This article takes a look at the 5 highest quality chocolate brands in the US. If you wish to check out our detailed analysis on navigating the dynamic landscape of the growing US chocolate industry, you may go to 15 Highest Quality Chocolate Brands in the US.
5. Dove – Promises Deepest Dark Chocolate
Cocoa Percentage: 82%
Started on a Chicago street corner in 1939 by Greek American Leo Stefanos, what was once called Dove Candies and Ice Cream has grown to become Dove Chocolates. Dove Chocolates has since then come under the umbrella of the Mars Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ: MBNP) and massively expanded its offerings. Their premium line of Promises Dark Chocolates push them into taking the number 5 spot on our list with a cocoa percentage of 82.
4. Ghirardelli – Intense Dark Chocolate Squares
Cocoa Percentage: 86%
Based out of San Francisco, Ghirardelli prides itself on being the longest continually operating chocolatier in America, and serving America with new chocolate experiences for nearly two centuries. Their most ‘intense’ dark chocolate comes as squares instead of chocolate bars but boasts a 86% cocoa content.
3. Andres’ Confiserie Suisse – Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Bar Single Origin Cocoa
Cocoa Percentage: 88%
Andres’ Confiserie Suisse might be the best chocolate available to consumers in the United States. We posit this for two reasons beyond its really high cocoa percentage: firstly, it has a lineage of being run by individuals with deep academic knowledge of pastry-making from Master Konditor-Confiseur Andre Bollier himself to the current head of the business and Pastry Chef Rene Bollier. Secondly, Andres Confiserie Suisse boasts having single origin chocolate bars such as its Venezuelan Dark Chocolate Bar. However, in keeping the criteria of this list strictly objective, while we recognize its extremely high quality, we rank Andres’ lower than the following 2 chocolate brands.
2. Raaka Chocolate – Cacao
Cocoa Percentage: 100%
Unroasted, American produced, Tanzania sourced and 100% cocoa. The Raaka Chocolate brand has the unique distinction of being both American and one of the highest quality chocolates one can find globally. Based out of Brooklyn, New York and boasting ethical sourcing practices, Raaka Chocolate was the winner of the 2013 Good Food Award. It is inspirational how a company of less than 50 employees has been able to do what many confectionery giants have perhaps overlooked: a simple focus on quality instead of scale. Perhaps the only problem Raaka currently has is that it has not reached a level of popularity comparable to other brands on this list but one thing is for sure, that is not for a lack of quality.
1. Lindt & Sprüngli – Excellence
Cocoa Percentage: 100%
Despite there being a recent rise in the prominence of US-based chocolates becoming prominent in their local chocolate markets, one name that continues to dominate is Swiss-made Lindt. Founded in 1845 and prominent globally as the go-to premium chocolate for many higher-end chocolate consumers, Lindt holds significant sway in the US market. However, this love for Lindt in the global markets is not baseless, their highest quality chocolate Lindt Excellence 100 is perhaps the highest quality chocolate available in the country and the world. The Lindt farming program can trace the origin of every single cocoa bean used in their chocolates and the selection process of cocoa beans is such that only the absolute best are hand-picked by master chocolatiers at Lindt & Sprüngli.
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