Artisan chocolates use only the finest quality cacao, hand picked and carefully processed to produce superior flavor. Many artisan chocolate makers prefer organic, fair trade chocolate because the thoughtful production encouraged by organic and fair trade standards tend to produce a higher quality and more flavorful cacao. Artisan chocolatiers also choose high quality non-chocolate ingredients, such as sugar, milk, butter, nuts, fruits, and vanilla. Artisan chocolate makers value pure, natural ingredients, and do not use preservatives or other chemicals. These high quality ingredients must then be combined by a chocolatier who combines training, talent, and passion for chocolate-making to produce chocolates of extraordinary flavor and superior artistry.

Classic French Ballotin Half Pound Assorted

L’Artisan du Chocolat is one such artisan chocolatier. The Los Angeles-based chocolatier imports many of its ingredients from France and creates extraordinary French-style luxury chocolates in both classic and “edgy” varieties. A few of their unique flavors include pomegranate, curry, and tomato. As beautiful as they are delicious, these gourmet chocolates can be sampled in any one of several carefully chosen gift assortments. Artisan chocolate gift boxes by L’Artisan du Chocolat include the handsome 16 Piece Chef Assortment gift box, a mix of milk, dark and white chocolates including Japanese Green Tea, a customer favorite, the Classic French Ballotin Half Pound Assorted, a colorful collection of 22 unique flavors, and the 1 Pound Assortment consisting of at least 35 pieces of exquisitely made gourmet artisan chocolates. L’Artisan du Chocolat chocolates are always free of preservatives and have lower sugar content than most American chocolates, in keeping with their French roots.

The 12 Piece Chocolate Collection from Chokola’j

Another artisan chocolatier specializing in unique and extraordinary flavors is the New York based Chokola’j. Chokola’j pronounced “choko-lah” is the realization of the dreams and efforts of Co-Founders Daniel & Susan Kennedy. Inspired by the New American food movement for the last 15 years, Daniel & Susan Kennedy of Chokola’j use certified organic cacao and the highest quality local US ingredients to create delicacies such as their popular Blueberry Port and Chamomile Honey Caramel. The 12 Piece Chocolate Collection from Chokola’j is a tour de force collection perfect for the most discriminating palates.

30 Piece Dark Family Assortment from the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company

Founded in 1981 and based in St. Louis, Missouri, the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company uses old-fashioned techniques passed down through generations of chocolate makers to create its luscious handmade chocolates. For the best sampling of the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company’s gourmet chocolates, consider its 30 piece Dark Family Assortment, and assortment of dark chocolate combined with the very finest ingredients into mouthwatering treats. The Dark Family Assortment is a popular assortment of fresh cherry cordials, smooth butter caramels, pecan tootles, crisp nuts, crispy centers, soft crème centers, and meltaways richly covered in the finest pure dark chocolate Kosher Certified by the Orthodox Union.

Hand Made Hand Dipped Chocolates from the Artful Chocolatier

The Artful Chocolatier is another fine chocolate maker that uses old fashioned hand dipping techniques to ensure a thick, delicious chocolate coating on all its creations. Their chocolates are all made by hand, one at a time in small batches, and the Artful Chocolatier only uses only the finest and freshest creams, caramels, nuts, fruits, and flavorings. Hand dipping gives each confection a thick chocolate coating that makes them extra large and yummy – just the way your favorite chocolates should be. The Hand Made Hand Dipped Chocolates collection is a gift box featuring 26 classic flavors, including creams, caramels, nuts, fruits, and other flavorings.

Gourmet artisan chocolates are the ultimate in mouthwatering chocolatey goodness. Indulge yourself, or spread the pleasure with a handmade artisan chocolate gift box.

A growing phenomenon, the raw food movement encourages adherents to eat only foods that are either uncooked or cooked no higher than 120°F to preserve the beneficial enzymes in food. These unadulterated foods offer people many health benefits, and in the case of raw cacao a delicious cacao eating experience.

What is raw chocolate?

What is organic raw chocolate? Maintaining the tradition of low temperatures, raw cacao should be made with the following techniques:

• Rather than full fermentation, raw cacao is produced by fermenting the beans less than 15 percent of the time used to create regular chocolate.
• The temperatures used to roast raw cacao are about 104°F, which is quite a bit cooler than the traditional 300°F used to create conventional chocolate products.

