Honest Chocolate was founded in 2010 by two friends Anthony Gird and Michael de Klerk.
When they couldn’t find high quality, locally made chocolate on the retail shelf they decided to start making their own. When their friends couldn’t get enough of these homemade treats, Anthony and Michael realised there was a gap in the market and Honest Chocolate was born.
The first years of Honest Chocolate were spent working with raw cacao from Ecuador, but with the “Chain of Positivity” in mind the slabs are now made with organically grown Tanzanian cacao beans which they roast, grind, and temper in their Woodstock production kitchen. It was a three year process to find and build a relationship with Kokoa Kamili who supplied them with their Tanzanian beans, but their efforts to create
Bean to Bar ethical chocolate with a smaller footprint on the environment have been well worth it.
Honest Chocolate is made with only two ingredients: organic cacao and sugar (either unrefined cane sugar or organic coconut blossom sugar). Without additional additives they maintain the integrity of the chocolate through intense flavour and excellent quality. All additional ingredients in our slabs are sourced locally as far as possible.
They produce their chocolate with ‘The Chain of Positivity’ in mind at all times – right through the supply chain. Their goal is to have ethical consideration for people and the environment by sourcing local, organic, and fair.
They’re inspired by the change in people’s faces as they taste their chocolate for the first time, and the fun, creativity and collaboration put into everything they produce.
In 2014, the Honest Chocolate Cafe opened its doors. As South Africa’s first chocolate cafe, it was largely crowdfunded by local chocolate fans and has since then been providing chocolate treats to adoring locals and tourists alike.
The cafe is an indulgent chocolate escape in the heart of the Cape Town CBD. Located between the bustling streets of Loop and Bree, the café has a relaxed atmosphere and offers a chance to indulge your senses in all things chocolate.
They offer coffees, teas and hot chocolates, as well as a selection of chocolate truffles, tarts and cakes. A large portion of their treats are vegan friendly, with the choice of dairy free ice cream from Sorbetiere too, and of course they offer the best Oat milk from Oh Oat! Their specialties are dairy-free milkshakes, their trademark ‘coconut dream’ drink, and the banana bread bunny chow.
During lockdown, they had to change their marketing approach and began offering Corporate events and gifts. They introduced Virtual Chocolate tastings in the midst of COVID in 2020. They stuck to their motto “ Don’t be afraid of the dark” and tried their best to keep the business afloat during the pandemic. The Virtual Chocolate Tastings have been a hit with their corporate clients ever since! They offer corporate gifts such as bespoke wrappers and personalised chocolate packages.
At every stage in production to delivery they do their best to prioritise care of humans and their environment, which is why they keep their ingredients pure and their packaging minimal. You might be paying a little more, but honestly, it’s worth it!
