The Ultimate Canadian Chocolate Lover's Gift-Giving Guide

Need a gift for a Canadian chocolate lover? Or are you putting together a Canadian care-package? You have come to the right place! I have developed the Ultimate List of Canadian Chocolate Makers.

Bean-to-bar craft chocolate makers and truffle, praline and ganache artisans have popped up all over the place in recent years. The following list is not complete, so if you know any that should be added, please add a Comment below or send me an e-mail at ultimatechocolateblog@gmail.com.

Also, see the list of specialty craft chocolate retailers for where you can buy 'bean to bar' chocolate, and monthly subscription services in Canada.


 
Bean-to-Bar:
For a full and regularly updated list of Canadian craft bean-to-bar chocolate makers, click here.

• Soma Chocolatemaker (Toronto, Ontario) - for the real chocolate connoisseur, Soma is the best small-batch artisan bean-to-bar chocolate maker in Canada.  They use high-grade beans and mostly Criollo and Trinitario beans but occasionally choose very high quality Forastero beans to make flavourful fine chocolate with a smooth and luxurious texture.  Soma also makes beautiful gourmet truffles and filled chocolates as well as divine drinking chocolates.  You can visit their two locations in Toronto or order via e-mail.  Check their website for more information: http://www.somachocolate.com/SOMA_home.html


• Hummingbird Chocolate Maker (Ottawa, Ontario) - makes chocolate in small batches using single origin beans.  They make an amazing Hispaniola Dominican Repubic Bar that brings out powerful cacao bean flavours. Their chocolate is smooth and buying their full range of chocolate bars would offer a flavour experience perfect for a chocolate tasting party or as a gift for any connoisseur. Available in Ottawa Farmers Markets or on www.FoodiePages.ca. Website: www.hummingbirdchocolate.com.
 
• Beanpod (Fernie, B.C.) www.beanpod.ca - an excellent choice for milk chocolate lovers is the Fernie BEAR Bar made with milk chocolate and Honeycomb - so sweet and tasty!
  
• Olivia Chocolat (Cantley, QC) Making raw chocolate with maple sugar and a range of dark chocolate bars. Available online or in stores. Check their website for more information: http://www.oliviachocolatiers.com


• ChocoSol Traders (Toronto, ON) - pedal-powered and stone ground chocolate that is good for the soul and the environment.  Try their drinking chocolate or ChocoSol's Hemp Gold bar.  You will see hemp and chocolate in a whole new light! http://chocosol.posterous.com/


• Living Libations (Haliburton, ON) - This chocolate is definitely for that chocolate-lover who also cares about their health. The chocolate is made from raw (unroasted) beans to maintain its nutrients and antioxidants and several superfoods are added to assist with our health. Also, there is no dairy, soy, nuts, refined butter or sugar. Buy online on their website at: www.livinglibations.com.


• Giddy Yoyo (Orangeville, Ontario) - makes Wild Ecuadorian Chocolate that is raw (unroasted beans) and organic.  A range of flavours from fun to healthy (incl. spirulina, a superfood that is not often found in chocolate). Available in several stores across Canada and in one store in California http://www.giddyyoyo.com/Where-To-Buy/
• Barry Callebaut Canada Inc. (St. Hyacinthe, QC) - this is a little larger than the others on the list!  Barry Callebaut makes chocolate and cocoa products in its large manufacturing facility near Montreal for both the food industry and artisan chocolatiers and chefs.  I love their couverture products for enrobing chocolate, available at a series of wholesalers and online stores across Canada, like Signature Find Foods in Toronto. If you are a consumer wanting to improve your home baking, you can make a purchase Vanilla Food Company. I love Callebaut White Chocolate Callets - these taste and look way better than any white chocolate that you will get at the grocery store!  
• Choklat (Calgary, AB) www.sochoklat.com makes single origin & single estate chocolate from bean-to-bar, controlling the entire process from start to finish. Now with three locations in Calgary, Choklat’s popularity is growing.  They sell in cash only, and no online shipped sales are accepted (you can order online for in-store pick-up only). They use high quality and rare beans, for instance, they make a Porcelana 70% bar.
• Habitual Chocolate Roasters (London, ON) www.habitualchocolate.com Local to London, this bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker makes a range of origin chocolate, including some high-percentage milk chocolate bars. Check out their line-up here. They can be found at the Western Fair Farmers and Artisans Market located in the historic Confederation Building in London, ON. Beans from various exotic locations are roasted, ground and moulded on site.

Filled Chocolates & Truffles:

• The Chocolate TOFFLE by Ultimately Chocolate (Manitoulin Island, Ontario) - a decadent dark chocolate toffee wrapped around a milk chocolate truffle in three different flavours: Peanut Butter, Peppermint, and Hazelnut.  Artisan and hand-made with organic and fair trade chocolate.  Available on www.ultimatelychocolate.com or on FoodiePages, or in Loco Beanz coffee houses on Manitoulin Island, and at other local retailers. Ultimately Chocolate also makes salted dark chocolate toffees, milk chocolate toffees and giant Peanut Butter Truffles.
• Koko Chocolates (Ottawa, Ontario) - available on FoodiePages.ca.
• Manitoulin Chocolate Works (Kagawong, Ontario) - try their Mint Meltaway filled chocolate along with a range of other flavours.  Available in store only. http://www.manitoulinchocolate.ca/
• Soma Chocolatemaker - Try their balsamic filled chocolate and their Poprocks.  Amazing flavours and amazing taste! http://www.somachocolate.com/SOMA_home.html
• Christophe Morel - a range of gourmet gift boxes are available on the website. www.morelchocolatier.com
• Purdy's Chocolates - "Canadian Chocolatier since 1907. Creating hand-crafted premium chocolates from our Chocolate Kitchen in Vancouver, British Columbia." (ref: @PurdysChocolate) http://www.purdys.com
• Roger's Chocolate (Victoria, B.C.) - They've make Advent calendars and a large range of Christmas selections: www.rogerschocolates.com. Ice Wine Truffles or the Ice Wine Truffle Dark Chocolate Bar (which I tasted and liked!) would make an excellent Canadian-style gift.
• Cococo Chocolatiers Inc. (formerly Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut) (Calgary, AB) - http://www.cococochocolatiers.com/
• René Rey (North Vancouver, B.C.) - Try their Organic Hedgehogs and HempHogs (truffle-filled chocolates in the shape of a hedgehog). René Rey makes everything right from the cocoa liquor, cocoa butter and nibs stage and make their own Hemp Paste, Almond paste and Hazelnut paste from their own recipes. www.renerey.com
• Truffle Treasures (Ottawa, ON) - with two locations in Ottawa, Truffle Treasures offers a variety of hand-made truffles, chocolate and hot chocolate. http://truffletreasures.com
• Saxon Chocolates (Toronto, Ontario) www.saxonchocolates.com - I love their new 64% dark 100 calorie chocolate bar. For filled chocolates, they have Hazelnut Truffle Firecracker gift packages as well as tins of the same truffles. They make an abundance of chocolate Christmas treats available at many retailers across Canada.  Check their website for more information.
• President's Choice - has a huge selection of packaged products - most chocolate is made in France or Europe but the company is Canadian.
• Laura Secord - a range of filled chocolate boxes for every chocolate appetite.  Check it out at: http://www.laurasecord.ca/chocolates/boxes-to-share/ In its history, it was Canadian-owned, then it wasn't, and now it is Canadian-owned again!
• Suite 88 Chocolatier (Montreal) - It has been three years since I was there, but I remember this chocolate shop being beautiful and styled like a jewelry store and their products looked slick, stylish and delicious. Check it out: http://suite88.com/en/?lounge.
• Laurent Pagés Pattiserie/Chocolaterie (Blainville, Quebec) - I have never been to his shop, but have been taught by him in Montreal and have seen his excellent work making beautiful filled chocolates: http://www.laurentpages.com/#!/page_services
• Truffle Pigs by Hagensborg (Burnaby, B.C.) - I've tried these many times and I love them.  Check out my review here. These are available in their Burnaby store or in several stores across Canada, or you can buy online: http://www.hagensborg.com/.
• Barkleys (Richmond, B.C.) - Check out these all-natural Canadian-made truffle bars. www.barkleys.ca
• rochef Chocolatier (Gatineau, QC) - a selection of pralines and truffles, as well as bars and hot chocolate.  The list of stores is here, but you can also buy any of these products online.
• Anne of Green Gables Chocolates (Cavendish & Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island) - Enjoy P.E.I. Oysters (chocolate, pecans & toffee), chocolate caramels, truffles or assorted creams in Anne's famous playground and one of Canada's most beautiful places to visit. Or buy online at: www.annechocolates.com.
• Brokmann's Truffini (Delta, B.C.) - these truffle bars and bonbons are filled with natural ingredients and very tasty. Read my recent article about their Double Dark truffle bar here.
• Theobroma Fine Chocolates (Barrie, ON) - Decadent chocolate truffles for special events and weddings. Also available at select retailers. www.chocolatesbytheobroma.com

These are just some of the ones that I have tried or heard about. There are so many chocolatiers that I cannot possibly list them all here - find your local artisan chocolate maker and you will find wonderful filled chocolates in your city!
 For more chocolate-makers in Canada, check the recently launched FoodiePages.ca chocolates and candies category for great chocolate gift ideas from Canadian artisans from all across Canada: http://foodiepages.ca/catalog/Chocolate_Candy  
 

 
Organic & Fair Trade Chocolate by Canadian Companies:

 
• Camino brand by La Siembra Co-Operative (Ottawa, ON) - chocolate bars, snacks and instant, organic and all-natural hot chocolate pouches make for great stocking stuffers - buy in stores across Canada or buy online: www.tasteofcamino.com

• Just Us! (Halifax, NS) Similar to Camino, Just Us! is the East Coast Fair Trade and organic coffee and chocolate marketer. You can buy their chocolate bars, bark and hot chocolate products in their cafes or, if you live elsewhere in the country, you can buy online at: http://www.justuscoffee.com/our-products/Chocolate

• Theobroma Chocolat (Quebec) - an excellent range of perfectly-portioned chocolate bars made with organic chocolate and organic ingredients.  Try their banana or raspberry dark chocolate bars - so tasty and great stocking stuffers! A list of Canadian retailers who carry their products can be found here.

• President's Choice Organics brand. The list is available here.

• Organic Fair Inc. (Cobble Hill, B.C.) This maple and sun dried apple chocolate bar is certain to make any Canadian chocolate-lover happy. http://www.organicfair.com/ 

• Denman Island Chocolate (British Columbia, Canada) - Located in British Columbia's Gulf Islands, Denman Island Chocolate makes 10 flavours of perfectly portioned chocolate bars that are soy, peanut and gluten-free. The chocolatiers use fresh local and imported ingredients to create just the right favour balance with the organic and Fair Trade certified chocolate that is made for them in Europe. Denman Island Chocolate bars are sold at retail outlets across Canada and the U.S. www.denmanislandchocolate.com