These two changes in chocolate making result in raw cacao, which is said to have one-third more antioxidants than regular chocolate! Raw chocolate companies also use no preservatives or artificial ingredients and praise their products for containing higher levels of vitamins and minerals. If sweeteners are used to make raw chocolate bars, more natural options such as agave syrup, maple syrup, or raw honey are employed.

Why eat raw chocolate?

Raw chocolate is considered to be a superfood. Chocolate in its natural form is one richest natural sources of antioxidants, which neutralize the affect of free radicals – organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and disease.  In a study by Cornell University food scientists, cocpa was found to contain nearly twice the quantity of antioxidants contained in red wine and up to three times the quantity of antioxidants in green tea. In addition to being rich in antioxidants,  chocolate contains many micronutrients, such as potassium, zinc, magnesium and iron. Natural chocolate has beneficial effects on the heart and on healthy blood flow. Studies have also shown that dark chocolate can lower blood pressure, as well as well as promote healthy blood flow by reducing the blood’s ability to clot, much like aspirin.

In order to reap the health benefits of chocolate, you have to choose the right chocolate: chocolate that is pure, 100% organically grown, minimally processed, and, ideally, raw. And the good news is raw chocolate is not only good for you, it tastes just as good as milk chocolate. In fact, many raw chocolate companies are experimenting with exciting flavors derived from ingredients like acai and goji berries, that are superfoods themselves – guaranteeing a powerful, healthy boost with every bite.

4 Raw chocolate companies

Convinced that you want to be adventurous and buy raw chocolate? Here are some organic raw chocolate companies you’ll definitely want to sample:

• EarthSource Organics:  This organic raw chocolate company’s mission is to create products that provide a service to the world. They use unique ingredients such as Himalayan Pink Salt, raw agave nectar, bahri dates, acai berries, goji berries, and maca root. In addition to being made with raw food principles in mind, these chocolates are also USDA Certified Organic, Certified Kosher by Earth Kosher, Certified Organic by CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), Certified Vegan by Vegan Action, and Certified Wheat and Gluten Free by Celiac Sprue.
• Raw Guru: This online raw foods vendor carries a whole host of raw food options for the raw food enthusiast. They carry raw cacao ingredients such as whole beans, cacao chunks, cacao nibs, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder, but they also have many raw chocolate bars and treats, including brownies, hazelnut cups, spice bars, bonbons, and truffles.
• Wilderness Family Naturals: The Wilderness Family Naturals online store hails from the North Shore of Lake Superior where the family provides healthy, nutrient-dense foods over the Internet. They carry a variety of products, but in particular, they sell raw cacao nibs produced in Mexico. They’re unfermented, Certified Organic, and are free of sugar.
• Matt Samuelson’s Golden Bean Chocolate Bar: Matt Samuelson, a world-famous raw food chef, has created this Golden Bean Chocolate Bar with his team at High Integrity Foods. The ingredients in the Golden Bean Chocolate Bar are simple: raw cacao, raw agave syrup, raw vanilla, Himalayan salt, and organic soy lecithin. It is said that this is one of the leading raw chocolate bars in the world.

Raw chocolate companies certainly are adding something interesting and innovative to the world of artisan and organic chocolates. Try these options out and see if your health doesn’t improve!

Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and social implications of their shopping habits. Those concerned about the well-being of the producers behind the various consumer products they plunk in their shopping are seeking ways to verify the claims made by organizations touting their products as better for the planet and healthier for indigenous communities.

Fair trade chocolate and organic cacao products are two popular consumer choices for those who are looking for eco-friendly sweets, regardless of the occasion. In their quest to find the perfect, eco-friendly chocolates, many turn to those items that are produced by farmers belonging to cooperatives and fair trade organizations.

What is a Fair Trade or Organic Chocolate Cooperative?

But what is a fair trade organization, and how do organic chocolate cooperatives really function? Educating yourself about how these organizational structures work is a great way to become even more engaged in the efforts to make trade fair around the world and will help you make more informed decisions. So here are some basic tenants any fair trade or organic cooperative should exhibit:

• Access to credit: Giving a producer the chance to establish themselves within the local and global company so that they can become self-sustaining is key to getting a community to become independent. Cooperatives therefore often make fair and equitable credit available to poor farmers and producers to get them started.
• Guaranteed pricing: In the free trade world economy, prices fluctuate frequently and quickly depending on supply and demand as well as other market systems. This can leave the small-scale farmer without recourse should their commodity’s price suddenly drop. Without choices, these producers are often forced to sell their products at below-cost prices, leaving them with little for their efforts and without hope. A fair trade cooperative will protect these producers by guaranteeing them a set price for their wares.
• Direct trade: Providing guaranteed pricing is often accomplished through direct trade which helps producers to sell their products directly to a co-op that then distributes the product to stores and fair trade organizations.
• Education: Many cooperatives provide ongoing education and encouragement to keep farmers and producers on the sustainable track. Helping these individuals choose eco-friendly, life-affirming systems will keep them engaged and passionate about protecting their local environment.
• Safe labor conditions: Those participating in a collective or cooperative are required to implement safe working conditions for all laborers and are required to pay employees (including themselves!) a fair wage for their time. In addition, child labor laws are strictly enforced.
• Community development projects: In many cases, fair trade workers are given a “social premium” that they are to use for supporting social and environmental projects in their community. This could include anything from planting trees to establishing a community well to setting up a public health facility. These projects help to break the poverty cycle and ensure a thriving, sustainably-run community.
• Cultural preservation: In many cases, the goods being grown or made by local producers are connected with cultural traditions in the community. Cooperatives will help to preserve these cultural traditions by encouraging and educating the local people about the value of these practices.
• Economic empowerment: In addition to all of these benefits, many collectives and cooperatives give their members an equal say in decisions effecting the organization. This gives marginalized communities input into how their local economy works.

4 Fair Trade and Organic Cacao Farm Cooperatives

So that’s how cooperatives and collectives work. To give you a down-to-earth picture of how these systems function in actuality, here are a few organic and fair trade cacao cooperative case studies.

• Grenada Chocolate Company Ltd, founded in 1999, is a start-to-finish organic cocoa farmers’ and chocolate-makers’ cooperative that produces high-quality organic dark chocolate. Situated in Grenada on over 150 acres of organic cacao farming land, this cooperative grows their own cacao pods and then processes them in their own fermentry which is just one mile from the chocolate factory. They also use their own biodynamically-grown vanilla beans to flavor the chocolate. The cacao farmer team and the chocolate-making team both profit equally from the cooperative’s success.
• Equal Exchange’s worker-owned cooperative is located in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, but the cacao farms partners are located all over the world. Every member of the cooperative is given one vote, the right to serve as leader, the right to information, and the right to speak their minds. Additionally, in order to maintain their Fair Trade cacao certification, farmer organizations must meet demanding criteria for community investment, minimal environmental impact, and democratic operations.
• TransFair USA helps to maintain hundreds of cooperatives in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Their Fair Trade Cocoa Co-Op in Kuapa Kokoo, Ghana is helping to liberalize the cocoa market in that country. Made up of village societies that elect committees and representatives at a regional level, all members are part of the National Union. This cooperative has grown since its founding in 1993 and today owns 45 percent of Divine Chocolate Ltd. and 33 percent of Divine Chocolate USA Inc., which are two popular chocolate companies in the UK and the US. Together, co-op members have established four schools, purchased equipment so that cacao farms can become independent, and orchestrated a credit and banking service for members.
• Global Exchange’s Toledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA) Cooperative in Belize has 126 members and exists in one of the poorest districts of the country. Through the cooperative, farmers now have access to technical workshops on production, pest control, and shade management, as well as a weekly local radio program that helps them know when to plant and how to establish nurseries. They also have long-term contracts that give them a fair price for their cacao.

It is clear that these cooperatives are giving cacao farmers new opportunities, a stronger economic footing, solutions for preserving their own land, and a fair price for their efforts. All of these benefits will help to strengthen their communities and give these producers hope for the future.

What could be better than receiving a delicious chocolate gift? Having someone give you an organic chocolate gift in a stunning, unique gift box that’s too beautiful to eat, of course! When someone goes the extra mile to find the perfect, most personalized wrapping to present chocolate to you as a gift, it becomes a treasure that you don’t want to spoil.

8 One-of-a-kind chocolate gift boxes

Whether you need to treat yourself to a special something or are searching for out-of-this-world chocolate gift boxes and ideas, here are some wonderful selections to tempt your senses.

Ambrosia Mahogany Wooden Gift Box

Filled with elegant French chocolates, this handmade Sapelli mahogany jewelry box is both timeless and special. Assembled in France with finger-joint construction, this box hides in its drawers 120 delectable gourmet chocolates, including truffles, pralines, fruit-filled morsels, and liquor-scented chocolate bites. The box can even be customized.

