Myth: I can't afford to enjoy fine bean-to-bar chocolate.
You’re spending too much
Image by @agent_illustrateur
There is a misconception with fine chocolate, (or fine foods in general), that the more expensive the product is, the higher the quality or the more you will enjoy it. This cannot be further from the truth. There are fine single-origin chocolate bars that cost $10, and some that cost $15+ sometimes made with the same fine cacao bean source, same ingredients, and both with a wonderful flavour spectrum. There are some bars that have cost nearly $20 by the same maker who also produces bars costing around $10. Not to mention the well branded $150 or $300 chocolate bars on the market. So why this disparity?
There are many factors which influence cost, some of which include:
The cost of the cacao for the maker. Even if purchasing from the same grower or distributor, depending on their scale and how much they purchase or even the relationship between the two, the cost of the cacao can differ. Are they paying $6 per kilo, or $15 per kilo? that will have a huge impact on the price of the bar.
Some cacao costs much more due to logistics (paperwork, brokers, shipping fees) on top of the cost of the cacao itself. Some origins (countries) require a great deal more work (both time and cost) to export cacao, and so it can sometimes nearly double the cost of cacao after all is said and done.
The scale of the maker. Some makers are still quite small-scale, and may always be so. Perhaps they even have a wider range of origins they use. Due to economies of scale, not only will the cacao they purchase be more expensive than if they were to purchase greater quantities, but so is the cost of the packaging and other ingredients. As well, the turnover is slower, so their prices may have to be higher to compensate for selling their bars in less volume.
The cost of production varies from city to city and country to country (cost of importing equipment or the cost of a space from which to work from).
Whether a company is starting from the ground up with their own resources, whether they are taking loans, or whether they have an investor who is funneling money to keep the business growing. As the saying goes, you need money to make money.
Whether a company is marketing their product to reach a wider audience, or branding their product as a luxury item. In many cases, sometimes you are simply paying for the branding, when the product inside is of the same quality. Some new makers will price their products more “fair” than some who feel a higher price will make the product appear more desirable. Only a discerning palate can understand what they are really paying for.
Whether the company has actual certifications for organic and or fair-trade labelling on their bars.
Of course, sometimes you get what you pay for. If you are spending $6 CAD on a chocolate bar, chances are it is not made with a very high quality cacao bean. Also, if you are spending $20 on a chocolate bar because you think you will be blown away by the flavour, you may want to think again. Sometimes the higher prices is due to how much it cost the manufacturer to obtain the high quality beans. It does not necessarily means the flavour is superior to fine cacao beans that cost half as much. One may fall in love with the flavour of the $20 single-origin bar, when another will think “I can have the same level of enjoyment with a bar that’s only $11”. Then, you can get into luxury product territory, when they have a product that is genuinely good quality, but overpriced because “they can”, and know there will be people who want the feeling that goes along with spending “that much” on a chocolate bar. In a way, it becomes more about status than about flavour and quality.
These are just some ideas to keep in mind when purchasing bars, and how to think about the bars at the prices you see. Today, you can still have an incredible fine chocolate bar at only $10-12. If you see bars that cost much more and it begins to become an issue for you financially, know that you do not have to spend more to appreciate quality. You may if you wish, but as mentioned above, there are many factors which influence the final price tag of a bar, and after a certain price threshold, higher price does not necessarily mean better quality or better flavour.
This is about a month’s worth of fine chocolate, if not more, depending on your intake. One bar is not a serving or a daily amount of chocolate one should consume, especially if you wish to fully enjoy and appreciate your fine chocolate bars. Image by Bean To Bar World.
You’re eating too much
Yes, you may be eating too much chocolate. You may think “That’s rich coming from someone who works with chocolate every day”, and you would be right. But allow me to explain.
We have grown up to think that the borders of a chocolate bar wrapper suggest the serving size of a chocolate. This is not true for any chocolate bar, but certainly not true when it comes to fine chocolate. It would be like thinking that a bottle of wine or scotch, a box of cereal, or a loaf of bread must be finished in one sitting. The commercial chocolate manufacturers have packaged and sold their chocolate in a way which favours their business model. One must break out of that assumption that eating an entire or even half a bar is a reasonable amount to have in one sitting. And there are many reasons why this is so:
Chocolate is a high-fat calorie dense food. Foods like this can easily be part of a very healthy diet, but consumed in moderation. Chocolate also contains very high levels of flavanols (antioxidants) as well as an array of minerals which may lead to health benefits related to cardiovascular health, memory and cognition, bone health, and more. However, those who research this often suggest that the benefits are reaped if chocolate is enjoyed in moderation, which ranges from 7-30g of dark chocolate most days of the week.
Fine chocolate in particular is like a fine wine, scotch, or expensive imported cheese. It is to be enjoyed slowly, while you pay attention to the flavour profile and explore how it changes as you consume it. If you quickly eat even the most flavourful chocolate, you actually miss out on flavour. It’s like going for a scenic drive while looking at your phone. Or like running through an art gallery without paying attention to any painting long enough. You miss out on what is right under your nose. The same is true for chocolate. A chocolate bar should last you a week if not months if you have many various fine bars to enjoy. If you consume your expensive fine chocolate this way, it works out to far less than a coffee a day (and not even a fine coffee at that!).
You’re not making it yourself
Making your own chocolate from scratch is a lot of work, I won’t lie, but for the right person it can be worth it all! Image by Bean To Bar World.
“What? I can make my own chocolate?!” You sure can! Of course, this will not apply to everyone. However, if you’re someone who makes their own bread, cheese, cures their own meats, then this may be right up your alley. Even if you only use chocolate for baking cakes, cookies, or making truffles, you can still save money on chocolate if you substitute purchasing fine chocolate with making your own fine chocolate.
Do not get me wrong, you will not be able to make your own fine chocolate made with fine cocoa beans for the same price or cheaper than your commercial brands you can purchase at your local grocery store. We’re not talking about replacing your Lindt, Callebaut, or even Cacao Barry brands. We’re talking about making your own fine chocolate as the ones sold on this website.
The pros: you can source a fine cacao and enjoy the satisfaction of making your own chocolate from scratch. It’s very rare for one to make their own chocolate from the raw unroasted cocoa bean. Even the top most well known chocolate shops in the world do not even make their own chocolate from the cocoa bean. You can make a beautifully tasting chocolate if you learn how to make it well.
The cons: it requires a great deal of learning and patience. The work involved (such as winnowing - removing the shells) can be very tedious and time consuming for beginners. If you wish to temper your chocolate as well (that is, to mold it into bars) then that will also require a great deal of patience to learn. That said, if you have the right mindset, it may be a new passion you have yet to discover! To learn more about making your own bean-to-bar chocolate, check out my Online Academy, the Chocolate Making 101 page, or even consider booking tutoring lessons to help get you started!
There is a great deal to learn if you wish to take on making your own fine chocolate from scratch, but it is worth the journey for those who are fine with not taking short cuts to good food. It will also make you appreciate the work of established bean-to-bar chocolate makers.