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An award-winning, bean-to-bar chocolate proudly made in Chile from organic cacao beans.
Founded in 2013, Óbolo Chocolate brought the concept of bean-to-bar chocolate to Chile. Since then, the company has introduced a rich collection of products that have received industry awards. Óbolo makes chocolate with only natural ingredients, and most of them are also certified organic. Naturally, the products don’t contain any preservatives or artificial flavors and colors, but the company also put refined sugar on the list on banned ingredients. Sourced from the Pangoa Cooperative in Peru, the organic cacao beans come from agroforestry crops. This means that the cacao plants grow alongside native species in the Amazon forest, thus conserving the area’s rich biodiversity. Finally, the chocolate bars come in recyclable and compostable packaging. All of these careful measures have made Óbolo the first company in Chile to receive the B Corp certification.
To make each bar of chocolate, Óbolo carefully controls each stage of the production process. After buying the fair trade cacao beans, the company places them in solid wood fermentation bins. There, the beans remain under banana leaves for seven days. Then, they dry under the tropical sun. Workers rake the beans to ensure they reach a moisture of 7% to keep their best flavors. After the selection process, the beans reach the Óbolo headquarters in Chile.
Each crop requires a specific roasting profile to obtain optimal flavor. Grinding and milling follow this stage to achieve a smooth liquid chocolate. Then, the company tempers the chocolate to achieve the right texture and gloss. The Óbolo collection comprises anything from 50% to 100% cocoa chocolate bars to white and dark milk chocolate. Other options include caramelized white chocolate and bars with sea salt, coffee, Earl Gray tea, smoked chili, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The collection also includes cocoa nibs and vegan treats along with hazelnut and cocoa spreads, cocoa infused tea, and more. Photographs © Óbolo Chocolate.