Chocolate Bars of the World

Packaged up for the “worldly chocoholic,” this beautiful, simple gift box comes with bars from all regions of the planet. Organic choices include Taza Organic Stone Ground Chocolate and Dagoba Organic Chocolate bars.

Decadent Truffle Gift Box

Swiss chocolate that’s certified by the European Union as organic, these treats are also free of artificial flavorings and colors. The pretty box can be reused.

Eternelle Chocolate Diamond

Made with one-half of a pound of dark praline chocolate, this chocolate diamond is the perfect expression of sweet, everlasting love. It is delivered in a handmade wooden box that can be personalized for your gift recipient.

Life is Sweet Chocolates

This organic chocolate gift box is filled with USDA Certified Organic chocolates and a portion of every sale goes to support the Wishing Well Project. The packaging is recyclable and biodegradable, too! Sold on OrganicStyle.com where you can find all manner of other organic gifts and products.

Organic Chocolate Tower

Three beautiful organic chocolate gift boxes stacked together in an attractive trio. The first box is filled with organic dark chocolate pavers, the second with organic chocolate covered almonds, and the third with 20 pieces of assorted organic truffles in a variety of flavors.

Theo Chocolate Gift Box

Satisfy your chocolate craving with one of Theo’s gift boxes filled with caramels, confections, or even their Big Daddy Peanut Butter pieces. They also carry nib brittles and sipping chocolate, all organic and fair trade. Even better are their Theo Jane Goodall Bars that help to protect indigenous wildlife.

Truly Wize Organic Chocolate Cookie Sampler

Brimming with eco-friendly and organic chocolate cookies of all types, this will melt the heart of any chocolate lover. Alternatively, order your beautiful brown box filled with organic chocolate shortbread or organic chocolate biscotti.

But if you want really great chocolate, chocolate that makes you feel as good about buying it as it makes your tastebuds feel about meeting it, there are more decisions involved than simply what flavor makes your mouth water. To make the best decisions (and discover the best quality), consider a few questions such as: Where is it grown, how it is grown, and by whom? Does the farmer earn a living wage? Are pesticides used on the cacao trees?
These are tough, but important questions. The good news is we’ve made answering them easier for you.
Most of the chocolate on grocery store shelves isn’t anything like pure, real unadulterated chocolate. Filled with high fructose corn syrup (and, therefore, possibly mercury), grown with pesticides, and sometimes including wax and other decidedly unappetizing ingredients, common chocolate pales in comparison to that made with real food ingredients. If Big Name chocolate is the only chocolate you’ve tried, I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve not really had chocolate.

Today, there are more fair trade chocolate companies and brands specializing in organic chocolate ingredients than ever. Whether you’re looking for chocolate gifts for a special occasion or a quick snack for the road, your eco-shopping trip will be much less hassle today that it would have been even five years ago.

So breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you no longer have to struggle over where to buy earth friendly chocolate products. We’ve collected a long list of the highest quality, most ethically-sound, and most popular fair trade chocolate companies and organic chocolate brands. Give them a gander, share them with your friends, and above all, celebrate your choice to live a greener, more socially-aware life!

Alter Eco

Using only Certified Organic and Certified Fair Trade chocolate, as well as fair trade, organic sugar, nuts, raisins, and coffee beans, Alter Eco’s chocolates are also free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, chemical additives, and emulsifiers.

Dagoba Organic

Dagoba Organic Chocolate’s belief in chocolate as a sacred food (dagoba means temple in Sanskrit) is made from organic cocoa beans from a variety of countries, including Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Peru.

Divine Chocolate

Organized by farmers, the Divine Chocolate company works with small cocoa producers primarily in West Africa, to stimulate ethical trade practices. The company invests in building schools, sinking wells, providing mobile clinics, and fostering women’s income generation projects.

Endangered Species

Endangered Species Chocolate stresses principles such as reverence for life and ethical trade. Their wrappers increase awareness of species that are currently threatened or endangered. Ten percent of all net profits are given to support species, habitat, and humanity.

Equal Exchange

Working with three different farmer cooperatives in the Dominican Republic, Equal Exchange organic chocolate products are both organic and fair trade. The company also produces teas, snacks, and coffee.

Green & Black’s

Merging the “green” of organic chocolate production principles with the “black” of a decadent life, Green & Black’s is both delicious and sustainable. They choose only organic and fair trade chocolate ingredients.

