Question 1

When will my order be shipped?

Accepted Answer

**When and from where do we ship your order?**

We ship orders around mid-morning Monday to Friday, excluding US public holidays. All orders are shipped from Salt Lake City, Utah, via USPS or FedEx.

If we received your order after 8am Mountain Time (Utah) then it is most likely your order will ship the next business day.

> In the event that your order is very time sensitive please contact us directly to discuss options for fastracking delivery.

**Under what circumstances might there be a delay?**

There are some cases which may result in a delay, such as the following:

* We need to validate import requirements for food in your country.
* There is hot weather on route or at the destination and delaying by a few days means we can ship when the weather is predicted to cool. If this is the case we will get in touch to let you know your options.
* There is an issue with your address (i.e. the courier systems we use do not accept it).
* There is a stock issue with an item you ordered.

If there is going to be a delay to your order we do our best to advise you if there is going to be a delay.

**You can contact us via one of the following channels if you have a question about your delivery**

Phone (USA): +1 (862) 505-2811

Phone (Ecuador): +593 23227520

SMS/WhatsApp: +1 (805) 600-8625

Email: hello@toakchocolate.com

Question 2

What is terroir-driven chocolate & why do you release different harvest years?

Accepted Answer

**Terroir**

The very finest of wines, be they from Bordeaux or Napa or Tokaj, allow us the privilege of tasting the valley in which the grape was grown. To’ak’s Harvest editions offer connoisseurs of dark chocolate this same opportunity—to taste not only the land, but also the characteristics of the particular year in which it was harvested.

Similar to viticulturists in Burgundy and Bordeaux, cacao growers in Piedra de Plata practice “dry farming,” as it is known in the wine world. In other words, they do not irrigate their cacao. As a consequence, our harvest is especially expressive of terroir and varies each year according to weather fluctuations. Embracing these idiosyncrasies of land and weather, and likewise engaging their consequences during various phases of the production process, is the art and challenge of tree-to-bar chocolate-making.

**Further Reading**

[The Main Steps in the Production of To'ak Chocolate](https://library.toakchocolate.com/faqs/what-are-the-main-steps-in-the-production-of-your-chocolate)

[The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/the-different-grades-of-ecuadorian-cacao)

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 3

Do you offer free shipping?

Accepted Answer

We offer complimentary shipping when your order qualifies for our minimum spend:

* USD $50 for USA 
* USD $100 for all other destinations

The free shipping will automatically be applied when you meet these requirements.

You can [view our shipping rates here](https://library.toakchocolate.com/faqs/what-are-your-shipping-rates).

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 4

Can I store my chocolate in the refrigerator or freezer?

Accepted Answer

**We recommend that you NEVER store dark chocolate in a freezer**

If you live in a home where the indoor temperature doesn’t exceed 24° C (75° F), it’s best to simply store your chocolate at room temperature, in a dry place that is protected from sunlight and other strong odors. For example, in a cupboard.

If you live in a hot place and don’t have air conditioning, you can store your chocolate in a refrigerator or a wine cooler; in this case, we advise you to first put the chocolate in a ziplock bag, to protect it from moisture.

Follow this link for more [detailed storage instructions here](https://library.toakchocolate.com/faqs/how-should-i-store-my-chocolate).

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 5

How do you recommend I enjoy my bar of To'ak chocolate?

Accepted Answer

Check out our simple step-by-step guide on [how to taste dark chocolate](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/how-to-taste-dark-chocolate). If you’re interested in pairing chocolate with wine, spirits, or cheese, check out our [chocolate pairing guide](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/chocolate-pairing-recommendations). It includes a list of our favorite chocolate pairing recommendations.

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 6

Does your chocolate contain nuts or other allergens?

Accepted Answer

### The short answer is no, but we produce in a factory that also handles some allergens 
Our chocolate is produced at a factory that also handles nuts, peanuts, soy, and milk, but we do not intentionally add any of these ingredients to our chocolate.

The equipment we use is thoroughly cleaned between production batches and therefore it is unlikely that there are nut, soy or milk traces in our chocolate, however if you or the person you are thinking to purchase for has a severe allergy, it may not be worth the risk.

