By: Kyrie Sismaet By: Kyrie Sismaet | March 27, 2023 | Food & Drink People Feature Reviews Women of Influence Latest Local Community Creators
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The San Francisco Bay Area is a fertile ground for everything from cultural movements, to fashion, coffee, and of course, globally-renowned food. Pairing this creative culinary ingenuity with our trailblazing sustainability efforts, and you get TCHO, a chocolate company sitting squarely in Berkeley that was not only born out of NASA, but for 15 years, has also been integral to the Bay Area's identity as a role model for technology, environmental innovation, and as a destination for delightfully sweet treats.
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Established in 2007, TCHO has been driven by a committed devotion to precisely formulating the best chocolate through scientific pioneering, and personal human connections. Founded by NASA mastermind Timothy Childs, Karl Bittong, and formerly led by Wired Magazine founders Louis Rossetto and Jane Metcalfe, today Chief Chocolate Maker Brad Kintzer upholds and honors their mission and unrelenting inventiveness to modernly reimagine the chocolate industry.
Together with TCHO Source Director Laura Sweitzer and many members of TCHO’s Flavor Lab, this collective team effort and collaboration is what propels TCHO to be at the cutting-edge chocolate forefront of not only diverse flavors and textures, but also of ethical sourcing, certified business practices, and traceability and transparency.
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Through TCHO's brilliant Flavor Labs program, they are able to not only provide thorough educational resources, but also fund various on-site bean-to-bar chocolate making facilities so that local farmers can more accurately test their cocoa and efficiently communicate with TCHO to deliver better products.
Aside from these Flavor Labs, TCHO Source also enables such farmers, origin cooperatives, and partnering scientists to thrive with the proper equipment, tools, and compensation to better meet quality cocoa standards no matter their differences in global geography and climate.
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Understanding this transparency and grassroots efforts then makes it clear to see just how the quality is evoked in their impeccable products. With a careful 48 hours to craft each chocolate batch, around 40,000 bars are then produced in Berkeley with a several subtle, yet distinct notes and flavors ranging from fruity and floral, to earthy and fudgy.
Most recently in late 2022, TCHO accomplished another endeavor to become a 100% plant-based and animal-free operation, which includes their new vegan creations of Choco Blanco, Oat My Gawd, and texturally invigorating and award-winning Toffee Time.
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With TCHO's clear mission and genuine honesty, their factory tour at their Berkeley site also delivers greater in-depth insight on their chocolate making, legacy, and ongoing efforts.
You will be bestowed a full walkthrough of the facility led by a radiantly kind and helpful guide as you become wonderfully elucidated on the diligent efforts to crafting the adorable square boxes you see on the shelves, all while indulging in the irresistibly luscious aromas.
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As their iconic motto goes, TCHO is unequivocally Chocolate. Fair & Square. Genuine transparency is as, if not more, prized in their company as is their technological advancements, and you can view these sourcing and partnership efforts for yourself on all of their QR codes in their packaging.
Knowing such powerful commitment that all goes into crafting these rich and complex pick-me-ups certainly makes savoring them a lot sweeter.
TCHO is located at 3100 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley, and you can view more informations on their background, products, and more on their website, as well as schedule your fantastic tour here.
See also: How Peet's Coffee Is Integral To The SF Bay Area's Past, Present, And Future
Photography by: Courtesy of Gado/ Contributor, Getty Images