Grenada Chocolate Company

For Granada Chocolate Company, it’s not enough to purchase Certified Organic cocoa beans—they must grow the beans themselves. Working with organic farmers’ cooperatives, they grow the beans and then use solar-powered machines to make the chocolate.

Ithaca Fine Chocolates

At Ithaca Fine Chocolates, the aim is to produce exquisite chocolate (using Swiss chocolatier methods) that’s also Fair Trade Certified. They also only purchase USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Their wrappers, art cards, and display boxes are made from recycled paper as well.

Newman’s Own Organics

A company founded by Paul Newman, Newman’s Own Organics carries Signature Series Chocolate which is USDA Certified Organic and made from ingredients grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

Seeds of Change

Working to keep organic, open-pollinated seeds available for farmers and gardeners worldwide, Seeds of Change also produces some organic food and has recently developed a line of chocolate made from organically-grown cocoa, fruits, nuts, and spices from around the world.

Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates

Based in California, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates are Certified Organic by the Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization.

Terra Nostra Organic

A Vancouver, Canada company, Terra Nostra Organic Chocolate is Certified Organic and known for its magnificent taste and luxuriant finish. The company is also a founding member of Equitable Trade which strives to encourage fair trade and organic chocolate farming methods for their suppliers.

Vintage Plantations

With the Rainforest Alliance stamp of approval, Vintage Plantations chocolate is made from Ecuadorian cocoa so you know that it’s both eco-friendly and ethically traded.

Knowing where to buy fair trade chocolate

Now that you know what fair trade chocolate brands and organic chocolate companies to look for, you may also need some help knowing where to buy organic and fair trade chocolates (some artisans and producers don’t sell their wares online). To help you out, here are some tools to help you know where to buy eco-friendly and ethical chocolates:

• Global Exchange carries a wide range of Fair Trade Certified products, including chocolate, coffee, tea, crafts, clothing, jewelry, and more.
• TransFair USA maintains a list of national cafes, restaurants, and retailers carrying their Fair Trade Certified food products.
• The Chocolate Room carries some fair trade and organic chocolate bars.
• You can find Vintage Plantations fair trade chocolates at World Wide Chocolate online.

Choose Earth Friendly Chocolate for Gift Giving

Holidays throughout the year are popular occasions for buying chocolate as gifts. But this year, as you shop the isles or search online, keep earth friendly chocolate gifts in mind, especially when you come to the events here:

Valentine’s

Treat your sweetheart to a box of chocolates that are Certified Organic or that have the Fair Trade Certification seal.

Christmas/Hanukkah

Stock up with Hanukkah Gelt that’s Certified Organic and look for advent calendars and stocking stuffers for Christmas that are Fair Trade Certified.

Mother’s Day

Surprise your Mom with a bouquet of chocolates that are healthier for her and that ensured women around the world were treated with dignity and respect. Fair Trade is the only way to go for this occasion.

Father’s Day

If your Father has a sweet tooth, give him a real treat by purchasing organic chocolates that were produced using cocoa beans raised on farms that are pesticide and fertilizer-free. These will hit the spot without hurting the farmers.

Easter

Don’t let the Easter bunny bring your children chocolates that were made using child slave labor! Choose Fair Trade Certified chocolates instead.

Halloween

Send trick-or-treaters home with sweets that won’t create health problems for them later. Organic chocolates that are toxin-free are a great alternative to conventional treats.

Weddings

If it’s your time to plan a spectacular day to celebrate your love, do so with favors that are ethical to add a green, socially-conscious flare to your day. Look for the fair trade and organic seals for your cake, too!

With Valentine’s Day Around the corner, luxury gift boxes of gourmet chocolates tantalize lovers and their paramours. We thought to highlight some amazing heart shaped chocolate gift boxes that caught our eye.

30 Of Our Hand Painted Heart Chocolates In A Heart Box

20 pieces of our hand-painted heart shaped truffles in a heart box.

30 pieces of our handmade and hand-painted heart truffles in a heart shaped box.

Our chocolates have won numerous awards around the country. Including most recently at the prestigious New York Chocolate Show, where chocolatiers come from around the world to showcase their chocolates, including celebrity chefs from the USA. We were awarded the Best in Show Award for “Best Overall Bonbon, Non-Ganache, Any Flavor” and we were a finalists for “Best Overall Bonbon, Multi-Flavor Ganache”. We were the only chocolatier to have two finalist showings for our truffles.

