Featured Chocolate Maker! Avanaa Chocolat, Based In Canada
Avanaa Chocolat, Bean To Bar Maker
Based in Montreal, QC, Canada
The idea of Avanaa Chocolat was birthed from a chocolate experience Catherine had in Mexico, making bean to bar chocolate in a workshop. The idea was not just to make unique bean-to-bar chocolate, but to also do so in a way that highlights and supports the growers of this fine cacao.
The passion grew too great to resist, and so she left her career as a geologist all for the love of chocolate. We are glad she did! Her Dominican Republic origin Zorzal bar is one of my favourites. She also includes a line of flavoured bars such as vegan coconut milk and chai, as well as her popular cacao husk tea and hot chocolate mixes.
The name Avanaa came to her from working as a geologist up in Nunavut, Northern Canada. It is a Inuktitut word which means “coming from the North”. Although the roots of cacao and chocolate come from regions near and South of the equator, where she discovered her passion, that craftsmanship is preserved coming from the North in Montreal, Canada.
