BERKELEY, Calif., US – TCHO (“cho”), a pioneering craft chocolate maker based in Berkeley, Calif., is replacing its milk chocolate-based bars with plant-based dairy alternatives and introducing a complete packaging makeover. Beginning today, six new bars will join the TCHO line, gradually replacing the remaining supply of TCHO’s milk-chocolate-based bars, like Toffee + Sea Salt and Classic Milk.
The company’s colorful and fun new packaging will debut across the entire retail product line to underscore the move to plant-based ingredients, with a commitment to making the entire product line animal free by 2023.
“Reducing our reliance on dairy is one of the quickest ways TCHO can lighten our impact on the environment. While this will not be an easy transition for us, we know it’s the right one,” said Josh Mohr, Vice President of Marketing at TCHO. “From the beginning, TCHO has been committed to working with our farming partners in the field, improving farming techniques, bettering soil conditions and doing what we can to help minimize deforestation–all of which speaks to a plant-based model.”
Now the entire TCHO retail line is Certified Fair Trade, Certified Organic, vegan, gluten free, kosher and made from 100% plants. TCHO’s professional baking line, used in restaurant kitchens and bakeries nationwide, will be plant based in early 2022. The company also recently achieved Certified B Corp status as a result of its work to improve the lives of its workers, customers, suppliers, and the local community.
“This was an exciting opportunity to make chocolate that further reflects our values,” said Brad Kintzer, Chief Chocolate Maker for TCHO and President of the Fine Chocolate Industry Association. Kintzer has been working with his team for three years to develop the perfect plant-based chocolate formula. “The spirit of TCHO is rooted in the idea of accepting challenges and trying to bring them to life. Taking out dairy and focusing entirely on plants opened up a whole new world for us. We’re proud of the unique flavor profiles we’ve created. Our alt-milk is an entirely new cacao experience.”
TCHO’s six plant-based chocolate bars make their debut on TCHO.com and come in new, square-shaped packaging ($5.99/2.5oz bar). These flavors will eventually replace all remaining retail chocolate bars:
- Toffee Time — Made with a meticulously crafted non-dairy base of cashew butter, coconut sugar, oat milk and cacao, this alt-milk chocolate bar is flecked with sea salt and vegan toffee pieces.
- Aww Nuts! — A dark chocolate bar filled with small batch California almonds finely ground into a crunchy almond butter with a hint of Pacific sea salt.
- Choco Latté — A rich and bold coffee truffle filled with plant-based oat milk chocolate and organic coffee beans from Blue Bottle Coffee. Creamy, caramelly, and energizing.
- Holy Fudge — An organic single-origin Ghanaian dark chocolate bar reminiscent of crispy brownie edges with a dense, fudgy center.
- Born Fruity — An organic single-origin Peruvian dark chocolate bar with deep fruity notes and a sweet and crisp finish.
- Dark Duo — An outer shell made with chocolatey cacao from Holy Fudge, filled with the lush fruit-forward cacao of Born Fruity.
