Chof
Chocolate Glossary

What is craft chocolate?

Craft chocolate is chocolate made in small batches by makers who care about cacao sourcing, traceability and flavour, rather than mass-market scale.

Craft chocolate usually means short ingredient lists, a named cacao origin, and a maker who controls or closely oversees how the beans become a bar. Most craft chocolate is bean-to-bar or tree-to-bar, though a careful chocolatier can also make craft-quality bars.

It is a description of how and why a bar is made, not a legal label. Chof surfaces the signals that usually go with craft chocolate – origin specificity, clean ingredients, certifications and awards – so you can judge a bar for yourself.

Questions this page answers

  • What is the difference between craft chocolate and regular chocolate?

    Craft chocolate is made in small batches with a focus on cacao sourcing, traceability and flavour; mass-market chocolate optimises for scale, shelf stability and price, often with more sugar and added fats.

  • Is craft chocolate the same as bean-to-bar?

    Closely related but not identical. Most craft chocolate is bean-to-bar (the maker works from raw beans), but a skilled chocolatier working from high-quality couverture can also make craft-quality bars.

  • Why is craft chocolate more expensive?

    Small batches, better-paid cacao, longer processing and lower volumes all cost more per bar than industrial production. You are paying for sourcing and care, not just chocolate.

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