DesBarres Chocolate Ltd.

What DesBarres Chocolate Ltd. does

DesBarres Chocolate Ltd. is a privately-held, small-batch bean-to-bar chocolate maker headquartered in a single facility at 14 Young Street, Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada. Founded and operated by co-owners and partners Ariane and Erik Hansen, the company sources cacao beans directly from cooperatives and producers in Madagascar, Tanzania, Uganda, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and Nicaragua, and handcrafts the chocolate in its Uxbridge factory alongside a small team. Its core technology and product differentiator is end-to-end bean-to-bar control — roasting, winnowing, refining, conching, and tempering small batches of cacao into single-origin bars at cacao percentages ranging from 72% to 100%, plus flavored dark bars (e.g., Black Pepper Cardamom, Apricot Bergamot, Raspberry Cordial) and a "Very Canadian" collection that incorporates local ingredients such as maple sugar from Pefferlaw Creek Farms.

The product portfolio comprises approximately a dozen core and limited-edition SKUs — including Ambanja 85%, Kilombero 88%, Semuliki Forest 90%, O'Payo 100% Limited Edition, Black Pepper Cardamom, Only in Canada, Apricot Bergamot, Raspberry Cordial, Foggy River Mint, and Pefferlaw Creek Maple — sold at CAD $13.50–$14.50 per bar, plus chocolate drinks and an insulated summer-shipping box add-on. The company operates a multi-channel go-to-market model: direct-to-consumer online sales through a Shopify storefront shipping across Canada, free porch delivery within 30 km of Uxbridge on orders above $40, retail stockists across Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Alberta, and British Columbia, recurring presence at farmers markets (Junction Farmers Market in Toronto, Uxbridge Winter Farmers Market), seasonal events such as the Montreal Chocolate Salon, and UK distribution through Cocoa Runners. The company no longer ships to the United States due in part to tonka bean restrictions.

The business model is straightforward unit-pricing one-time purchases via DTC and channel resellers, with no subscription, licensing, or service revenue. The company has won multiple Academy of Chocolate and International Chocolate Awards between 2017 and 2025, including Bronze medals in 2025 for Only in Canada, Black Pepper Cardamom, Semuliki Forest 90%, and Apricot Bergamot, and Gold medals in 2020–2021 for Black Pepper Cardamom. The customer base consists of premium chocolate enthusiasts, individual gift purchasers, and corporate gifting buyers; the company has no disclosed revenue, headcount, or external funding, and operates as a bootstrapped, founder-owned artisan enterprise.

Name

DesBarres Chocolate Ltd.

Legal name

DesBarres Chocolate Ltd.

Website

https://desbarreschocolate.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DesBarres Chocolate Ltd. is a small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker in Uxbridge, Ontario, that handcrafts single-origin and flavored dark chocolate bars (CAD $13.50–$14.50) from ethically sourced cacao, selling direct-to-consumer via Shopify, through Canadian retail stockists and farmers markets, and via UK distributor Cocoa Runners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Confectionery

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060)

akta.pro primary industry

Chocolate & Chocolate Confectionery (CRADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Confectionery Manufacturing (Chocolate, Candy, Gum) (AFAKAAAD)

Keywords

• Bean to bar chocolate
• Single origin chocolate
• Artisan chocolate maker
• Handcrafted dark chocolate
• Flavoured chocolate bars

Headquarters

HQ city

Uxbridge

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time purchase of chocolate bars through the company's Shopify e-commerce platform. Products include single origin bars, flavoured dark chocolate bars, dark milk chocolate, chocolate drinks, and limited edition bars. Individual bar pricing ranging from $13.50 to $14.50 CAD.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DesBarres Chocolate is a small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker that sources ethically produced cacao from various cacao-producing nations (Madagascar, Tanzania, Uganda, Dominican Republic, Philippines, Nicaragua) and handcrafts fine flavoured chocolate at its factory in Uxbridge, Ontario. The company produces single origin dark chocolate bars (72%-100% cacao), flavoured dark chocolate bars with innovative pairings of spices and botanicals, dark milk chocolate, chocolate drinks, and limited edition bars, selling directly to consumers online, through retail stockists, and at farmers markets.