Our chocolates were also chosen to be included in the official gift bags and dressing rooms for the presenters and performers of The 51st GRAMMY Awards.

As Seen On:
Extra!
The Today Show on NBC
The Early Show on CBS
Fox & Friends on The Fox News Channel

Awards We Have Won at the San Francisco and Los Angeles Chocolate Salons Include:
Most Gifted Chocolatier
Top Artisan Chocolatier
Best Truffle
Most Delicious Flavor Combinations
Best Flavored Chocolate
Best Gift Set
Best Comfort Chocolate Product
Best Packaging
Best Flavored Chocolate Bar
Most Artistic Design

Unique Valentine Heart

Our new valentine collection of indescribably delicious chocolates topped with four unique holiday designs will delight your love. This all-dark chocolate selection includes, Omega (olive oil & Fleur de Sel), Meyer Lemon infused olive oil, Crème Fraiche ganache, Calvados (apple brandy) and Strawberry vodka ganache.

Valentine’s Day Suede Heart 24 Piece

Nothing says “I Love You” like a hand selected box of our finest chocolates from Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company. Hand selected chocolates are carefully packaged in our elegant suede heart box and tied with a satin bow. Limited Edition

The Love Indulgence

The chocolate that launched a thousand romances! This ultimate assortment of beautiful hand-decorated, heart-shaped chocolates will help you fulfill your dreams – and fantasies – with that very special someone. Flavors include Passion Fruit Caramel, Strawberries ‘n Cream, Grand Marnier Truffle, Amaretto Latte, Minty Julep, Irish Cream Coffee and Gold Peppermint.

All of our luscious Love chocolates are hand-decorated, heart-shaped and enrobed in our rich, bitter-sweet, yet fruity dark, creamery milk or snowy white chocolate couvertures. Each red-ribboned leatherette box comes with an illustrated Sweet Words tag (Desire, Passion, Seduction, Joy or Delight), plus our Q-card with your own sweet words of love. Flavors include Passion Fruit Caramel, Strawberries ‘n Cream and Grand Marnier Truffle, Gold Peppermint, Chocolate Caramel in Dark Chocolate, Minty Julep, Mandarin Orange Caramel, Minty Julep, Irish Cream Coffee and Black Cherry Caramel.

Madeline Mavrakos Heart 12 Pc

Madeline Mavrakos favorites including: bon bon creams, golden butter caramels, milk and dark chocolate chocolate M’s, cherry cordials, and a marshmallow heart to symbol their love. It is the perfect, timeless gift for Valentine’s Day.

In the early 1900’s, he created what was to become a signature symbol of love; the heart-shaped box of chocolates and named it for his beloved wife, Madeline. Today, that heart assortment has been recreated and packed with all of Madeline’s favorites including bon bon creams, golden butter caramels, milk and dark chocolate chocolate M’s, cherry cordials, and a marshmallow heart to symbol their love. It is the perfect, timeless gift for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Heart With Valentine’s Assortment

Show that special someone that you care by giving them Chocolatines’ dark chocolate heart filled with our Valentine’s assortment. Our handmade selection includes passion fruit in a blushing white chocolate heart, raspberry decorated with red hearts, hazelnut speckled with pink hearts, and lemon honey caramel in a dark chocolate shell. These assortments are packaged in a edible dark chocolate heart and finished with a red satin ribbon.

Chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac since the days of the ancient Aztecs, who called cacao “god food.” Montezuma, the last Aztec emperor, was known to drink up to 50 golden goblets of cacao every day to increase his sexual prowess in order to properly service his harem!

Chock full of mood-boosting, titillating ingredients such as feel good endorphins and aphrodisiac phenylethylamine, chocolate is the perfect way to get your sweetheart in the mood for romance and passion. Organic chocolate that’s created without the health-harming agricultural chemicals found in your average chocolate bar makes for an even happier Valentine’s Day for you and your loved one, especially if it’s Fair Trade Certified, too. Get a whiff of these delectable certified organic fair trade chocolates and you’ll be flyin’ high, too.

The Best Heart Shaped Organic Chocolate Gift Boxes

Below are some stunning heart shaped gift boxes filled with tantalizing organic chocolates – enough to melt your sweetheart’s heart.

Large Velvet Heart

38 pieces of our finest acclaimed chocolates. Show your love just how much you appreciate them with this special edition heart box adorned with a hand tied bow in platinum ribbon. To view the flavor profiles of the chocolates, please scroll down.

