Original Beans
Original Beans is an Amsterdam-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker sourcing rare single-origin cacao from biodiversity hotspots and manufacturing in Switzerland. It serves Michelin restaurants, luxury hotels, chocolatiers, organic retailers, and conscious consumers across Europe and the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersAmsterdam, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Original Beans does
Original Beans B.V. is a privately held, Amsterdam-headquartered bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker founded in 2008, operating under the legal entity Original Beans B.V. (CoC Amsterdam 50770764). The company manufactures in Switzerland from rare, single-origin cacao sourced from biodiversity hotspots — wild Beniano (Bolivia), Piura Blanco Porcelana (Peru), Amelonado (Congo DR), Arriba (Ecuador), Trinitario (Tanzania, Dominican Republic), and tribal varieties from Colombia and Mexico — using ultra-low temperature roasting, 15–25 hour conching, tempering, and a strict "no more than four ingredients" policy (cacao, cacao butter, organic milk, raw cane sugar). The portfolio spans dark, milk, and white bars in 70g retail format, 2kg professional couverture bags, 18x12g minibars, napolitains, gift sets, and a Mix & Match customizable selection.
The company runs a dual go-to-market: direct-to-consumer through a Shopify-powered webshop shipping to 12+ European countries (DE, NL, BE, LU, DK, FR, AT, SE, CH, NO, UK, plus the US via specialty retailers), and a B2B channel serving Michelin-starred restaurants (Core by Clare Smyth, Mugaritz, Tian, Rutz, Steirereck, Le Rigmarole, Hawksmoor), luxury hotels (Ritz-Carlton Berlin, Schloss Elmau, Dolder Grand, Breidenbacher Hof, Svinkløv Badehotel), organic retailers (Bio Company, Globus, KaDeWe, Planet Organic, Abel & Cole), and craft chocolatiers. Pricing sits at the premium end (e.g., 70g bars €5.75–€9.93, 2kg couvertures €82.50–€92.50), with volume discounts on gift sets and Mix & Match bundling.
The One4One Trees programme, active since 2010, has planted 3.5 million trees across roughly 10,000 soccer fields of indigenous- and community-managed forest, with QR-code traceability from bar to nursery; this is the company's central brand asset and ESG positioning vehicle. Original Beans has scored "green in all categories" on the Chocolate Scorecard for four consecutive years (2023–2026, including the 2026 Good Egg Award), holds EU organic certification (CH-BIO-006), and FairWild certification for its Beni Wild Harvest line. The company is independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors, parent entity, or funding rounds, and is small (11–50 employees) relative to mainstream chocolate peers.
Original Beans firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Original Beans
- Legal name
- Original Beans B.V.
- Website
- https://originalbeans.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Original Beans is an Amsterdam-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker sourcing rare single-origin cacao from biodiversity hotspots and manufacturing in Switzerland. It serves Michelin restaurants, luxury hotels, chocolatiers, organic retailers, and conscious consumers across Europe and the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Original Beans industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Craft Chocolate
- NAICS
- Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351), Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing (31135)
- SIC
- Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Snack Bars (Granola, Protein, Cereal Bars) (CRADABAG)
Keywords
Where Original Beans is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Amsterdam
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Original Beans business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Online sales of chocolate bars, minibars, couvertures, napolitains, and gift sets directly to consumers through originalbeans.com webshop.
- B2B Professional Sales: Wholesale and bulk sales of 2kg couverture bags and bars to restaurants, hotels, chocolatiers, and retailers. Dedicated B2B inquiry process via Google Forms.
