There are two main factors to consider when deciding on a location for your factory; urban or rural? Whether you’re in a busy city or in the middle of farm land each location comes with pros and cons. At the end of the day it’s the type of business you want to run that will dictate where to go. Do you want to focus on retailing or wholesaling? Dylan covers what has worked for Manoa Chocolate over the years, as well as highlighting other chocolate companies’ approach to choosing a location. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here. 

Bean to Bar

The Best Places to Start a Chocolate Factory

We recommend consuming this episode in video form, as it will be easier to follow along through visuals. We have our 3 Year Projections Document that you can download through the description in the video description on our youtube channel. This way you can have the numbers in front of you as Dylan covers each line item on the document. With that said if you prefer the audio form you will still benefit from listening.Today we have for you the most in-depth Business of Chocolate episode to date. We did this “3 Year Projections” episode back in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. It was a precarious time and we were analyzing the numbers of our business more closely than we ever had before. In the beginning of Manoa Chocolate this is not something we always did, and so we suffered more than we had to.  Analyzing the numbers of your business and setting target numbers years in advance adds a necessary clarity on where to improve. This way you can avoid surprise expenses that could be detrimental to continued growth year after year.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.•Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate •Learn more about us and try our chocolate here

The Business of Chocolate: 3 Year Projections

The beginnings of Manoa Chocolate were rough. 14 hour days, running out of money, endless equipment issues, crazy inefficiencies, and more. We learned as we went, and year after year we managed to survive, grow, and eventually thrive. Now, over a decade in, we&apos;re able to look back at those first years and know what we should have done differently. In this episode Dylan lays out a formula for success that we believe should be followed for a craft chocolate endeavor. We hope you learn from our mistakes and grow a chocolate company with less stress and more fun! You can watch the video version of this podcast here!Thank you to Will Lydgate, Cacao Farmer at Lydgate Farms Kauai for writing and composing our new theme song!• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Our Chocolate Factory's Formula for Success

It&apos;s been a long time coming and we&apos;re very excited to finally have in our possession our first ever batch of Mānoa Cacao Wine. In this episode Dylan explains the story and process behind this new product made from the juice of cacao fruit. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Cacao Wine?

In this episode we go deep into the nuanced world of tempering. Dylan and co-host Greg D&apos;Alesandre (@gdalesandre) share their experiences and knowledge into what is likely the most challenging step in the entire bean-to-bar process. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Tempering Chocolate: Equipment, Techniques, Struggles, Experiments, Lessons Learned + More | ft. Greg D'Alesandre

Today we have special guest Chuck Kerchner of Zorzal Cacao. His cacao farm is unique from the rest as it funds nature conservation through the sale of fine cacao.Chuck, [co-host] Greg D&apos;Alesandre, and Dylan have a wide ranging conversation on all things cacao and chocolate. Highlights include: scaling cacao agroforestry through nature conservation, the future of fine cacao, healthy chocolate business models, direct trade relationships, the Hawaiian cacao industry, cacao bi-products, Dominican Republic cacao, and more! Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Nature Conservation through Cacao, The Future of Our Industry, Healthy Chocolate Business Models, Our Direct Trade Relationships, + More with Chuck Kerchner & Greg D'Alesandre

Take a deep dive into the world of chocolate bar molds. Dylan covers companies we&apos;ve worked with, pricing, design advice, and mistakes we&apos;ve had to learn the hard way! Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

The World of Chocolate Bar Molds: companies we've worked with, pricing, design advice, + more

In today&apos;s episode we are joined once again by co-owner of Dandelion Chocolate, Greg D&apos;Alesandre (@gdalesadre on instagram) to discuss the sugar we use, and don&apos;t use in our chocolate. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

The Sugar in Your Chocolate | ft. Greg D'Alesandre

A friend and fellow chocolate maker asked some questions about scaling a chocolate factory. The questions were so good that we decided to use the answers as an opportunity to make this episode. Whether your Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory does 500 kg a year or 20 tons, there are certain features we feel are essential for long term success.  Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Scaling Your Chocolate Factory: Don't Make These Mistakes!

Dan O&apos;Doherty introduced Dylan into the world of chocolate over a decade ago. He is one of the world’s leading experts in cacao and partners with Dylan on their Hawaiian cacao farm, Kamananui Estate. Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Special Guest Daniel O'Doherty - Cacao Genetics, Fermentation, History of Cacao in Hawaii, the Beginnings of Manoa Chocolate and More

Dylan answers another 5 questions today in the second edition of Chocolate Maker Q&A. They are:•Where should I get a grindometer?•Packaging? (Multiple questions answered for this one)•How did we decide on the shape of our moulds?•What kind of wrapping do you use to seal your bar?•What are the different funding options for my chocolate business.Watch the video version of this podcast here.:) Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate:) Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Chocolate Maker Q&A #2

In this episode we welcome back our good friend Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate. Once again we have a wide ranging conversation, but this time we focus in on various business models of chocolate making. Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Chocolate Business Models ft. Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate

Introducing our first ever edition of Chocolate Maker Q&A. In this episode Dylan answers five questions from our viewers: How do you know when it’s time to harvest?Have you ever purchased equipment from China?Sugar substitutes?Why don’t you use powdered sugar?What can you use besides a grinder to make chocolate? If you have questions you’d like to be answered in the next Chocolate Maker Q&A make sure to comment them on our YouTube video.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Chocolate Maker Q&A #1

Today we are joined by Greg D&apos;Alesandre (@gdalesandre on Instagram). He is the "chocolate sourcerer" and co-owner of Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco. Greg is an expert in all things chocolate but specializes in traveling the globe in pursuit of the best cacao beans in the world. In this episode we cover many different sectors of the craft chocolate industry, including: ingredients in chocolate, making an impact in the industry, scaling a chocolate business, what is craft chocolate, and more! Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

All Things Craft Chocolate | ft. Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate

In this episode Dylan discusses the flavor profile and manufacturing process behind some of the most distinct and fruity chocolate he’s ever tasted. This batch of cacao and chocolate from Mililani, Oahu exemplifies what we see the future of chocolate being here in Hawaii and around the world. If you'd like to taste this chocolate you can get it here. You can watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate: https://www.instagram.com/manoachocolate/• Learn more about us and try our chocolate: https://manoachocolate.com/

Tasting the Future of Chocolate

From the people at Manoa Chocolate Hawaii, the Bean to Bar podcast brings you wide ranging content on the Craft Chocolate industry. From the farm to the factory, there's no shortage of entertaining and educational stories. Unwrap that chocolate bar, relax, and listen...

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Bean to Bar

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