FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
About our Chocolate?
Our chocolate is fully vegan and minimally processed and made with unrefined coconut sugar. Our bean to bar chocolate is under roasted, meaning that the temperatures are lower than traditional roasting methods and here is a few reasons why we don't want that:
Cacao is significantly richer in antioxidant flavanols (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) than green tea, red wine or acai. High temperatures to Cacao will destroy 75 % of these antioxidants.
Chocolate gives off the ‘happy hormone’ via the substance Anandamide, that stimulates the release of the hormones Serotonin and Endorphin. Serotonin and Endorphin go hand in hand with controlling and affecting our mood. This includes emotions such as appetite, learning, memory, mood, social behavior, sexual desire and function, and temperature regulation. Over heating the Cacao will change or destroy or alter these Anandamides and you'll only get the happy feeling from the sugar that is in your ordinary chocolate. This sugar rush is only short lasting and will give you a sugar crash afterwards, so you want more. The happy feeling from chocolate goes for much longer and won't give you a crash.
Cacao is a very complex with more than 1200 chemically identifiable compounds. Over heating the Cacao brings out particular flavours such as the typical cacao flavour but also the bitterness associated with dark chocolate. Also in this process many complex flavours will be deminished or gone.
What is Coconut Blossom Nectar?
Glad you asked. Coconut blossom nectar, comes from the blossom of the coconut tree. It is a fantastic healthy and ethical unrefined sweetener. It is how ever a sweetener and should be used with that in consideration.
Coconut Blossom Nectar is less intense than refined sugar.
Coconut Blossom nectar has a great taste full of character, it is organic, unrefined and minimally processed.
The production of sweetener from coconut trees is very sustainable way of producing sweetener. From one acre there is about 50 to 70 % more sweetness that from regular cane sugar, but it uses only 20 % of soil nutrients and water.
For people whom are sensitive to fructose Coconut Blossom Nectar is a great solution. Coconut Blossom Nectar is mainly Sucrose (85 - 90%) and only contains 3 to 5 % of Fructose. Agave on the other hand contains about 50 % fructose.
Coconut blossom nectar is very rich in minerals.
More about Coconut Blossom Nectar
Why Organic?
We believe in a fairer, cleaner and healthier world. Organic farming practices are inline with these ideals.
All our cacao is certified according to the COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 834/2007. All our Coconut Blossom Nectar is also certified organic.
We are already sourcing our raw materials from Organic Suppliers and are now Certified Organic by the Biodynamic Association (GB-ORG-06). You can download a copy of our Certificate and Trading Schedule here
Food Hygiene Rating
Cleanliness
Yes we work with no additives and not in a big factory. Our kitchen aims to work as clean as possible and has been awarded the highest rating by the Stroud Council. Check out the Food Hygiene Rating here
Allergens
As makers of food we are very aware of which ingredients might case a allergic reaction. Because we want to make our chocolate available to anyone we aim to work with out known food allergens. Here is some great info regarding food allergy.
A quick guide to Food Allergy
List of Food Allergens
Allergy warning to our products
Nuts
Our chocolate bars containing caramels and our blonde chocolates contain cashew nut and should be avoided if you have a nut allergy.
Our Tamari Almond chocolate bar and Hazelnut and Currant bar contain almonds or hazelnuts and should be avoided if you have a nut allergy
Soya
Our Tamari Almond chocolate bar uses almonds that have been activated in a Tamari Soya sauce.
Other allergens
None of the following ingredients are used in our chocolate:
celery
gluten
lupin
mustard
peanuts
sesame seeds
We've selected our suppliers and ingredients carefully, but of course we can not control the entire process from harvesting to the shop.
To reduce the risk of contamination with allergens our production, packaging, equipment and storage is separate from where the above ingredients are used.