Zero waste & emission free
100% Organic
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Single Origin
Frequently asked questions
Our ideals & practices
What does 'a fully sustainable cocoa chain' mean?
There are very few companies that actually make chocolate, let alone control the entire chain. We can say that because our work starts with cooperating with farmers and farmer cooperatives in Congo, Peru, Nicaragua and Colombia. We make sure that people and nature are treated with respect in our origins, that transport is as emission-free as possible (sometimes even completely emission free), and that once the cocoa arrives in Amsterdam, it is processed in our solar powered factory; emission free and plastic free.
Is everything 100% organic at Chocolatemakers?
Yes. Our whole cocoa chain is organic and also the ingredients we add to our chocolate are always organic. That is non-negotiable us, we will never change this.
What are you doing for nature conservation and biodiversity?
This part of the website will be constantly changing as we look for more ways to do even better for the planet. For example, by paying farmers in Congo a fair price, we are actively combating deforestation. The forests where the mountain gorillas live are highly endangered. Because they have a good income, the farmers do not have to opt for deforestation and the cacao trees offer a good protection for the gorilla's habitat. In Peru, we have built a chocolate factory together with the local population so that the farmers there can make their own chocolate. They can now be part of the cocoa chain thanks to the new factory. The Awajun tribe in Peru that we work with live by slash-and-burn farming and control large areas of rainforest. As their population increases, the pressure on the rainforest increases and other sources of income are important for the survival of their way of life.
Cocoa is a perfect alternative here; it requires shade trees and can be planted in combination with other crops. It reduces the need for slash-and-burn farming and can prevent deforestation of the rainforest.
Does your cocoa come all the way to Amsterdam on wind power?
We are indeed trying to get as much cocoa as possible to travel with the sailing ship, the Tres Hombres. Completely on wind power, there is no engine on board. That costs more money and takes 4-6 months per crossing. But we would not want to exchange it for a container ship. The bars with a sailing ship on the packaging and our sails are all made from 'sailboat cocoa'. We also choose the most sustainable transport for our other origins, and hopefully in the future we will be able to have all our cocoa come by sailboat.
Do you only work with solar energy in Amsterdam?
That's right, all the way! And we even have some power left over that we feed back into the grid. It is possible, even if you need a lot of machines, like we do.
Is your chocolate slave-free?
We can say 'yes' to this. But the answer is more complex than that and very important to know. We hope you will read on because every consumer should understand this better in order to make the right choice in the shop.
A good answer starts with the explanation of the word slave-free. It's used a lot these days, but what is it all about and when can a company really call it that? In the context of chocolate, it is about forced child labour, the modern form of slavery. This is still very common in many parts of the world and it is true that you, as a chocolate producer, have direct influence on this. Remember: there are no guarantees, but child labour, and particularly its worst forms, can be largely eliminated by taking 4 important steps.
1. Own the chain. Bean-to-bar, if done properly, means that the chocolate manufacturer is involved in the process from the moment the bean is harvested from the tree. This is the only way to directly and positively influence the working and living conditions of the farmers. Through careful agreements on working methods, safety and transport. But also: by setting clear rules on age limits for the workers on the plantations. Most chocolate in the shops is purchased from large chocolate producers and only processed further in Europe or America. This makes it almost impossible to trace back the chain and prevent child labour on the plantations. We control the entire chain from tree to bar and maintain personal contact with our farmer cooperatives.
2. Pay a living income.The main cause of child labour worldwide is poverty. To prevent farmers from putting their children to work, damaging the natural areas where they produce or shortening the time it takes for delicious cocoa to reach its optimum flavour in the country of origin, farmers must be paid better. Better? Yes, they should be paid a living income. There are official barometers for this, to determine these rates per region. We pay our farmers 50% more than the Fairtrade minimum average and thus ensure that they do not have to put their children to work and can maintain better working conditions and hours themselves. We are continuously examining whether our prices in the different regions are still in line with the situation of the world and our farmers.
3. Avoid certain areas.Unfortunately, even a full chain and better income cannot prevent child labour in some countries. The western regions of Africa and in particular the Ivory Coast and Ghana are known for child labour. In fact, this is dangerous child labour. Children between 5 and 17 are used to spray pesticides, which are extremely dangerous chemicals that are very harmful to children. Unfortunately, child labour is still increasing in these areas. We source our cocoa exclusively from Peru, Colombia, Nicaragua and Congo, where we can guarantee that the pesticides are not used, where the political climate protects the children and where we can make good agreements with the farmers and farmers' cooperatives.