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or you can [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 7

Is your chocolate certified organic?

Accepted Answer

**Organic Certification**

Yes, all of our chocolate is certified USDA Organic (with the EU equivalent), with the exception of our Galapagos edition.

The cacao for our Galapagos edition is sourced from only two small farms, both of which abide by organic standards and do not use any synthetic chemicals or other prohibited substances in their farm. Their decision to not certify their farms was an economic one: they don’t produce enough cacao to cover the high cost and heavy administrative burden of organic certification.

> Read about [our social and environmental commitments](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/social-environmental-impact) (including how we are paying the highest prices to farmers, going beyond certification, up-cycling product, and protecting endangered varieties of cacao).

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 8

Can you ship my gift without the price?

Accepted Answer

For orders within the USA we do not include the price as standard. For orders to all other countries we are required to include a shipping invoice for the purpose of customs import process.

Get in touch with us if this is an issue as there are some possible solutions we could offer in certain cases.

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 9

How do you preserve heirloom cacao?

Accepted Answer

**The Near Extinction of Ancient Nacional Cacao**

By the end of the twentieth century, Ecuador’s legendary heirloom cacao variety, called “Ancient Nacional,” was believed to be extinct. In 2013, in the valley of Piedra de Plata, To’ak’s co-founders found hidden groves of old-growth cacao trees that matched the description of Ancient Nacional. DNA analysis provided by the USDA later confirmed that these trees are, in fact, 100% pure “Ancient Nacional” cacao.

> In the years that followed, To’ak and its rainforest conservation partner [Third Millennium Alliance (TMA)](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/www.tmalliance.org) embarked on a project to pull this legendary cacao variety back from the precipice of extinction.

We took cuttings from the DNA-verified pure Nacional trees in Piedra de Plata and grafted them onto a new generation of seedlings, which are planted in a protected forest preserve nearby. We grandly referred to this parcel as “the Noah’s Arc of Ancient Nacional Cacao.” In practice, we simply call it the “Genetic Bank.”

From 2021 onward, the trees of the Genetic Bank should be able to yield enough budwood to reproduce up to 5,000 pure Nacional cacao seedlings each year, as part of a regional agroforestry/conservation project implemented by Third Millennium Alliance...pending funding.

> Read about [our social and environmental commitments](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/social-environmental-impact) (including how we are paying the highest prices to farmers, going beyond certification, up-cycling product, and protecting endangered varieties of cacao).

The idea is to distribute these seedlings to cacao growers in small agricultural communities in the province of Manabí, to serve as an alternative to illegal logging, cattle-ranching, and slash-and-burn agriculture. A main component of the project is to help these growers establish direct-trade relationships with bean-to-bar chocolate makers who are interested in sourcing extremely high-quality cacao and willing to pay the cacao growers prices that reflect the quality and conservation value that this cacao represents.

> Check out our [Heirloom Cacao Conservation Timeline](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/timeline-the-project-to-preserve-ancient-nacional-cacao) to learn more.

**Further Reading**

[The Main Steps in the Production of To'ak Chocolate](https://library.toakchocolate.com/faqs/what-are-the-main-steps-in-the-production-of-your-chocolate)
[The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/the-different-grades-of-ecuadorian-cacao)

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 10

Why is To'ak Chocolate expensive and what makes it unique?

Accepted Answer

**Why is To'ak chocolate expensive?**

We purchase cacao directly from the cacao growers we work with in Piedra de Plata, and we pay the highest price per pound of freshly-harvested cacao in the country. As far as we know, we also pay the highest price per pound in the entire world.

> The reason we’re happy to pay our cacao growers such a high price is because the cacao trees they manage are among the oldest in the world, and represent one of the last surviving remnants of what is now the rarest cacao variety in the world: Ecuador’s legendary “Ancient Nacional” cacao. By the end of the twentieth century, this historic variety was believed to be extinct. We found a valley where some of the last surviving trees still grow.

