Ritual Chocolate
Explore the exquisite flavors of Ritual Chocolate, where every bar is a celebration of quality and craftsmanship.
Ritual Chocolate's Story and Philosophy
Humble Beginnings
The story of Ritual Chocolate begins in a tiny 400-square-foot studio turned test kitchen in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Co-Founders Anna Seear, and Robert Stout, were driven by a dream to change an industry that was broken. Back in 2008, they felt high quality chocolate was hard to come by and there was certainly no transparency in how chocolate was made or how the beans were sourced.
Quality First
So they named themselves Ritual, paying homage to days where cacao was truly appreciated and held in high regard in the rituals and ceremonies of the Mayans, Aztecs and Olmecs.
Ritual wanted to make a change and have an impact, because they believed (and still believe) everyone deserves to have great quality chocolate!
Ritual Chocolate’s Story Continues
It’s been a while since Ritual’s first forays into the world of cacao. They’ve left one set of mountains for another, and they now have a factory just outside of Park City, Utah, where Ritual is driven by a passion for chocolate each day. Their heart still beats for cacao, and they continue to learn and use what they’ve learned about this world in order to bring YOU the best chocolate experience possible.
Ritual Chocolate's Bean-To-Bar Process
Crafting Excellence
Ritual Chocolate meticulously crafts their chocolate using sustainably sourced cacao beans from growers committed to biodiversity and community. By blending traditional European conching methods with a modern American approach, they highlight the distinct flavors of each origin, allowing the natural richness of the cacao to shine through. Each stage of production, from roasting to refining, showcases their dedication to quality and simplicity, resulting in exquisite chocolate reflective of its origins.
1. ROASTING
Ritual’s bean to bar process starts with sourcing ultra high-quality cacao. They do a very light roast in order to retain as much of the natural flavor of their cacao.
2. WINNOWING
The essential component of the cocoa bean, the nib, is encased in a brittle shell. Their winnowing machine lightly cracks each bean and uses airflow to separate the shell from the nibs.
3. PRE-GRINDING & MIXING
Ritual uses a steel gristmill to grind their cocoa nibs into a chocolate paste. Then they add the chocolate paste, along with organic cane sugar, to their granite stone melangeurs.
4. ROLL MILL REFINING
After pre-refining and mixing, Ritual sends their chocolate through their vintage three roll mill refiner. The roll mill is the best method for uniformly grinding cocoa and sugar particles down to 10-15 microns.
5. LONGITUDINAL CONCHE
Every batch of chocolate is mixed and refined for 72 hours in Ritual’s 1915 longitudinal conche. This process polishes the microscopic cocoa particles and develops the finished chocolate flavor through heat and aeration.
6. TEMPERING & MOLDING
Tempering is what gives chocolate its pleasant shine and snap. Ritual tempers the chocolate before they deposit it into molds, add inclusions if necessary, and then cool it.
7. PACKAGING
Each chocolate bar is placed inside the recyclable sleeve and sealed for freshness. Ritual stamps their packaging with the harvest year, batch number and best by date. When the package is sealed, the whole bean to bar process is finished!
Distinctive Flavor Profiles
High Quality Cocoa
Ritual Chocolate pays premium prices to ensure their cacao is grown organically & protects both biodiversity and genetic variation, while paying fair wages for cacao growers. Growers maintain ecosystems in their growing practices, making sure a wide range of plants and animals thrive in the growing areas, ensuring both habitat and biodiversity.
Exotic Origins
Ritual Chocolate brings out the unique flavor of each cocoa origin, all designed to celebrate the richness of cacao and offer a truly memorable tasting experience.
Mountain-Inspired Flavors
Ritual uses local flavors from the vast landscapes of Utah to encapsulate a mountainous taste into their chocolate.
What Our Customers Say
“Very rich and creamy bar. A sensual delight!”
– JM
November 2023
“There is an excellent choice of chocolates to choose from, but the service and fast shipping are what set WWC apart from other websites I’ve ordered from. I’ll be ordering again from here.”
– CY
December 2022
“This chocolate bar is almost celebratory. The dried raspberries and the champagne really make it feel special.”
– SN
August 2022
Explore Ritual Chocolate's Creations
Chocolate Delights Gallery
Indulge in Ritual Chocolate's Exquisite Selection
Discover the rich flavors and unique profiles of Ritual Chocolate. Elevate your taste experience with their carefully crafted bars, each telling a story of tradition and quality. Treat yourself or find the perfect gift for a loved one.