4. Organic, organic, organic!Again, this is mainly about dangerous forms of child labour, the spraying of pesticides. This is not allowed on organic products. There are strict guidelines in order to be certified organic. Dangerous pesticides may certainly not be used. This is not only important for the chocolate eater and his body, but especially for the children and farmers in the origin. By buying organic, you not only protect yourself and nature, you also protect the people at the beginning of the chain. Non-organic certified chocolate is one of the greatest dangers for children in the cocoa growing areas. Every cocoa import from all origins is tested at Chocolatemakers in an independent lab for 450 pesticides used worldwide.
Our chocolate is so good because we think about a lot of steps. We want to spoil our customers. But we would like it even better if you enjoy it and pass it on so that everyone can make more conscious choices in the supermarket.
Taste & Production
What is real chocolate to you?
We believe that real chocolate should be made with care: artisanal, 100% organic, Fairtrade, zero waste and sustainable. All ingredients are of top quality. And we prefer to add as little as possible to the cocoa: the taste of the bean must be fully appreciated. Just like coffee and wine, cocoa is a natural product. The region and the circumstances in which the cocoa beans grow are reflected in the chocolate. That is called terroir. That's why our real chocolate has different taste tones; sometimes you think you taste raspberry, sometimes banana or caramel. Just like with wine and coffee, the flavour tones are related to the origins and the whole process from picking to roasting.
How do sustainable and social choices affect taste?
In addition to working entirely organically, we also ensure that we pay our farmers a fair price in all origins. We pay 50% more per tonne of cocoa than the fair trade average. And that is what you taste. Because our farmers get paid well, they are not forced to rush in the process. This means that the beans are allowed to ripen, dry and ferment for a long time. Just until they are perfect for the journey to the Netherlands and further processing in our factory in Amsterdam.
Are your bars gluten-free?
That's right! We work exclusively with gluten-free products for our original & pure range.
Is the oats in your chocolate gluten-free?
Yes. For our vegan bars, we use oats as a milk substitute, among other things. Oat drink powder (oat milk powder) is a good alternative as a substitute for milk powder. We use oat drink powder that is organic, dairy-free, gluten-free and suitable for a vegan diet.
Are your bars nut-free?
We process nuts in our factory. That's why you read "may contain traces of nuts" on all our bars, even though there are no nuts in the bar. We clean our tanks well, but we cannot guarantee for any of our products that they cannot contain traces of nuts.
Are your bars lactose-free?
The dark chocolate bars may contain traces of lactose! All bars are poured through one machine. This machine is always cleaned, but when changing from milk to dark, a small amount may remain. This amount is very small, but it does contain traces of lactose.
Are your bars vegan?
Our pure bars are vegan and are bought by vegan shops and consumers. However, on the packaging you will read 'may contain traces of milk and lactose'. We are legally obliged to provide this information as all bars are poured through the same machine and, despite cleaning, traces of milk may remain.
Ordering and shipping
How does the chocolate subscription work?
- Choose one choco box in our shop.
- You can take out a subscription to all our packages, including the pick & mix
- You pay no shipping costs!
- If you don't like it, you can always stop your subscription after 6 months.
- From now on, you will get your favourite chocolate delivered to your home every month. Through the letterbox, that's easy.
Do you also do sponsoring?
No, we deliberately do not do sponsoring or goodie-bags. If we give away many products for free, we would have to increase the price of our bars and we don't want to do that. The quality of the chocolate, fair prices for the people who grow the cocoa and sustainability come before marketing for us.
Do you ship in the summer?
We ship when the outside temperature is below 22 degrees. This is the only way we can guarantee that the chocolate reaches you in perfect condition. If you order during a very hot week, you may have to wait a while for the chocolate to arrive.
I placed an order online 24 hours ago but have not received anything yet
That can indeed happen. We have a small team and cannot offer the speed of bol.com (we don't make slow food for nothing). We try to send orders within 3 to 4 days. Furthermore, we do not send the chocolate when it is hotter than 22 degrees outside, because then the chocolate could melt in the PostNL van. For environmental reasons, we do not use refrigerated transport. But I am sure you expected that from us. It is therefore possible that the bars will be delivered a little later.
Where can I buy your chocolate?
You can order all our bars here on the website. You can also find us in many shops throughout the Netherlands and in most organic supermarkets.
How do I best store the chocolate bars?
Store them cool (around 18 degrees) and dry, but never in the fridge. Moisture condenses on the bar and affects the quality of the bars. Water and the fat of the cocoa butter are not compatible.
Chocolatemakers
Radarweg 32A
1042 AA Amsterdam