- Gift Set Combos: Curated chocolate gift sets with volume-based discounts: 15% off for 5+, 20% off for 10+, 25% off for 20+ units.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Dark chocolate bars (70g) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Couverture bags (2kg) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Minibars (18x12g) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Mix & Match discount |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Set Combo discounts |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Shipping costs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Original Beans product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Original Beans is a bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker that produces single-origin chocolate bars, minibars, and 2kg professional couvertures from rare cacao varieties (Chuncho, Beniano, Piura Blanco, Amelonado, Trinitario, Arriba, Businchari, Tabasqueño) sourced from biodiversity hotspots in Latin America and Africa. Chocolates are crafted in Switzerland using ultra-low temperature roasting and small-batch conching, with no more than four ingredients (cacao, cacao butter, raw cane sugar, and organic milk). The company sells direct-to-consumers through its webshop and to professional chefs, hotels, and retailers through B2B channels.
Product overview
Original Beans is a single-origin craft chocolate company offering a portfolio of premium chocolate bars and chef-quality couvertures sourced from rare cacao origins worldwide. The product line includes dark chocolates (Cusco 100%, Virunga 70%, Udzungwa 70%, Piura 75%, Arhuaco 82%, Beni Wild 66%, Zoque 88%), milk chocolates (Esmeraldas 42%, Femmes de Virunga 55%), and white chocolate (Yuna Edel Weiss 37%). Products are available in multiple formats: 70g bars, 2Kg couverture bags, minibars (18x12g), and bulk napolitains (170x4.5g). The company also offers customizable Mix & Match selections with 20% discount and pre-curated gift sets like the Virunga Gift Set. All products are certified organic with no more than four ingredients: cacao, cacao butter, raw cane sugar, and organic milk.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cusco 100% Cacao Mass 100% cacao bar from Cusco, Peru, made from rare Chuncho cacao beans with flavor notes of dried flowers and grass. Targeted at consumers seeking a pure, single-origin cacao experience.
- Virunga 70% Dark chocolate with 70% cacao from Virunga Park, Congo DR, made from rare Amelonado cacao with notes of morello cherries and black tea. Available in 70g bars, 2kg couverture bags, minibars, and napolitains.
- Femmes de Virunga 55% Dark milk chocolate with 55% cacao from Virunga Park, Congo DR, made from Amelonado cacao with flavors of roasted nuts and cappuccino. Aims to empower female leaders in the Congo region.
- Udzungwa 70% Dark chocolate with 70% cacao from Udzungwa Park, Tanzania, made from ultra rare Trinitario beans with notes of orange and toffee. Supports elephant conservation through a beehive fence program.
- Piura 75% Dark chocolate with 75% cacao from Piura Valley, Peru, made from ultra rare Blanco (Porcelana) white cacao varietal with flavors of red berries and pecan.
- Esmeraldas 42% Milk chocolate with 42% cacao from Esmeraldas Coast, Ecuador, made from rare Arriba (Mono Bravo Arriba) cacao with notes of caramel, hazelnut and salt. Supports preservation of coastal cloud forest.
- Arhuaco 82% Dark chocolate with 82% cacao from Arhuaco Ancestral Lands, Colombia, made from select tribal Businchari cacao with tastes of liquorice and sesame. Supports preservation of Arhuaco ecological guardian culture.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3.5 million trees planted since 2010, equivalent to 10,000 soccer fields of forest managed by local communities
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Original Beans
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Original Beans technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature3 records
Original Beans partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CONACADOcoreCONACADO is an organization of smallholder cacao farmers from the Dominican Republic. Their Trinitario cacao butter is warmly roasted and pressed unfiltered, fitting Original Beans' philosophy of preserving distinct aromas. CONACADO supplies the cacao butter used in all Original Beans chocolates.
- Direct Cacao OrganizationcoreMembership organization bringing together bean-to-bar chocolate makers who buy quality fine cacao directly from farmers at premium prices. Original Beans aligns with this organization's standards for direct trade and quality sourcing.
- Be Slavery FreeminorOrganization coordinating the Chocolate Scorecard in collaboration with universities, consultants and civil society groups. Original Beans participates in the annual scorecard evaluation.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Original Beans competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Mast Brothers: Brooklyn-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate company selling single-origin bars and couvertures. Directly comparable on bean-to-bar craft production, single-origin positioning, and DTC + specialty retail distribution, with a larger US following.
