Theo Chocolate: Bean-to-Bar Maker
of Premium Organic and Fair Trade Certified

Joseph Whinney, founder of Seattle-based Theo Chocolate, explains the mission of his company:  “We’re committed to making the best organic chocolate while supporting sustainable agriculture and improving the lives of farmers and families. Theo defines the intersection of true chocolate making with sustainable practices. We’re a ‘triple bottom line’ company: people, planet, profit.”

Theo is a bean-to-bar maker of organic and Fair Trade Certified chocolate, and one of only 12 companies that are “makers” not “melters,” meaning they transform the cocoa  bean into the finished products they sell. Among this elite group, Theo is the only independently owned manufacturer dedicated to social and environmental responsibility.

In the early 90s, Whinney worked with cocoa crops in indigenous Mayan communities   and developed a passion for helping build market-based solutions for the problems arising from loss of biodiversity. In 1994 he pioneered the organic chocolate and cocoa market as the first importer of organic cocoa beans in the U.S.

“We would like to change people’s perception of chocolate and demystify chocolate-making,” says Whinney. “Chocolate comes from the cacao tree so it’s actually a crop, a real food. It’s an integral part of the rainforest ecosystem. By buying not only organic but also Fair Trade Certified chocolate, people can help save the planet, one bar at a time.”

In true artisan fashion, Theo’s chocolate making process stewards cocoa beans through the complex process of roasting, refining, blending, and conching to coax out the distinctive flavor imparted by each bean’s unique growing region. The concept of “terroir,” a buzzword among wine makers, is now finding its place in the premium chocolate industry, and is a cornerstone in Theo’s chocolate-making process.  The characteristics of the sunlight, earth and water in the country of origin, as well as the genetics of the tree, are all critical components in the flavor of the bean.  Theo Origin bars are crafted to highlight these characteristics.

A key ingredient in achieving the highest quality in chocolate making is cocoa butter. Rather than having an impact on the flavor, cocoa butter brings “mouth feel” to chocolate. Most chocolate makers add vegetable oils or soy lecithin, cheaper substitutes for cocoa butter to achieve the desired effect.  Theo never uses additives, relying strictly on pure, organic cocoa butter to enhance the texture and maintain the integrity of the finished chocolate.

Theo bars also contain beet sugar for a pure, clean sweetness that complements rather than interfering with the nuanced flavors of the beans. Beet sugar production also has less impact on the environment than sugar cane processing.

Theo Chocolate features three lines:

• Theo Origin bars, five ultra-premium dark chocolate varieties ranging in cacao  content from a 91% Theo Limited Edition Venezuelan to a 65% Theo Madagascar

• 3400 Phinney Bars (named for the company’s factory  address)  in six varieties of dark and milk chocolate, such as Coconut Curry and Bread & Chocolate

• Theo Confections, comprised of 15 beautifully handcrafted ganache and praline varieties, which are available only in select retail locations and via the company web site.

Although the company has only been making chocolate less than two years, it has already garnering accolades. Theo was a finalist in the 2007 Food Network Awards, chosen as one of three “Hot Chocolate” companies in the U.S. It was a finalist in 2007 in the Gallo Family Gold Medal Awards, and they placed two silver medals and one bronze in the 2006 London Academy of Chocolate Awards.

Visit www.theo.com

Edited by Patricia D. Sherman