Cococlectic, the only chocolate subscription box that features all American chocolate makers, includes chocolate makers like Black Sheep Chocolate from Bend, OR; ChocolateSpiel from Seattle, WA; Animas Chocolate from Durango, CO; and Sweet Minou Chocolate from Lincoln, NE. Cococlectic is great for chocolate lovers, health-conscious consumers, and for those interested in corporate gifting with chocolate bars that are all vegan, non-GMO, fair-trade, ad ethically sourced. Cococlectic’s chocolate bars do not contain any soy, gluten, dairy, or nut, but they may be produced in a facility that handles these ingredients.
“There are so many amazing craft chocolate makers in our backyard, diverse makers, and people of color,” says Doreen Leong, founder of Cococlectic, a women-owned and minority diverse-owned business. “We can’t afford not to put the spotlight on them. Many of them have won awards for their meticulous craft. So why not focus on them? The craft chocolate industry in the U.S. has grown exponentially since we launched in 2014.”
Due to COVID-19, like many other small businesses, Cococlectic had to pivot. Leong introduced a monthly virtual chocolate tasting using Zoom to connect chocolate makers with their customers at no additional cost. This platform allows customers to connect and learn from the chocolate makers while chocolate makers have another platform to share their stories. By supporting craft chocolate makers, Cococlectic is also supporting the cacao supply chain, right down to the farmers in various cacao-growing regions, who have also been gravely hit by this pandemic.
Cococlectic also introduced virtual chocolate tastings for businesses using the Zoom platform to replace the in-person tasting they would normally host. Cococlectic felt that the chocolate session could bring everyone together virtually, with as many as 450 people joining to discover and enjoy chocolate. These tastings have proven to be a lasting hit through the pandemic, and are here to stay as Cococlectic emerges from the challenging COVID-19 climate.
“As a small-business owner, Cococlectic connects you with like-minded people interested in craft chocolate,” says owner of El Buen Cacao, Jessica Ramirez. “ Listening to the amazing feedback that we got from Cococlectic customers was a learning experience that set our standards even higher. As a Latina woman, I really love the openness and care that Cococlectic exudes as a business.”
Founded in 2014, Cococlectic is a chocolate-of-the-month subscription club. Cococlectic’s mission is to melt the gap between chocolate makers and chocolate enthusiasts. Cococlectic constantly strives to build an educated community that supports the craft and speaks the same language of love—especially the bean-to-bar kind. Founder Doreen Leong, adds, “We want to grow a chocolate-loving community. These American craft chocolate makers have such an amazing passion for what they do and we want to showcase their craft and expertise to everyone.”
Each month Cococletic features a different American, small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker making chocolate in the U.S. Subscription levels start at $45.99 per month and customers have the option of paying monthly every three months or every six months. One-time (dark bars only or mixed bars) gift boxes and corporate gift boxes are also available. Each chocolate box comes with four full-size dark chocolate bars.
Cococlectic is also the winner of the 2020 USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Food Subscription Box. The nomination was carefully made by an expert panel including a combination of editors from USA TODAY.
