Meet the maker
Chocolate Tree
About Chocolate Tree
Chocolate Tree is a multi-award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in East Lothian, Scotland. Founded in 2005 by Alastair and Friederike Gower, the company is recognised as a pioneer in the UK’s craft chocolate movement. With a mission to protect biodiversity and make a positive impact on both people and the planet, Chocolate Tree produces fine flavour chocolate exclusively from organic and heirloom cacao grown by smallholder farmers in South and Central America.
What sets Chocolate Tree apart is the seamless combination of artistry and purpose. Friederike, who has a background in mathematics, is the creative force behind the brand’s recipes and packaging design. Her geometric artwork, inspired by cacao-growing cultures and the natural world, adorns their bars and packaging, visually communicating the story behind the chocolate. Alastair, with a background in organic farming and photography, is an advocate for truly sustainable Craft Chocolate, and has spoken at events including TEDx, where his talk “Saving the world with chocolate” explored how agroforestry cacao can play a vital role in conservation. He captures striking images from many of their visits to origin which can be viewed on their Instagram account @ChocolateTreeScotland
Chocolate Tree is proudly organic certified and a committed member of 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of annual revenue to environmental non-profits including the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund.
Chocolate Tree’s product range includes pure origin bars and innovative creations like their Cacao Fruit and Whisky Nibs bars, as well as making their own couverture for chefs, hot chocolate, and artisan confections. Every product is made from scratch at their micro-factory on a farm in East Lothian with a focus on quality, sustainability, and transparency. You can They now operate tours at the factory, so you can see their chocolate making setup for yourself, book online via their website www.choctree.co.uk
How they became makers…
Chocolate Tree began in an unconventional and inspiring way. Alastair and Friederike launched their chocolate journey in 2005 by travelling to music festivals around the UK, selling their organic chocolate creations from a hand-built, solar-powered geodesic dome tent. At the time, they worked with organic and fair-trade couverture chocolate, but their passion for flavour, creativity, and ethical food production pushed them to dig deeper.
In 2011, they made the bold transition from chocolatier to craft chocolate maker—shifting from remelting couverture to producing chocolate directly from cacao beans. This allowed them full control over the entire process, from cacao selection to finished product. The shift also reflected their desire to engage more directly with cacao origins and have a meaningful, traceable relationship with the source of their ingredients.
While Alastair brings a strong purposeful and conceptual vision to the brand, it’s Friederike’s mathematical mindset and chocolate making expertise that guide Chocolate Tree’s approach to recipe development. She is responsible for crafting flavour combinations and recipes that enhance the natural character of the cacao without overpowering it.
Their shared passion for craftsmanship, transparency, and positive impact continues to drive Chocolate Tree forward as one of the UK’s leading bean-to-bar Craft Chocolate makers.
Friederike (left) and Alastair (right) | photo credit: Emma Martin Photography
Chocolate Tree’s Sourcing
Chocolate Tree is committed to sourcing organic and heirloom cacao from sustainable farms and cooperatives across South and Central America. All cacao is grown in agroforestry systems—farming methods that preserve biodiversity by integrating cacao trees with native plants, shade trees, and other food crops. This approach not only protects ecosystems but also offers long-term resilience and economic benefits to farming communities.
Alastair and Friederike believe that building strong, direct relationships with cacao growers is essential. They regularly visit cacao origins to meet with farmers, understand post-harvest processes, and assess the unique growing conditions that influence flavour.
They were the first chocolate makers to visit Chililique, a remote village in Piura, Peru, and the first to bring the popular Maya Mountain Cacao of Belize and Marañón Cacao of Peru to the UK. They also work with pure Venezuelan Porcelana cacao, overseen by ‘La Reina de Porcelana’ Iraima Chacon, and the Indigenous tribal Arhuaco cacao of Colombia. Recently they have collaborated with Choba Choba in Peru to bring organic CYP cacao from the Huayabamba valley to their factory in Scotland.
One of Chocolate Tree’s core missions is the preservation of rare, native cacao varieties—many of which are under threat due to climate change, deforestation, and encroachment of monoculture cacao. By sourcing and showcasing heirloom cacaos, they help support genetic diversity in cacao and protect flavour profiles that would otherwise be lost.
Their sourcing philosophy is not just about flavour or fairness—it’s about creating a transparent, regenerative supply chain that values the people behind the cacao and the ecosystems in which it grows.
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