trees, cacao trees do better when the branches that grow downward or don’t produce much fruit are trimmed off. It also allows more air to circulate, which keeps pests down.

Photo credit: Diego Mata Martinez

Photo credit: Diego Mata Martinez

The farmers seemed very receptive and tried their hand at pruning some limbs. If they can implement what they learned in the workshop, it will increase their yields and health of the pods.

We trekked back to the village, our bellies grumbling thinking we were heading back to lunch, but we were sadly mistaken. It was time for the presentation part of the workshop.

After lunch, we learned that there were not one, but two communities from the same indigenous group who grew cacao. They used to be all one community and had split due to religious differences several years ago. We came to understand that they were expecting us to visit as well and that they were “just down the road.” I broke the number one rule of traveling: sensible shoes and slipped on some sandals since we were going “just down the road.”

Over an hour later, we were told to get out of the 4×4 and get into a wooden dugout canoe that really didn’t seem to have a back. At the moment we arrived it was piloted by two eight-year-olds, who were soon rescued by their dad who was waiting on our side of the river. We made it across without anyone getting too soaked and then got on the back of a motorbike with a Piaroan teenager to be driven down a bumpy dirt single-track lined path with rather abundant and sharp bushes/low hanging branches. I was about a head taller than my Piaroan driver and he didn’t really take this into account in his driving route, but thankfully, I made it through unscathed.

The second community was overjoyed that we were there and we quickly fell in love with them as they brought forth woven baskets filled with bananas, pineapple, and sugar cane. It was the best banana I have ever eaten.

We were shown to the school building where Patrick and Lugo would lead the fermentation and drying workshop. It was fenced in, like many schools, but there, the school is fenced to be able to lock the children in rather than keep strangers out. Apparently, many of the children would rather run and play in the forest than attend classes (and who can really blame them, they live in tropical paradise!). The workshop went smoothly and again the whole village turned out. Their fermentation rates were much better than the previous village, but they were very interested in how to improve more. We also got to talk to them about how we make chocolate and how we want to make the best chocolate possible from the best beans possible, which is why they, as farmers, are so important.

Jose Lugo looking at the quality of the beans

After the lecture some of us took a swim. I was busy taking photos and when I gestured to the elderly Piaroan man to ask if he was going swimming where the others were, he looked at me horrified. I shrugged it off, but didn’t rush to join my comrades in the beautiful stream. We later learned this “swimming hole” was where the whole town did their dishes.

The sun was getting low, but there was one last surprise. DINNER. Rice, guinea fowl, mortadella, and fried plantains were served up and I was beside myself, I was so happy.

Then, it was back to the first village for one more abbreviated night in the hammocks as we left before dawn to head back to Caracas.

Driving back out over the crazy trail-road made me appreciate these villages’ cacao that much more because they export 40 metric tons per year and to transport it, they take it out one metric ton at a time. That’s 40 trips of about twelve hours each. And all those trips have to happen in the season when it is not flooding, which is only about four months out of the year. It’s pretty amazing that these beans make it to market at all. Juana, a farmer in Sucre who was with us on the trip, told us the first time they tried to sell their beans, she told them to come meet her so they could talk about it and they showed up at her house in Sucre (which is the complete opposite end of the country) with their whole harvest of 40 metric tons.

Thanks to Patrick, he was able to help Juana find a market for these beans, which brought them to us and ultimately, to you. And I appreciate them so much more knowing just how far they came and the wonderful farmers they came from.

Also, a big thank you to Diego, who is a professional photographer, for letting us use his photos!

Venezuela 1 of 4: It’s bean a long time coming! (Journey to the Jungle)

May 2, 2013 by Caitlin

A little over a month ago, Greg and I were lucky enough to venture into the depths of Venezuela to meet some of our farmers. Our goal was to make direct connections with farmers, complete the feedback loop, ensure the quality of the farm/workers, and give them some chocolate made from their beans for them to taste. With Patrick Pineda of Tisano as our guide, we visited 6 farms in five days, drove for over 48 hours, met amazing farmers, and didn’t get kidnapped.

And so the adventure begins…

Upon our arrival in Caracas, we had been informed that our adventure was starting immediately as a mini bus was coming at 1:30am and we would be driving 10+ hours south through the night to catch a ferry across the orinoco river to reach an indigenous group of Piaroans who grow cacao.

But not to worry, we had pillows!

Greg and I folded up into our tiny bench seat in the van and tried to catch a few winks. This wasn’t really in the cards. Between slowing down for the numerous speedbumps that herald the entrance and exit of every small town and a flash of the dome light every time we went over said speed bumps, our night of sleep was rather abbreviated or some might even say, nonexistent.

No matter. We arrived in Caicara safely, and quickly stocked up on provisions (coffee, sugar, tuna, and bullets). Yes, in Venezuela, one can never be too prepared. The highlight of Caicara was a visit to the Piaroan’s representative. He spoke both Spanish and Piaroan and was the one who organized the planting of their cacao trees twenty years ago believing it could be a good source of income for the village.