- Dandelion Chocolate: San Francisco-based bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker offering single-origin bars from a small curated set of cacao origins. Closely comparable on craft process, single-origin sourcing, and direct-to-consumer + wholesale GTM; stronger US retail footprint.
- Askinosie Chocolate: Springfield, Missouri bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker focused on single-origin bars with direct trade and farmer-share storytelling. Closely aligned with Original Beans on craft positioning, single-origin sourcing, and cause-driven brand narrative.
- Hotel Chocolat: UK premium chocolate brand operating own retail, subscription, and hotel-restaurant channels. Comparable on premium positioning, direct-to-consumer gifting mechanics, and European fine-dining/hospitality supply; considerably larger scale.
Broad incumbents
- Valrhona: French premium chocolate producer specializing in professional couvertures used by chefs and pastry chefs globally. Closely comparable to Original Beans' 2kg B2B couverture line; significantly larger and dominant in professional kitchens, which Original Beans also serves.
- Lindt & Sprüngli: Swiss premium chocolate manufacturer with globally recognised Excellence and Master Chocolatier ranges. Shares Switzerland-based manufacturing provenance and premium dark chocolate category with Original Beans, though at vastly larger scale and broader price tiers.
- Belcolade: Belgian premium couverture brand (Puratos group) supplying professional pastry chefs and chocolatiers across Europe. Directly comparable on professional B2B couverture format used by Original Beans' chef and chocolatier accounts.
- Tony's Chocolonely: Dutch-headquartered mission-driven chocolate company with comparable 'slave-free' supply-chain narrative, direct trade sourcing, and broad European distribution. Much larger scale and stronger consumer brand recognition in the same conscious-consumer segment Original Beans targets.
- Cacao Barry: Professional couverture brand owned by Barry Callebaut serving pastry chefs and chocolatiers worldwide. Directly comparable to Original Beans' professional couverture line as a B2B input into fine-dining and craft chocolate production.
Regional players
- Pommier Strawberry & Chocolate: Switzerland-based premium chocolate maker with strong Swiss hospitality and fine-dining distribution. Comparable on Swiss production origin, premium positioning, and B2B fine-dining supply; smaller and more regionally concentrated.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Original Beans social profiles
Digital presenceOriginal Beans compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Original Beans financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Original Beans leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Original Beans funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Original Beans M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Original Beans
What does Original Beans do?
Original Beans is a bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker that produces single-origin chocolate bars, minibars, and 2kg professional couvertures from rare cacao varieties (Chuncho, Beniano, Piura Blanco, Amelonado, Trinitario, Arriba, Businchari, Tabasqueño) sourced from biodiversity hotspots in Latin America and Africa. Chocolates are crafted in Switzerland using ultra-low temperature roasting and small-batch conching, with no more than four ingredients (cacao, cacao butter, raw cane sugar, and organic milk). The company sells direct-to-consumers through its webshop and to professional chefs, hotels, and retailers through B2B channels.
Is Original Beans a public or private company?
Original Beans is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Original Beans founded?
Original Beans was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Original Beans based?
Original Beans is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Original Beans make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are B2B Professional Sales and gift Set Combos.
Who are Original Beans's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Mast Brothers, Dandelion Chocolate, Askinosie Chocolate and Hotel Chocolat. Broad incumbents are Valrhona, Lindt & Sprüngli, Belcolade, Tony's Chocolonely and Cacao Barry. Pommier Strawberry & Chocolate is listed as a regional player.
Does Original Beans have an API?
No public API is recorded for Original Beans.
What industry is Original Beans in?
Original Beans's product category is Premium Craft Chocolate. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAG, Snack Bars (Granola, Protein, Cereal Bars). Its NAICS code is 311351 and its SIC code is 2060.