What makes us Honest?
Chocolate is both luxurious and humble, once you understand its origins and the long journey it takes from the cacao tree to the finished product. We are only part of that journey when it comes to achieving the flavour profile of our chocolates. They originate from the type of cacao bean, the climate where they are grown and how they are processed. We rely on farmers in distant lands such as Ecuador to start the journey, and suppliers that share our values of sustainability, quality and excellence to dry, roast, and grind the cacao into couvertures that we can work with. We select our ingredients carefully and conscientiously, and choose to use single origin chocolate that comes from ethical sources. Our art as chocolatiers is to pair these amazing chocolate couvertures with exciting flavours and hand craft them into unique textures and experiences.
We make the effort to satisfy modern day tastes and dietary requirements, with products that are gluten free, soy free, dairy free (excludes our milk chocolates) and in some cases sugar free. We don't believe in using hidden enhancers, preservatives or additives.
The Story So Far...
Honest Chocolat was born at the beginning of 2016 in a converted garage in Snells Beach, through the collaboration of husband and wife team Nico and Emily Bonnaud. Not being those to take the easy route, the business began as a side project to full time occupations as Pastry Chef and Interior Designer with weekend markets and online sales, and a commitment to using unique and high quality single origin chocolate.
With a growing number of wholesale stockists and a following of serious chocoholics, Honest Chocolat was awarded Best Chocolate Bar at the NZ Chocolate Awards 2017, for the much loved Salted Caramel and Buckwheat Milk Chocolate Tablet. Things were getting too big for the garage, so the Honest Chocolat store opened in the heart of Matakana Village in October 2017, with all production being made on site.
The Honest Chocolat Boutique and Chocolate Bar opened, after many delays, in June 2020 within Commercial Bay in Central Auckland. The range of beautiful and delicious products continues to grow, while maintaining a passion for the art of chocolate making, and a love of the highest quality and great tasting chocolate.
Follow us on our continued journey…
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