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

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 The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao More Questions? Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Q: When will my order be shipped?

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

Q: Is each edition a limited edition production? How many bars do you make?

Small Batch Production Yes. Our Origin Bars are typically limited to only 150 bars per edition. Each bar is packaged in a handcrafted hardwood box that has the individual bar number engraved on the bottom. Our Signature Bars are somewhat more numerous, but are typically limited to 1,000 per edition. Read about our social and environmental commitments (including how we are paying the highest prices to farmers, going beyond certification, up-cycling product, and protecting endangered varieties of cacao). Further Reading The Main Steps in the Production of To'ak Chocolate Timeline for To'ak Chocolate and Third Millennium Alliance's Conservation Project The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao More Questions? Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 1

Do you offer tastings or tours in Ecuador?

Accepted Answer

The Chocolate & Art Experience

Includes

One-hour privately-guided art tour of the former residence of Oswaldo Guayasamín, Ecuador's most renowned modern artist
One-hour privately-guided To'ak chocolate tasting in Guayasamín's wine cellar (off limits to the general public)
Optional pairing of chocolate with whisky or alternative spirit plus bottled water
Access to the Capilla del Hombre art gallery (non-guided)
Special tour-only pricing on To'ak Chocolate products

Art: Guests are welcomed to the former residence of Oswaldo Guayasamín through a private entrance, not accessible to the general public. The first half of the two-hour privately guided tour will start with a walk through the former residence of Guayasamín where a guide will share Guayasamín's passion for art and culture and explain the most significant pieces of his private art collection. Guests will visit Guayasamín's most intimate chambers including his bedroom and workshop.

Chocolate: The second half of the tour will take place in Guayasamín's wine cellar, where he entertained notable guests and his closest friends. An intimate setting around a table. In front of each person is a tasting plate with a raw cacao bean and samples of at least four different editions of To’ak chocolate. Akin to a wine tasting, a member of To’ak’s production team guides everyone through a comprehensive tasting and pairing experience, with a focus on Ecuador’s famous Nacional cacao variety. Cacao genetics, terroir, fermentation methods, barrel-aging, and other production decisions are all explained in the context of how these variables influence the aroma and flavor profile of each

How to book: Visit https://toakchocolate.com/tour to book online.

Availability: Tuesday to Friday (except Ecuadorian national holidays) from 10am to 5pm or outside these hours by special appointment.

Additional information about the Chocolate & Art Experience

Is booking required in advance?

What days and times is it available?

Is the tour private?

Is transport included in the tour?

Can our tour guide participate?

What languages can the tour be offered in?

Should we bring anything with us?

Is the chocolate and/or the art available for purchase during the event?

Where is the entrance to the tour?

https://malcolm-en-gb.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/instances/aDIvXXFAzR/resources/eQ4ZZgQ44N/Entrance%20to%20Tour.jpg (Entrance to Tour.jpg)

What instructions should I give to my taxi/Uber driver?

A Private Tasting?

We are available to offer you a private tasting in your hotel, function center or at your home.

A guided dark chocolate tasting is a sensory exploration of terroir, varietal, origin, and craftsmanship on the same level of sophistication associated with wine and whisky tasting. As an additional option, pairing dark chocolate with certain wines and spirits offers yet another level of pleasure and complexity to the experience.

How does this look in practice? An intimate setting around a table. In front of each person is a tasting plate with a raw cacao bean and samples of at least five different editions of To’ak chocolate. Each person is also served a flight of dessert wine and spirits, if this option is selected. Akin to a wine tasting, a member of To’ak’s production team guides everyone through a comprehensive tasting and pairing experience, with a focus on Ecuador’s famous Nacional cacao variety. Cacao genetics, terroir, fermentation methods, barrel-aging, and other production decisions are all explained in the context of how these variables influence the aroma and flavor profile of each expression of chocolate. Comparable to a course in Wine 101, but with the most luxurious and elaborate dark chocolate on the planet.

What to avoid

Definitely do not store dark chocolate in a freezer. And a refrigerator should only be used as a last resort—for example, if you live in a hot place and don’t have air conditioning.

Options for hot climate

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 package of chocolate inside a ziplock bag, to protect it from moisture.

General advice

If you live in a home where the indoor temperature doesn’t exceed 24° C (75° F), the best thing to do is 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.

Dark chocolate likes to be stored within the temperature range of 12-22° C (53-72° F), and temperatures as high as 25° C (77° F) are usually fine. The official melting point of dark chocolate is around 30° C (86° F).

We have also had success storing our bars in a wine cooler that has an option to reduce humidity/moisture. Generally speaking, most solutions that are suitable for storage of a fine wine will also be suitable for fine chocolate.

More Questions?

Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 6

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 7

What is your Privacy Policy?

Accepted Answer

This Privacy Policy describes how your personal information is collected, used, and shared when you visit or make a purchase from toakchocolate.com (the “Site”).

Personal information we collect

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device, including information about your web browser, IP address, time zone, and some of the cookies that are installed on your device. Additionally, as you browse the Site, we collect information about the individual web pages or products that you view, what websites or search terms referred you to the Site, and information about how you interact with the Site. We refer to this automatically-collected information as “Device Information”.