Rosemary Pecan Rosemary steeped in fresh cream, organic dark chocolate, toasted pecan Trebbiano 12 year Balsamic, organic dark chocolate with red currants Lavender Flower Locally grown lavender steeped in fresh cream, organic milk chocolate, enrobed in 63% cacao Lemon Tisane Lemon Verbena steeped in fresh cream with milk chocolate Cacao “3″ ways Intense bittersweet ganache, enrobed in 63% cacao, crushed nibs Local Blueberry Port Local blueberry port, Peruvian dark chocolate, whole blueberry Grapefruit Confit Fresh brewed Kenya coffee, candied grapefruit rind, organic dark chocolate Vanilla Flake Salt Caramel Vanilla bean caviar infused in fleur de sel caramel, 63% cacao, Australian flake salt Chipolte Ginger Chipolte Chile infused 68% cacao, candied ginger, bourbon vanilla bean Noisette Organic dark chocolate, Frangelico liquor, toasted hazelnut Molokai Kaffir lime leaf infusion, toasted coconut, crushed macadamia nut Champagne Truffle Veuve Cliquot Champagne…and more

Guy’s Valentine’s Dream

Organic Truffles in a Burgundy Heart with black accent wraparound ribbon and a gold stretch bow. Simple, yet elegant – great for the chocolate-loving MAN in the family. We picked this heart so the GAL has something to give the CHOCOLATE-LOVING GUY! Wives can give it to husbands (and that’s happened), girlfriends or fiances can give it to their boyfriends. Daughters can give it to fathers. Even a son could give this to his dad! Or a brother to a brother! Great for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion for anyone! Included in our Nuts About You Assortment are: Organic Peanut Butter Balls, Organic Almond Butter Balls, Organic Almond Bark, and Organic Cashew Clusters. If sent to a guy, we use the black ribbon, if a gal, we use the white ribbon. Box substitutions may be necessary due to limited quantities, but a black ribbon/bow will always be used with a red box to add a masculine touch.

Organic Edible Rose Heart Box

Totally edible, this beautiful and colorful two-piece heart-shaped box with roses on the lid also contains three mini-truffles inside. Mini truffles could be an assortment of balls, vanilla bean cremes, dark chocolate or raspberry truffles.

This beautiful box is totally edible, yet says “I love you” with roses. For Valentine’s Day, we’ll do the roses in red and/or pink. For Mother’s Day, we’ll do the roses in a variety of pastels, including, pink, yellow, blue, lavender or red. Comes wrapped in cello with a bow, color-coordinated with the color(s) of the roses. Everything is organic white chocolate. Also makes a great gift for any occasion – birthday, anniversary, or wedding shower!

Cameo Heart Box

This beautiful and nostalgic two-piece heart box is totally edible. For Valentine’s Day, we make the lid’s cameo with either pink or red non-FD&C colored cocoa butter and white chocolate. Say “I love you” with style, with class and good taste! Everything is organic!

This beautiful and nostalgic cameo heart box says “I love you” with history. It’s appropriate for girlfriends, mothers, wives, and fiances. It’s good for sisters and chocolate lovers of all kinds. At Valentine’s Day, we make the cameo with either red or pink non-FD&C colored cocoa butter. For other occasions, such as Mother’s Day, we make the cameo blue, yellow, pink, green, or lavender. It’s totally edible, made with organic white chocolate. It’s a gift that keeps on giving after the holiday is over. Most people don’t the whole thing in one sitting. It’s very rich, both in taste and texture.

Other Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate Gift Ideas

1. Dip your way to a blissful Valentine’s Day with Robin’s Chocolate Tropical Dark Chocolate Sauce. Use this decadent sauce to dress up your morning waffles, or dip some fruit in it, fondue-style. Whatever your preference, this chocolate is sure to impress everyone’s palates.

2. If your lover likes a good boost of energy, then try out these powerful Pacari Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans. Made with the finest of organic ingredients sourced from Ecuador, Pacari chocolates are rich and hard to resist. They also implement several fair trade practices to protect local farmers and their ecosystems.

3. Looking for a bit of variety in your Valentine’s Day gift? Then look no further than the Givens & Company Natural Organic Snacker filled with a wide selection of delicious treats. From dried apples to organic almonds to a shortbread cookies and chocolate bar, these heart-healthy delights will have your sweetheart smiling in no time.

