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Discover chocolate like you've never tasted before in an interview with our favourite Cornish chocolatiers, Chocolarder.
This season, we’re celebrating one of Cornwall’s most exciting artisan producers – Chocolarder. The Falmouth-based bean-to-bar chocolate makers are known for their bold flavours, ethical values, and beautifully crafted treats. We caught up with Director Becca Lazar to talk about what makes their chocolate so special, their sustainable ethos, and their top picks for a Valentine’s indulgence.
In the words of a local chef, “it’s like tasting chocolate for the first time.”
Chocolarder is all about sourcing the very best cocoa beans and bringing out their incredible natural flavours. It’s the complete opposite of mass-produced chocolate manufacturing. Every bar is made to highlight the character of the cocoa itself.
No compromise.
That means no plastic in our packaging, no slavery in our supply chain, and only the very best ingredients are allowed to shine. All of our chocolate is made in Falmouth using antique machinery that we’ve renovated locally. If we can’t do something properly, we simply won’t do it.
Here in Cornwall, we’re actually the only company making chocolate from scratch. Most UK chocolate companies source cocoa liquor or pre-made chocolate, remelt it, and then add flavours.
Only a small number of people are crazy enough to make bean-to-bar craft chocolate. It’s more work, more risk, but it creates a completely different product. It means we know exactly where our ingredients come from, and we can showcase the natural flavours of beans from different origins. It means treating chocolate a little more like speciality coffee.
A very difficult question!
Right now, I’m really enjoying our new 80% Dark ‘Doi Pui’ – the cocoa beans from Thailand are so creamy it’s hard to believe it’s 80%. I also have a soft spot for the 50% Wild Gorse. I discovered it not long after Mike started the company, and it’s one of our best sellers for a reason.
Again is a range I’m particularly proud of.
It was shortlisted by Radio 4 for the Food and Farming Awards before Christmas and was highly commended at the Cornwall Sustainability Awards. The range uses ingredients that would otherwise have gone to waste from other businesses.
We wanted to use chocolate as a way to highlight how messed up the food industry can be. It goes to show how much “food waste” is really just food in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I suppose on Valentine’s Day, you’re trying to show how much you love somebody. There aren’t many people who wouldn’t be happy with locally crafted chocolate as a gift!
The sea salt caramel truffles are always a safe bet.
A tin of drinking chocolate is a real “hug in a mug” and makes around 12 portions. Or, if you pop into our Falmouth shop, you can make your own chocolate box from our loose chocolate counter.
If you hop on the train to Falmouth, we have a little shop on the main street.
In Truro itself, you’ll also find Chocolarder dotted around – including the Great Cornish Food Store and Archie Brown’s in town.
Learning more about Chocolarder is a reminder that chocolate can be so much more than a simple sweet treat. It can be a craft, a story, and a celebration of ethical sourcing and bold Cornish creativity. Whether you’re choosing a gift for someone you love or indulging in a little self-gifting this Valentine’s Day, their beautifully made bars, truffles, and drinking chocolate are the perfect way to make the moment feel special.
With Chocolarder chocolates and a chilled bottle of fizz waiting for you, whisk your love away for a night made just for two from £225, including a candle-lit dinner for two, breakfast in the morning, and a late check-out.
Treat your loved one to an indulgent afternoon tea with a glass of fizz each this Valentine's Day.
Your invitation to lunch - enjoy three courses for £24. Our seasonal lunch offer is available every Monday to Saturday from 12pm until 2.30pm.