We collect Device Information using the following technologies:

“Cookies” are data files that are placed on your device or computer and often include an anonymous unique identifier. For more information about cookies, and how to disable cookies, visit http://www.allaboutcookies.org.
“Log files” track actions occurring on the Site, and collect data including your IP address, browser type, Internet service provider, referring/exit pages, and date/time stamps.
“Web beacons”, “tags”, and “pixels” are electronic files used to record information about how you browse the Site.

Additionally when you make a purchase or attempt to make a purchase through the Site, we collect certain information from you, including your name, billing address, shipping address, payment information (including credit card numbers), email address, and phone number. We refer to this information as “Order Information”.

When we talk about “Personal Information” in this Privacy Policy, we are talking both about Device Information and Order Information.

How do we use your personal information?

We use the Order Information that we collect generally to fulfill any orders placed through the Site (including processing your payment information, arranging for shipping, and providing you with invoices and/or order confirmations). Additionally, we use this Order Information to:

Communicate with you;
Screen our orders for potential risk or fraud; and
When in line with the preferences you have shared with us, provide you with information or advertising relating to our products or services.

We use the Device Information that we collect to help us screen for potential risk and fraud (in particular, your IP address), and more generally to improve and optimize our Site (for example, by generating analytics about how our customers browse and interact with the Site, and to assess the success of our marketing and advertising campaigns).

Sharing you personal Information

We share your Personal Information with third parties to help us use your Personal Information, as described above. For example, we use Shopify to power our online store--you can read more about how Shopify uses your Personal Information here: https://www.shopify.com/legal/privacy. We also use Google Analytics to help us understand how our customers use the Site -- you can read more about how Google uses your Personal Information here: https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/privacy/. You can also opt-out of Google Analytics here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

We NEVER sell your personal information nor do we provide it to companies unrelated to the order processing and marketing activities that specifically relate to our business.

Finally, we may also share your Personal Information to comply with applicable laws and regulations, to respond to a subpoena, search warrant or other lawful request for information we receive, or to otherwise protect our rights.

Behavioural advertising

As described above, we use your Personal Information to provide you with targeted advertisements or marketing communications we believe may be of interest to you. For more information about how targeted advertising works, you can visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s (“NAI”) educational page at http://www.networkadvertising.org/understanding-online-advertising/how-does-it-work.

You can opt out of targeted advertising by using the links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=ads
Google: https://www.google.com/settings/ads/anonymous

Additionally, you can opt out of some of these services by visiting the Digital Advertising Alliance’s opt-out portal at: http://optout.aboutads.info/.

Do not track

Please note that we do not alter our Site’s data collection and use practices when we see a Do Not Track signal from your browser.

Your rights

If you are a European resident, you have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to ask that your personal information be corrected, updated, or deleted. If you would like to exercise this right, please contact us through the contact information below.

Additionally, if you are a European resident we note that we are processing your information in order to fulfil contracts we might have with you (for example if you make an order through the Site), or otherwise to pursue our legitimate business interests listed above. Additionally, please note that your information will be transferred outside of Europe, including to Canada and the United States.

Data retention

When you place an order through the Site, we will maintain your Order Information for our records unless and until you ask us to delete this information.

Changes

We may update this privacy policy from time to time in order to reflect, for example, changes to our practices or for other operational, legal or regulatory reasons.

Contact us

For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact us by e‑mail at hello@toakchocolate.com.

Question 8

Is each edition a limited edition production? How many bars do you make?

Accepted Answer

Small Batch Production

Yes. Our Origin Bars are typically limited to only 150 bars per edition. Each bar is packaged in a handcrafted hardwood box that has the individual bar number engraved on the bottom.

Our Signature Bars are somewhat more numerous, but are typically limited to 1,000 per edition.

Read about our social and environmental commitments (including how we are paying the highest prices to farmers, going beyond certification, up-cycling product, and protecting endangered varieties of cacao).

Further Reading

The Main Steps in the Production of To'ak Chocolate

Timeline for To'ak Chocolate and Third Millennium Alliance's Conservation Project

The Different Grades of Ecuadorian Cacao

Overnight

For orders within the USA only, we are able to offer FedEx Overnight express courier service for $30. Cut off time is 8am Mountain Time but if you miss this by a small window please give us a call or send us a message and sometimes we can still dispatch the same day.

Specific arrival date?

If you would like your package to be delivered on/after a specific date please advise us in the "Special Instructions" box during checkout.

More Questions?

Use a keyword or phrase in the search box above or contact us via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, email or social and we are happy to help.

Question 10

What are your Terms of Service?

Accepted Answer

OVERVIEW

This website is operated by To'ak Chocolate. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to To'ak Chocolate. To'ak Chocolate offers this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here.

By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (“Terms of Service”, “Terms”), including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink. These Terms of Service apply to all users of the site, including without limitation users who are browsers, vendors, customers, merchants, and/ or contributors of content.

Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing or using our website. By accessing or using any part of the site, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the website or use any services. If these Terms of Service are considered an offer, acceptance is expressly limited to these Terms of Service.