4. For something unique and interesting, try out Swoonbeams Cranberry Cacao Nib Bark. This healthful, dark bark is handmade by drenching dried cranberries and cacao nibs in Certified Organic, Fair Trade chocolate. It’s also vegan and gluten free.

5. Add a little Zen to your Valentine’s Day with the Oliver Kita Organic Vegan Woodstock Chocolate Buddha. This solid statue is made with organic dark chocolate 72% USDA Certified that’s also Fair Trade Certified. The company follows the Tao of Cacao which embraces the daily appreciation of chocolate through mindful tasting for self awareness and joy without regret.

6. Bring a swirly, crunchy touch to your sweetheart celebration with Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company’s Milk Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels. The combination of sweet and salty will bring a delicious twist to Valentine’s Day, and the Fair Trade Chocolate that envelopes the mini pretzels will add a sustainable angle, too.

7. If you’re a gal buying chocolate for your guy, this Guy’s Valentine’s Dream by Smith Organic Chocolates is the way to go. It’s been specifically designed for women looking for something for their chocolate-loving boyfriends, fathers, fiancés, or husbands. Filled with Organic Fair Trade Chocolate with abundance.

8. Too many choices? If you’re having a hard time choosing from the many selections, try out an assorted package of organic chocolates such as this Organic Vegan Collection Valrhona Grand Cao box. It contains a treat suitable for every palate, including double-dipped crystallized ginger, almond Grand Marnier, organic peanut butter chew, almond praline, pistachio almond marzipan, and more. Each bite will have you experiencing a unique, luscious taste sensation and will be a pleaser regardless of your sweetheart’s tastes. Made with Organic Fair Trade chocolate ingredients.

Valentine’s Day is a time when we can express love for our loved ones. Giving organic, fair trade chocolate gifts are a way to extend this goodness to the Planet.

What is artisan chocolate?

Artisan chocolate is that style of making chocolate that often considered an art form. Chocolatiers who specialize in artisan chocolate making pride themselves on using only the best ingredients, taking their time making small batches, and choosing flavors and presentations that are unique, interesting, and innovative. Time and care are the two most important aspects of making artisan chocolate.

Artisan chocolate vs industrial chocolate

But how does artisan chocolate compare to industrially-made chocolate? Generally speaking, the time taken to prepare commercial chocolates and the tools and ingredients used to make these chocolates are vastly different.

In commercial chocolate preparation, huge machines are used to produce enormous batches of chocolates in a very short period of time. The name of the game is to produce the most chocolate possible to an exacting recipe. And the finished product must appeal to the masses, so it is often overly sweet and lacking the interesting flavors that are inherent in true artisan chocolates.

Artisan chocolates, on the other hand, are usually hand-made or with very small machines in relatively tiny batches over longer periods of time. Flavor and presentation are of the utmost importance, and these chocolatiers do their upmost to bring out the best of each region’s beans in each of their creations.

4 Innovative artisan chocolate companies

Making the jump from commercially-prepared chocolates to something a little more refined and interesting will mean a bit of a higher price tag, but if you take your time to truly enjoy each morsel in all its complexity, you’ll get your money’s worth, without a doubt. Here are a few interesting artisan chocolate makers you’ll definitely want to try:

Rechiutti

Working to painstakingly select each ingredient and combine them in unique ways, Rechiutti prides itself on sourcing their chocolate building blocks in the local San Francisco farmer’s market. Flavors include lavender, tarragon, lemon vergena, and more.

Tcho

The story behind this company: hunting down flavor itself. Sourcing beans for around the world, these chocolatiers worked to test their product for the perfect flavor before releasing the final result. They use the purest expression of flavors inherent in cacao, including chocolatey, fruity, nutty, and citrus.

Vosges Haut Chocolate

If you want a truly unique chocolate experience, try out Vosges’ Bacon + Chocolate Bar. This chocolate will engage your five senses, so close your eyes and inhale the applewood bacon scents and the milk chocolate tastes. Also comes in dark chocolate varieties.

Chocolate Gecko

This artisan chocolate company creates chocolate with integrity, creativity, quality, and fun. Making artisan chocolates is a family affair for this company. They blend together distinctive flavors, using ethically-traded ingredients and organic chocolate that’s at least 78 percent cocoa solids. Try the Komodo Crunch, the Helderbergs, chocolate dipped fruit, and hand rolled truffles like their Poodles and French Kisses.