‘SAMOA’S VIBRANT FOOD culture is imbued with a sense of place, history and community. There’s an abundance of fresh fruit, fish and root vegetables used in a wide variety of dishes bursting with tropical flavour. Fa’a Samoa, “the Samoan way”, is ingrained in traditional cuisine…’

‘Having worked with specialty beans from all over the world, Hogarth Chocolate is now sourcing all of its cacao from Hacienda Victoria in Ecuador, which recently became the world’s first certified carbon neutral cacao farm..’

‘It was thoroughly unnerving — how could such a fundamental part of my identity be undermined? It was like the time I accidentally bought toilet paper with a frilly pattern printed on it – I instantly felt like a bad actor in an embarrassingly inaccurate biopic of my life.’

‘There’s never been a more exciting time to be a chocolate lover. With the emergence of New Zealand’s craft chocolate sector over the past decade, we’ve seen a significant change in the possibilities and perceptions of what chocolate can be.’

‘A key difference you’ll find with craft chocolate is the range of flavours coming purely from the cacao beans. Just like malt, hops and yeast, cacao can taste like thousands of different things, with a potential flavour spectrum that goes far beyond the traditional ‘chocolatey’ flavour we’re all familiar with.’

‘The craft chocolate movement is changing our relationship with chocolate, and Baron Hasselhoff’s new space is at the forefront of what’s happening in New Zealand. This isn’t just a place to find exceptional treats – it’s somewhere to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of chocolate, where you can truly connect with the ingredients and the process.

‘Whatever your taste in chocolate, there’s definitely a craft chocolate bar that’s perfect for you. It’s a fascinating world filled with highly passionate people, incredible stories, and a quality of chocolate that’s never been seen in Aotearoa before.’

‘When a 15-year-old Thomas Hilton was struggling to find his way in life and getting involved with gangs, he probably never dreamed that one day he’d be making chocolates for the British royal family.’

‘Bean-to-bar craft chocolate may only account for a tiny percentage of the world’s chocolate production, but it’s an exciting industry that offers a product with a fuller spectrum of flavours and more hands-on practices than the mass-produced stuff we’re familiar with.’

'Sometimes passion and creativity can clash with patience and long-term dedication, but the work of Brood Fermentation seems to hang perfectly in the balance of both. There’s an almost meditative calmness about these beers — something that makes you want to drink them quietly, in a peaceful place. They taste overtly unrushed and seem imbued with the harmony of rural afternoons. '

‘Where a company starts its chocolate process tells you nothing about the quality or honesty of the business. I’ve tasted some terrible tree-to-bar chocolate in my time, and there are some world-class chocolate companies who have their chocolate contract-made, while simultaneously doing incredible work with sustainability and ethical cacao trade.’

‘Older readers may remember the glory days of chocolate production in York, when Rowntree’s and Terry’s were world leaders of the industry, before they were taken over by multinational corporations and the quality of the products went downhill. Along with a handful of other craft chocolate makers, Max is writing a new chapter in Yorkshire’s chocolate story, producing chocolate that’s higher quality, more ethical and more delicious than anything we’ve seen before.’

'Ten years ago it was virtually unheard of to make chocolate at home from scratch, but now a bunch of rebellious basement chocolate makers are rewriting the rules and challenging chocolate traditions.'

‘We’ve all been forced to grow up and pretend that we’re sophisticated and refined, but in reality most of us just want to sit on colourful chairs in the garden whilst eating cake and ice cream. Dessert beers are the next-best thing, and they’re a welcome relief to a serious world full of insurance policies, dental bills and feelings of impending doom.’

‘A handful of chocolate makers around the country are rethinking the way this confection is created and embracing the “bean-to-bar” philosophy, resulting in a level of quality and deliciousness never been seen before.’

‘Nature is inherently unpredictable and chaotic, but in that chaos lies something perfect; something that science and technology could never truly replicate. Spontaneous beer gives us a taste of that unadulterated perfection, and when we work in harmony with nature, it reminds us that we are not separate from the environment surrounding us – we are intrinsically part of it.’

‘Nestled in the rejuvenated Auckland suburb of Morningside you’ll find an exciting new venture by Miann that is not only pushing the boundaries of New Zealand’s chocolate culture, but demonstrating the absolute cutting edge of what is happening internationally in the chocolate industry.’

‘Local artisans predict that New Zealand could one day become renowned for its Pacific chocolate, in the same way that Marlborough is known for its world-class sauvignon blanc. And the flavours aren’t the only attraction: It’s also about joining forces with our Pacific neighbours and promoting ethical chocolate on the world stage, one delicious square at a time.’

‘Tatham’s rural upbringing and tranquil lifestyle have influenced his approach to chocolate making. There is a slowness, a calmness and a meticulousness to his craft, which is evident from the moment you see the packaging to the moment you taste the delicate and nuanced flavours in his chocolate.’

‘The more you learn about coffee and cacao, the more you discover fascinating links between these two seemingly unrelated plants. They both produce beans that are transformed into two of the world’s favourite treats; they both grow in tropical climates all around the world; and they both offer a similar spectrum of potential flavours, ranging from bright and fruity to deep and roasty. They can even taste like each other!’

‘The more you learn about Cell Division, the more you realise that every beer released has an interesting tale to tell. There’s a phenomenal level of depth and detail that goes into every brew, along with copious amounts of time and care, resulting in beers that would be almost impossible to replicate if brewed on a large commercial scale.’