Product overview

DesBarres Chocolate is a small batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker producing handcrafted fine-flavored chocolate from ethically sourced cacao. The product portfolio centers on single origin dark chocolate bars (72% to 100% cacao), flavored dark chocolate bars (including chai-inspired, fruit, and spice varieties), and seasonal/limited edition offerings. Key products include the Very Dark collection (Ambanja 85%, Kilombero 88%, Semuliki Forest 90%, O'Payo 100%), the Very Canadian collection featuring Canadian ingredients (Raspberry Cordial, Foggy River Mint, Pefferlaw Creek Maple, Only in Canada), and award-winning flavored bars such as Black Pepper Cardamom and Apricot Bergamot. The company also offers chocolate drinks and an insulated shipping box for summer deliveries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ambanja 85% Dark Chocolate Bar High-percentage dark chocolate bar made with organic cacao from Madagascar, featuring red fruit notes with a smooth and subtle profile, sourced from Kokoa Kamili producer with Trinitario cultivar.
• Kilombero 88% Dark Chocolate Bar Deep dark chocolate bar with powerful chocolate flavor and hints of honey and fruit, using cacao from Kokoa Kamili in Tanzania's Kilombero Valley with fair pricing for local farmers.
• O'Payo 100% Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Bar Full-bodied 100% dark chocolate with smooth, bright and cocoa-forward characteristics, made with beans sourced from Nicaragua through Ingemann.
• Semuliki Forest 90% Dark Chocolate Bar Intensely flavored dark chocolate with clean, bitter cocoa edge and top notes of plum or cherry; two-ingredient bar using Bundibugyo region cacao from Uganda.
• Black Pepper Cardamom Dark Chocolate Bar Flavored dark chocolate bar inspired by chai spices, combining cardamom and black pepper with earthy Tanzanian bean flavor; the company's first flavored chocolate and a multiple award winner.
• Only in Canada Dark Chocolate Bar Limited edition bar featuring exotic tonka bean paired with Philippine cacao and local maple sugar from Pefferlaw Creek Farms, celebrating Canadian ingredients with notes of vanilla, almond, and warm spice; cannot be shipped to the US due to tonka bean regulations.
• Apricot Bergamot Chocolate Bar Flavored chocolate bar featuring dried Niagara apricots paired with Dominican Republic cacao and bergamot, created inspired by summer at the Uxbridge Farmers Market.
• Raspberry Cordial Dark Chocolate Bar Canadian-themed flavored dark chocolate bar featuring raspberry flavors, part of the Very Canadian collection.
• Foggy River Mint Dark Chocolate Bar Canadian-themed flavored dark chocolate bar with mint, part of the Very Canadian collection.
• Pefferlaw Creek Maple Canadian-themed chocolate bar featuring maple from local Pefferlaw Creek Farms near Uxbridge, part of the Very Canadian collection.
• Insulated Summer Shipping Box Insulated shipping box with ice packs required for summer shipping (May 30 to September 15) to ensure chocolate arrives in perfect condition.

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kokoa KamilicoreOthersTanzanian cacao supplier providing beans for the Black Pepper Cardamom Dark Chocolate Bar and Kilombero bars. The two founders of Kokoa Kamili started their careers in international development and pay higher prices to cocoa farmers as a way to benefit local communities. Since 2015, they have worked with local farmers to raise the profile of Tanzanian cacao by creating central fermentation facilities and distributing new seedlings.
• Latitude Trade Co. (LTC)coreOthersUgandan cacao supplier providing beans from the Bundibugyo region of Uganda for the Semuliki Forest 90% Dark Chocolate Bar.
• Oko CaribecoreOthersDominican Republic cacao supplier providing beans for the Apricot Bergamot Chocolate Bar. The cultivar varies and features fruity cacao notes.
• Kablon FarmscoreOthersPhilippines cacao supplier (Tupi, South Cotabato) providing beans for the Only in Canada Dark Chocolate Bar, sourced from Kablon Farms.
• Ingemann NicaraguacoreOthersNicaragua cacao supplier providing beans for the O'Payo 100% Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Bar.
• Pefferlaw Creek FarmscoreOthersLocal Canadian supplier outside Uxbridge providing maple sugar for the Only in Canada Dark Chocolate Bar. This partnership reflects the company's commitment to local sourcing alongside international cacao.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mast Brothers Chocolate: One of the most recognized bean-to-bar craft chocolate brands globally with broad DTC, retail, and hospitality distribution. Broad incumbent in the same craft bean-to-bar category with overlapping single-origin and flavored bar SKUs, but at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Qantu Chocolate: Toronto-origin, Peruvian-inspired bean-to-bar chocolate maker focused on single-origin bars from Peru with multiple International Chocolate Awards. Comparable in scale, single-origin product strategy, and award-driven premium positioning.
• Dandelion Chocolate: San Francisco-based single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate maker with cafe/retail locations, factory tours, and global DTC. Directly comparable craft positioning, single-origin bar portfolio, and farmer-direct sourcing relationships.
• Soma Chocolatemaker: Toronto-based small-batch bean-to-bar chocolate maker with a flagship retail/cafe location, factory tours, and online DTC. Direct competitor to DesBarres in the craft bean-to-bar space within the Canadian market with overlapping single-origin and flavored bar SKUs.
• Violet Chocolate Co. Canadian craft bean-to-bar chocolate maker producing single-origin dark chocolate bars with ethical sourcing. Comparable product mix, scale, and craft positioning within the Canadian chocolate market.
• LetterPress Chocolate: California-based craft bean-to-bar maker with strong direct-to-consumer e-commerce, single-origin bars, and limited editions. Comparable on small-batch craft process, single-origin storytelling, DTC-first distribution, and award-winning portfolio.
• Ritual Chocolate: Colorado-based craft bean-to-bar maker specializing in single-origin dark chocolate bars with an emphasis on ethical sourcing from specific origins. Highly comparable craft positioning, single-origin portfolio, and DTC-first distribution model.
• Hummingbird Chocolate Maker: Almonte, Ontario-based award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate maker with a farm-to-bar ethos, single-origin bars, and international award wins (including Academy of Chocolate). Highly comparable product, sourcing story, and target customer to DesBarres.
• ChocoSol Traders: Toronto-based horizontal stone-ground chocolate maker specializing in bean-to-bar cacao products with a strong ethical sourcing and Indigenous-trade narrative. Directly comparable as a small Ontario craft chocolate brand with overlapping DTC, market, and retail channels.

Emerging players

• Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat: Vietnam-based single-origin bean-to-bar maker with strong international distribution and award pedigree. Comparable in single-origin positioning, ethical sourcing narrative, and craft bar SKUs, though bigger and more internationally distributed than DesBarres.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtiktok.com/@tiktok
• Facebookfacebook.com/desbarreschocolate
• Instagraminstagram.com/desbarreschocolates
• TikToktiktok.com/@tiktok
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desbarres-chocolate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DesBarres Chocolate Ltd.