We met the representative at his home and the whole family turned out to greet us and look at the binder full of information about growing, harvesting, and processing cacao. He was overjoyed that his long ago investment was finally paying off.

Next, we piled into a Toyota Landcruiser that we were assured could fit 16 people. Greg and I looked skeptically in the back and began to realize that maybe they didn’t take into account that Americans are a bit bigger than even the tallest Piaroans (clocking in at about 5’2’’). I scored the front middle seat (nice and cozy with the gearshift) while Greg climbed in back with our 5 traveling companions plus an indigenous woman, her two-year-old daughter, and her twelve-day-old infant.

I was instructed to try to nap as the road was only paved for an hour and then it would be rough going. And off we went into the jungle!

The “road” quickly turned into a dirt trail filled with craters and with vegetation crowding in on either side. We drove through a river and began the first of our many stream crossings. We drove over 26 wooden “bridges” which consisted of two planks exactly the width of the tires on our vehicle. At each crossing, one of our indigenous hosts would jump out of the truck and direct the driver so that the tires would line up exactly with each log. As soon as we were aligned, the driver would gingerly drive forward until we were about half way and then he would gun the engine the rest of the way…as if the bridge might collapse underneath us. I could almost hear the Indiana Jones’ theme song…

Around bridge number 13, our luck ran out. The bridge was looking pretty sketchy and at every crossing our indigenous guide had regaled us with stories of how Uncle X went off this bridge on his moto, and Cousin Z broke through this bridge last year. So some of us decided to walk across, while others of us (*cough* *cough* Greg) remained in the vehicle. It looked like it was going to be an okay crossing. The tires were lined up, the headlights were on, the driver inched forward. And then disaster struck. The front wheel slipped off the log and all of the sudden, the 4×4 was balancing precariously on its axle.

Stay tuned for the next blog post to find out what happens to our fearless cocoa bean sourcers!

Pop-Up Parklet!

March 8, 2013 by Caitlin

What does Bill Monroe (the Father of Bluegrass) love more than bluegrass?…CHOCOLATE!!! And where can you find both?

Come Sunday from 12-4pm to a pop-up parklet outside Dandelion! Caitlin, our fearless production manager, will be playing with her string band, The Twin-Not-Twins (or TNT for short), from 1:30pm until 2pm. At 2pm, we will have a chocolate tasting! Hope to see you all there!

Introducing Rio Caribe: The Trials and Tribulations of a First Time Batch Maker

September 10, 2012 by Caitlin

It’s official, my first batch is complete and making its way into people’s mouths all over the country!

I could not be more excited as it was a long time coming. This road began several months ago when I was in the process of becoming a full-fledged chocolate maker (I had been an apprentice chocolate maker until that point). The last hurdle, after showing that I could complete all the steps of our process correctly and efficiently and passing a “background” chocolate knowledge exam, was to design a batch of my own.

Now I had been making chocolate for several months at this point, but I had followed prescribed processes that had been developed for each of our three origins at the time (Madagascar, Colombia, and Ocumare, Venezuela). So I was given the option of ordering beans from a broker or using some of the beans that were already in storage. I looked around at the beans on the market (and we already had samples many of them), but the pragmatist in me won out and I chose to use some organic Bolivian beans we already had on hand.

I launched into the first round of taste tests, excited at the prospect of my first batch. I sat by the roaster eagerly awaiting the first crack, a common point of reference we use to start taste tests (when the first bean pops away from its husk). The trick is to wait for the first crack (or two) and then push the button on the roaster to start cooling the beans. I pulled up my chair so my face was directly in front of the roaster, straining to hear over our roaster that elusive first crack. I waited and waited and then I heard it, I got so excited I pressed the button starting the cooling cycle and then realized…I hadn’t looked at the time so the whole exercise of finding a reference point was lost. So once I stopped blushing and feeling silly, I quickly prepped another kilo of beans and was at it again. This time, it was a success. To cover my bases I did a roast two minutes longer and another two minutes shorter.

In no time, all three 1 kilo batches were cracked, sorted, winnowed, ground and into the cocoatown (what we now call…mini) melangers. A day later, they were ready to be cooled and tasted. I excitedly brought them out at lunchtime for a group taste test. We all tasted our pieces, prepared to be delighted by our newest taste test and it was AWFUL. Poor Elaine, who was used to taste tests being fairly palatable, had a rather large chunk and I took one look at her face and told her it would be okay if she spit it out. Really, it was terrible.

I kept at it. Trying different roast profiles…a temperature spike at the beginning, a longer slower roast, and my colleagues were great sports and continued to taste the different test batches in all their glory. Nothing was working.

