How did you get into making chocolate?
Erin Andrews, founder of indi chocolate, tells us what got her hooked on chocolate making.
Other than a life long love of chocolate, my true journey to becoming a chocolate maker began when I decided to teach my family how chocolate grows on trees. What started out as a way to extend a vacation in Belize lead to starting my first chocolate company. Before departing on the trip, I extensively researched cacao and chocolate.
Although I never had the desire to own my own business before, I had an overwhelming sensation that I would start a business while on that trip in Belize. I didn't know what type of business or journey I was about to embark in, but I knew my life was about to change.
My first bean to bar chocolate company was not indi chocolate. I started my first bean to bar chocolate company in Belize with two partners and an amazing group of women and farmers. We first started making bean to bar chocolate off the power grid in Belize. Making chocolate from the bean is not easy and making it off the power grid in a foreign country made it even more challenging. Eventually we moved to the closest town and on to the power grid. Not only did this bring us closer to our customers, it also allowed us to hire more local women to help us make chocolate and sell chocolate.
My experience in Belize working with the local community and farmers determined how I wanted to make chocolate when I started indi chocolate. Seeing the difference direct trade made with positive impacts to the cacao producing communities influenced me greatly. Sustainably sourcing the best tasting beans from around the world became my mission for indi chocolate.
I sold my interest in my first bean to bar company so that I could focus on indi chocolate and our new home in Pike Place Market.
Please join the indi chocolate family as we take off to the world where chocolate grows on trees.
