Goodbye Nick!

Hi!

Nick here. Writing for Craft Chocolate Matters for maybe the last time. After plenty of adventures over the past few years, I’m leaving Cocoa Runners.

It’s hard to overstate quite how impactful it’s all been for me. It’s been a constant learning experience.

I’m reminded of a quote from Aldous Huxley: “…The more we know the more fantastic the world becomes and the profounder the surrounding darkness”.

The more I discover in craft chocolate, the wider the horizons for flavour become. It seems there’s a never-ending supply of creativity and expertise in chocolate making! But the “darkness” here is mass-produced chocolate. It becomes harder and harder to tolerate the destruction and injustice which comes with this chocolate, just as it becomes harder and harder to tolerate the dreariness of its flavour.

But I’m writing today to wrap up the journey that’s brought me here, and share with you what’s impacted me the most, and what I think about the future of craft chocolate.

Like many people who find themselves in the craft chocolate industry, I didn’t come to it by design, but rather by happenstance. My background is in wildlife behaviour and ecology, and it was while studying for a master’s degree that I started researching how cacao farming can be part of landscape conservation. I followed the breadcrumbs a bit further and stumbled into a secret world of amazing flavours and compelling stories; the world of craft chocolate.

But it’s that secretness and invisibility which has compelled me to action. What could I do to help more people discover craft chocolate? Finding Cocoa Runners was the best thing possible, and I’ve been privileged to participate in the communication, education, and advocacy that Cocoa Runners pioneers and excels at.

The best thing I’ve been able to do is hosting Cocoa Runners virtual tastings. These online chocolate tasting sessions are many people’s first-point-of-contact with craft chocolate. People come to these through all sorts of different routes, but once they’re in the room, it can be revelatory for them.

It’s been so profoundly rewarding to be an ambassador for craft chocolate, bringing hundreds of people into the fold. It’s always delightful seeing, in real-time, people discovering whole new dimensions of flavour that they didn’t realise were possible with chocolate. Equally, I love it when people’s expectations and preconceptions are challenged and they come away with new ideas and perspectives.

But it’s not only my own personal enjoyment of these experiences; I’m convinced that this experiential education is an important key in revolutionising chocolate. I’ve advocated for this in a few places in recent years, but a big lesson I’ve learned is that the flavour needs to come first. Just telling people that craft chocolate matters is not enough; people need to have a meaningful sensory experience. That’s what we’ve been focusing on at Cocoa Runners, and I’d encourage chocolate makers and educators to do the same; lead with the flavour and once people are engaged, you can hang whatever stories, messages, and information on that.

But what do I think about the future of craft chocolate? I think I have one observation from which I can draw a few conclusions:

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed more-and-more stratification of the chocolate market in the UK. There seems to have been a growth in middle-tier chocolate brands which wouldn’t meet the definitions and standards of ‘craft chocolate’ as Cocoa Runners defines them, but that are a definite level-up from the traditional mass-produced brands.

It wouldn’t be right for me to name any of these brands, but you could probably think of at least a couple. Chocolate which leans on its ethical and sustainable credentials, but that is essentially just a ‘poshing up’ of the same sort of chocolate we’ve had for decades. There’s quite a spectrum in this field; from those making actual demonstrable impact to those who are doing little more than greenwashed marketing for the ‘big chocolate’ companies that supply their ingredients.

But what does it mean? I think this market segment gives us some optimism; there’s a growing demand for ethical and sustainable chocolate; and that’s an opportunity for craft chocolate makers too. The market research shows that conscientious consumption is a rapidly growing trend and represents a powerful market segment. Even in the short time I’ve been in this industry, I’ve seen rising levels of awareness and engagement from the public on cocoa’s ethics and sustainability. And this, in turn, has meant more curious explorers discovering the world of craft chocolate. If craft chocolate makers can get their bars in front of people (or more pointedly; in their mouths),

On the other hand, there’s also a worry that these mid-tier brands might be “good enough” for consumers who want something more, but they end up settling on a chocolate that means they never quite reach the threshold and experience craft chocolate. The messaging about ‘impact’ that these brands use can muddy the waters, making it harder for genuine craft chocolate makers to have their voices heard.

But ultimately, I’m increasingly optimistic about the future of craft chocolate. The quality gets better and better all the time, and consumers are discovering it at an increasing rate. There’s also a wonderful community of chocolate makers and enthusiasts, who I’ve had the honour of mingling amongst over these past few years; and this community is packed full of motivated and passionate people.

I’m no less an avid supporter of craft chocolate; I’ll be continuing to receive and savour my monthly Cocoa Runners Club boxes (with a few supplementary purchases I’m sure), and I’ll keep reading Craft Chocolate Matters to stay in the loop.

For now though, that’s me signing off.

I’d like to say thank you to you for being a craft chocolate supporter, and stress the significance of your positive impact on people and the planet. And I’d like to say thank you to the rest of the Cocoa Runners team, for all of the fun times, flavours, and fascinating insights that we’ve shared together.

Keep savouring!
-Nick