Then, a giant order came in and my immediate production duties shelved batch development. About a month went by and we were running out of Colombian beans, so all of the sudden, getting a new origin online was an urgent matter to avoid a bean crisis. I was not feeling optimistic about the Bolivian beans filling the Colombian void, and then thankfully we had some newly arrived Venezuelan beans from the Rio Caribe region by way of the Franceschi family. I repeated the taste tests process and got excited when I was first cracking the beans and this amazing aroma was released. The first round of taste tests were ALL delicious. It was glorious compared to my previous attempts, and felt like such a luxury to pick the best from the really good.

We all agreed on a roast profile we liked and I got the go ahead to make a thirty kilo batch. The batch tasted great and I was so excited to temper it. But that wasn’t the end of the story, I put the chocolate in our temperamental temperer and it wouldn’t get anywhere close to the correct temperature to come out tempered before seizing (this is when cooled chocolate builds up in the pipes of the machines and simply stops coming out of the nozzle). I tried for about 4 hours and only had 6 streaky bars to show for it. I couldn’t stop thinking, what are we going to do as our supply of Colombian bars quickly dwindled.

I was bailed out by a new motor for the temperer. It arrived just in the nick of time and was strong enough to pump that thick Rio Caribe through the pipes and into the molds at the correct temperature. Thank goodness!

The Rio Caribe is just lovely–full of deep, dark chocolately richness and it just begs to be squished between graham crackers and a roasted marshmallow or smother a perfectly ripe strawberry. It’s been well received at the Noe and Mission community farmers markets as well as around the factory. One of our newest additions to the production crew, Joey, let it slip that this is his favorite origin yet. Not to mention it got the stamp of approval from my Grammy. So I could not be happier to share it will you all and hope you like it just as much as we do!

Cynthia giving me a chocolate high five!

New York, New York!

April 17, 2012 by Caitlin

All set for the Next Big Small Brand Event

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to accompany Todd to New York for the Next Big Small Brand Contest. Picture this.

A room full of people excitedly salivating at the prospects of trying six different companies’ delicious attempts to win over the judges in their favor, a panel of celebrity judges (celebrities in the food world at least!), and two humble chocolate makers fresh off the plane from sunny California…fine let’s be honest, from not-as-sunny but still really awesome San Francisco. The room is buzzing with foodies intent on exercising their honed taste buds to suss out who is going to be the next hottest food entrepreneur. Questions fly. Todd and I explain the nuances of our chocolate and how we can tease out the amazingly different flavors from just cocoa beans and sugar. We refill the sample bowls, smile with delight as people’s expressions turn to shock and joy while taste traveling around the globe from Colombia to Venezuela and last, to Madagascar.

Many characters and a few familiar faces later, it is time to announce the winners…Todd and I make our way onto the stage. After thank you’s all around, without a drum roll they announce people’s choice, a fellow SF company, Black Jet. And the Next Big Small Brand Winner is…New York SuperFoods. WAIT WHAT? NOT DANDELION? Hold up.

So we didn’t win. But we met some amazing people, now have a beautifully done video about what we do, and NY SuperFoods is an awesome up-and-coming company who could really use the branding help to go big. We were so lucky to be a part of the event and had a blast spreading the word about our chocolate to the other coast.

While we were in New York, we took the opportunity to stop by and see friends at the Meadow and Formaggio Essex (both carry our chocolate). The Meadow’s display was beautiful and the shop was an oasis of calm in the craziness of New York. Formaggio is located in food mecca with different vendors around the periphery reminiscent of markets in Europe. We are so excited they are selling our chocolate.

The Meadow

We also took a field trip to the Bronx (I made it to 4 out of 5 boroughs while I was there!) to see Jim Greenberg at Union Confectionary who has a 1950’s Otto Hansel wrapping machine for us to check out. He showed us around his wonderland of vintage temperers, panners (used to make chocolate covered nuts, etc), and other candy-making equipment. The crowning glory (besides our excitement at seeing the wrapping machine) was a mini model chocolate factory built for the 1896 Chicago World’s Fair that purportedly inspired Hershey to move from confections to making chocolate. It is crazy to me that factories used to be run from one engine attached to a series of giant leather belts…feeling pretty good about working in a “modern” chocolate factory.

The mini model chocolate factory that inspired Hershey to start making chocolate!

I even managed to squeeze in some touristy fun. Todd was a great sport about being a “tourist” for the day (he is from Connecticut, which for you West coasters with hazy East coast geography is right next to New York). Between calls back to the shop to make sure everything was going okay in SF, I managed to get him to pose for a picture at Grand Central Station and we may or may not have taken a whirl on the Staten Island ferry just to get a closer look at Lady Liberty. We also did some “research” about what makes the best hot chocolate by sampling what NY had to offer. We will be unveiling our results when our Valencia Street space opens.

Todd and Caitlin at Grand Central Station

Look at those goofy tourists at Grand Central Station

All in all, a great first trip to New York and being part of the Next Big Small Brand Contest was an amazing experience.