Accessible Chocolate

In our tech-savvy age, the delivery service industry is at its finest. The pandemic has nearly lasted a whole year in the US and it’s rarer to see businesses without delivery options. Inboxes are flooded with emails from businesses around the world notifying customers that they are adjusting to the pandemic with “no-contact delivery” options. It’s easier than ever to order online or by phone and receive a delivery. So if you and your valentine can’t spend it together this year for whatever reason send them chocolate through a local business that will deliver.

A movement that seems to be increasing in popularity since the rise of COVID-19 is to shop for small and local businesses. It’s one thing to have a favorite brand but during this heartfelt season your local shops may need your support to continue running their business. It’ll be a proud moment for your spouse to eat chocolate knowing it came from the community and your money went to a family business.

Maybe the perfect gift for your other half this Valentine’s Day is a memento from a trip you shared together. Whether it’s from a bakery you both loved, a chocolate factory in the city, a small Andes mint from the hotel restaurant, or chocolate from the Disney store, your significant other will be thrilled to revisit memory lane with you while devouring chocolate.

It’s a Japanese tradition for women to give men homemade chocolate on Valentine’s Day. A month later, on White Day, men have the opportunity to gift back to the original gifters. It’s all in the chocolate. These cultural holidays are a chance for people to express their emotions for the one who has stolen their heart or for those close friends that don’t have romance involved. These holidays are an extension of what chocolatiers do; gifting chocolate that truly shows how you feel about another person. It’s an art form and a wonderful sentiment. You can learn more about honmei choco and other Japanese chocolates here.

Give a gift that does three times more than your average chocolate bar. Buy a brand that supports a cause for your beloved. When they receive this gift, they’ll know how you feel and they’ll feel twice as good as they enjoy the chocolate knowing it was bought for a good cause. The list provided are suggestions of chocolate brands that will keep on giving.

• COCO
  • “To further contribute to Colombia’s economic development, we partner with Luker to teach local farmers how best to cultivate their land and get more from their yield”

• Hu
  • “We go beyond what is easy and expected to ensure that our products and our practices are ethical and put both humanity and the human body first.”
• Endangered Species
  • “By donating 10% of our annual net profits to conservation organizations, they can continue to do their amazing work on behalf of wildlife every day.”
• Raaka
  • “We believe our process should value the community of growers, producers, and makers whose livelihoods depend on cacao and chocolate.”
• An additional list of mindful chocolate brands