**Specifically**, we pay a farmgate price that is 200% to 700% above the local price for “wet cacao.” Most cacao growers in Ecuador have no other choice but to sell their unfermented cacao to local intermediaries who typically pay $25 for a 100-pound sack. We pay $75-200 per sack of wet cacao, depending on the age of the trees that the cacao was harvested from—with the oldest trees fetching the highest price.

We also exclusively produce limited editions of chocolate, with each bar packaged—in the case of our Origin bars—in handcrafted hardwood boxes, each of which is individually engraved with the bar number. Each bar also comes with tasting utensils and a booklet that tells the story behind this chocolate and includes a tasting guide. Details like this require a high degree of skilled and meticulous labor.

We also invest part of our earnings into a long-term project to preserve an ancient heirloom cacao variety currently on the brink of extinction.

For a deeper dive into why our chocolate is priced the way it is, feel free to check out: “[Why the Most Expensive Chocolate in the World?](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/why-the-most-expensive-chocolate-in-the-world)”

**What makes it unique?**
* Our chocolate is sourced from the rarest cacao variety in the world ("Ancient Nacional"), [previously believed to be extinct](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/near-extinction-of-the-worlds-oldest-cacao-variety). 
* We've made it our mission to [preserve and restore Heirloom Nacional cacao](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/timeline-the-project-to-preserve-ancient-nacional-cacao) with our rainforest conservation partner [Third Millennium Alliance](http://www.tmalliance.org).
* We produce chocolate from tree to bar. Not only do we make chocolate, we also cultivate cacao, we ferment and dry it ourselves, and produce the final product - all in Ecuador, the native origin of cacao. 
* We produce extremely limited editions, often as little as 100 bars per edition.
* We make single origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate like a French winemaker produces vintage wine. This means that we exclusively produce single origin, single harvest chocolate that is aimed at expressing the unique terroir of the appellation in which it is grown.
* We age our chocolate the way whisky producers age their whisky, using a variety of different barrels sourced from around the world, such as Cognac, Laphroaig Whisky, Sherry, Sauternes, Don Juio Tequila, etc. We also use different types of Ecuadorian wood and other vessels that are carefully selected for their extractable aroma compounds. To’ak is the first tree-to-bar chocolate maker that comprehensively applies this principle to chocolate.
* Our roots are in rainforest conservation. To’ak was born from a rainforest conservation project that co-founder Jerry Toth started in Ecuador in 2007. Through his nonprofit foundation [Third Millennium Alliance](http://www.tmalliance.org), he helped create a forest preserve along the coastal mountain range. It was here that he began cultivating cacao trees and making chocolate by hand in a thatched bamboo house secluded in the middle of the forest.
* We take our [social and environmental impact](https://toakchocolate.com/blogs/news/social-environmental-impact) seriously, starting with paying cacao growers the highest prices in the industry through an intimate direct trade relationship. We've built a technology platform for cacao traceability, we upcycle cacao byproducts to create additional revenue streams for farmers, among other several other initiatives. 
* Our packaging is a work of art. Our Origin bars are packaged in responsibly-sourced handcrafted hardwood boxes that are individually engraved with the bar number. The box includes hand-made tasting utensils and an illustrative booklet that tells the story behind each edition and provides a guide to dark chocolate tasting and pairing. Our Signature bars apply this same attention to artful design, but with a minimalist touch. 
* As members of the “purist” wing of the industry, To’ak specializes in “two-ingredient” chocolate, using only cacao and cane sugar—both of which are organic. The small addition of cane sugar is akin to a few drops of water added to a glass of whisky—it softens the inherent bitterness just enough to reveal the finer, more subtle flavor characteristics of their unique and extraordinarily rare cacao.
* To’ak chocolate has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, L.A. Times, Wine Spectator, Fortune Magazine, The Guardian, Robb Report,
Huffington Post, Vice Magazine, Süddeutsche Zeitung, TV channels such as BBC, CNBC, CNN, and FOX, and over a hundred other publications across six continents.

#### More Questions?
Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or [contact us](https://toakchocolate.com/pages/contact) via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.