RAAKA CHOCOLATE

Raaka Chocolate is a small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker working out of Clinton Hill, Brooklyn (soon to be Red Hook, Brooklyn!). Raaka makes chocolate using unroasted beans to deliver flavors which are lost in traditional chocolate making. Raaka is one of the few chocolate makers which is nut-free (nut-free facility), soy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and USDA certified organic. Their bars reflect the subtleties of the regions from which they source cocoa beans, and their recipes and processes create an experience you simply can't find in other chocolate bars. Raaka received a 2013 Good Food Award for their Bourbon Cask Aged bar. Raaka was also featured on the Cooking Channel show Unique Sweets. Raaka is set apart by its commitments to fair trade, fair wages, and bringing joy and mindfulness to its work. They currently purchase cocoa beans that have been directly traded with OKO Carribe (Dominican Republic), Grupo Salias (Ecuador), CIAAB (a co-op in Bolivia), Maya Mountain Cacao (Belize), and Akesson's Organic Farm (Madagascar). The cocoa farmers from whom they purchase cocoa beans receive at minimum $500 above market price per metric ton. At today’s cocoa prices, this is equivalent to a 20% raise for the farmers.