Any new features or tools which are added to the current store shall also be subject to the Terms of Service. You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time on this page. We reserve the right to update, change or replace any part of these Terms of Service by posting updates and/or changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to the website following the posting of any changes constitutes acceptance of those changes.

Our store is hosted on Shopify Inc. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.

SECTION 1 - ONLINE STORE TERMS

By agreeing to these Terms of Service, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your state or province of residence, or that you are the age of majority in your state or province of residence and you have given us your consent to allow any of your minor dependents to use this site.

SECTION 2 - GENERAL CONDITIONS

We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason at any time.

SECTION 3 - ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS AND TIMELINESS OF INFORMATION

We are not responsible if information made available on this site is not accurate, complete or current. The material on this site is provided for general information only and should not be relied upon or used as the sole basis for making decisions without consulting primary, more accurate, more complete or more timely sources of information. Any reliance on the material on this site is at your own risk.

SECTION 4 - MODIFICATIONS TO THE SERVICE AND PRICES

Prices for our products are subject to change without notice.

**SECTION 5 - PRODUCTS OR SERVICES (if applicable) **

Certain products or services may be available exclusively online through the website. These products or services may have limited quantities and are subject to return or exchange only according to our Return Policy.

SECTION 6 - ACCURACY OF BILLING AND ACCOUNT INFORMATION

We reserve the right to refuse any order you place with us. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or cancel quantities purchased per person, per household or per order. These restrictions may include orders placed by or under the same customer account, the same credit card, and/or orders that use the same billing and/or shipping address. In the event that we make a change to or cancel an order, we may attempt to notify you by contacting the e‑mail and/or billing address/phone number provided at the time the order was made. We reserve the right to limit or prohibit orders that, in our sole judgment, appear to be placed by dealers, resellers or distributors.

You agree to provide current, complete and accurate purchase and account information for all purchases made at our store. You agree to promptly update your account and other information, including your email address and credit card numbers and expiration dates, so that we can complete your transactions and contact you as needed.

For more detail, please review our Returns Policy.

SECTION 7 - OPTIONAL TOOLS

We may provide you with access to third-party tools over which we neither monitor nor have any control nor input.

**SECTION 8 - THIRD-PARTY LINKS **

Certain content, products and services available via our Service may include materials from third-parties.

SECTION 9 - USER COMMENTS, FEEDBACK AND OTHER SUBMISSIONS

If, at our request, you send certain specific submissions or without a request from us you send creative ideas, suggestions, proposals, plans, or other materials, whether online, by email, by postal mail, or otherwise (collectively, 'comments'), you agree that we may, at any time, without restriction, edit, copy, publish, distribute, translate and otherwise use in any medium any comments that you forward to us. We are and shall be under no obligation (1) to maintain any comments in confidence; (2) to pay compensation for any comments; or (3) to respond to any comments.

SECTION 10 - PERSONAL INFORMATION

Your submission of personal information through the store is governed by our Privacy Policy. To view our Privacy Policy.

SECTION 11 - ERRORS, INACCURACIES AND OMISSIONS

Occasionally there may be information on our site or in the Service that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may relate to product descriptions, pricing, promotions, offers, product shipping charges, transit times and availability. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, and to change or update information or cancel orders if any information in the Service or on any related website is inaccurate at any time without prior notice (including after you have submitted your order).

SECTION 12 - PROHIBITED USES

In addition to other prohibitions as set forth in the Terms of Service, you are prohibited from using the site or its content: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, race, age, national origin, or disability; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be used in any way that will affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other websites, or the Internet; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; or (k) to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Service or any related website, other websites, or the Internet. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Service or any related website for violating any of the prohibited uses.

SECTION 13 - DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES; LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

We do not guarantee, represent or warrant that your use of our service will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.

SECTION 14 - INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless To'ak Chocolate and our parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, officers, directors, agents, contractors, licensors, service providers, subcontractors, suppliers, interns and employees, harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third-party due to or arising out of your breach of these Terms of Service or the documents they incorporate by reference, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third-party.

SECTION 15 - SEVERABILITY

In the event that any provision of these Terms of Service is determined to be unlawful, void or unenforceable, such provision shall nonetheless be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and the unenforceable portion shall be deemed to be severed from these Terms of Service, such determination shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any other remaining provisions.

SECTION 16 - TERMINATION

The obligations and liabilities of the parties incurred prior to the termination date shall survive the termination of this agreement for all purposes.

SECTION 17 - ENTIRE AGREEMENT

The failure of us to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.

SECTION 18 - GOVERNING LAW

These Terms of Service and any separate agreements whereby we provide you Services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of United States.

SECTION 19 - CHANGES TO TERMS OF SERVICE

You can review the most current version of the Terms of Service at any time at this page.

SECTION 20 - CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions about the Terms of Service should be sent to us at hello@toakchocolate.com.

Do you offer tastings or tours in Ecuador?

How do you preserve heirloom cacao?

Does To'ak farm and harvest cacao?

How should I store my chocolate?

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

When will my order be shipped?

What is your Privacy Policy?

Is each edition a limited edition production? How many bars do you make?

Do you offer overnight shipping?

What are your Terms of Service?