K'UL CHOCOLATE — Local services in Bellingham

My sister and I stumbled upon a chocolate shop while walking by and decided to explore it. Having grown up in Bellingham, we were primarily familiar with local chocolate from Chocolate Necessities (K'UL Chocolate is far tastier and more affordable). Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed by a gentleman who shared the company's story, detailing how the owners and staff maintain direct relationships with cocoa farmers and their initiatives for growth. After purchasing some chocolate, we continued on our way.

We refrained from opening the chocolate until after dinner, once we returned to our respective homes. The taste was nothing short of extraordinary. I immediately texted my sister after sampling the chai spice snacking chocolate, while she enjoyed her coconut bar, and we were both amazed by the rich flavors. The chai spice, a common chocolate flavor, was beautifully complemented by the addition of pink Himalayan salt. I also appreciate the concept of snacking chocolate.

In summary, the chocolate is truly delightful, and we look forward to purchasing more from local retailers. Given the current high cost of cocoa, their pricing is remarkably reasonable—$10 for an 8oz bag of vegan ethical chocolate that doesn't taste vegan at all is an excellent deal. Despite my usual aversion to dark chocolate, the chai spice variety is exceptional. I highly...

TLDR: Absolutely fantastic chocolate bars that raise the bar for equity (5/5) Poor wrapping choice in a world gearing towards reducing waste (1/5)

These are great chocolate bars. My only complaint is the wrapping is not very recyclable, which is quite surprising for a sustainability focused company.

The chocolate is fantastic. One should judge a bar from the simplest form. In the pure dark incarnation you can taste the soil it came from. You taste the freshness of the bean and its nuttiness at the same time. This is... fantastic! I would love to see more single origins from K'ul.

The wrapping is what will keep me from recommending it. Chocolate bar from similar sustainability focused companies like Theo (Seattle), Tony (Amsterdam), and other uses foil wrap with a paper top. Both are highly recyclable material. K'ul chose a mixed material (foil-lined plastic) that isn't easily recyclable. In fact, I know of only TerraCycle as a company that would accept such material, and this is cumbersome to do.

I secretly hope that K'ul plans on updating their packaging for sustainability. I do want to buy more but it will be a difficult choice every time I'll put down...

K’UL caught my eye at my local food coop because I was looking for a better organic, fair trade, dark chocolate bar. Well, I’ve found it. These bars are not only organic, fair trade and soy free, they are a cut above the rest of the fair trade bars out there. Instead of just relying on a third party to certify that people aren’t being exploited in the supply chain, the company is actually developing relationships with women’s cooperatives, helping them thrive. And the bars are delicious! The Toasted Coconut bar is my favorite, but the Wild Ginger Cayenne bar I purchased yesterday also deserves a special mention. The chocolate is rich and silky smooth, the ginger beckons you back for more, and the cayenne gives it a subtle kick. I should have bought a box. Thank you K’UL folks for your commitment to raising the...