Askinosie Chocolate

Such good chocolates!! Was able to find storefront parking easily. I was greeted as soon as I walked in. I tried three different chocolates and they were all wonderful. I bought the dark chocolate raspberry and milk chocolate and they are well worth the money. These make great snacks and gifts. It also seems like the store pays their suppliers and farmers well which is a huge plus. I will say there isn’t much of a storefront as it is mainly two tables within a few feet from the door with I think around 10 chocolate bars on display. I think most of the building is the factory? It would be a cooler experience if there were more product options and maybe displays explaining the mission and products?

The store experience was really underwhelming. My hubby bought me one of their delicious chocolate bars at an organic store in Branson last Valentine's Day. After I noticed their shop was in Springfield, I've had the location saved just in case we're in the area. Well, we stopped by on our anniversary to discover a very small display of bars. There's probably more at our grocery store. I had read they offered samples, nope, not on this day at least. Not really any greeting, customer service, or display area to watch chocolate being made or anything. The lady just stared at us. It was so awkward we left after a couple of minutes. This place has so much potential. Very disappointing. 😞

Askinosie is the absolute best chocolate we have ever had, and we've eaten a lot of high quality chocolate! Our favorites are the 88% super dark blend and the 77% Davao, Philippines bar. The flavor and texture is smoother than any other chocolate we have had. Most bars with this high of cocoa are not smooth and silky. The flavor is so amazing you only need to eat 1 or 2 squares. We also love the 72% Mababu, Tanzania and 70% Ecuador bars. Every one is so unique and every bar we have tried we have thorougly enjoyed. After trying one bar while on a trip, we loved it so much we setup a mail-order subscription through their website. We order a box of bars to be shipped every 2-3 months - it's really easy to setup and adjust the frequency. Every aspect of this company is outstanding - their customer service is 10 stars, their thoughtful and careful packaging (including an ice pack & lots of insulation for the summer), their chocolate packaging, and of course their chocolate.

My niece and I stopped by to check out the shop since she had never been before. The person at the front desk was incredibly nice and was very kind when she wanted to try samples. We bought a couple of bars, but still had shopping to do so we went to drop them off in the car. Another worker came out of the store as we were walking away and offered us an ice pack to keep them from melting in the car. That was such a thoughtful thing to do, and will absolutely keep me coming back here. Plus—the chocolate is amazing!

Chocolate lover? This is your place. These chocolate bars are absolutely decadent and delicious. Free samples so you can choose the right chocolate for yourself. Great service, very friendly and helpful. Didn’t take a tour but heard that one is available if you plan ahead.

Loves the place and the story behind it. Happen to pick up a small bar at the Laura Ingalls museum and loved it so decided to stop in. You can try samples of all the chocolate which is wonderful. Definitely some unique pairing and the gentleman helping us was so kind and appreciate that he told us which ones were his favorites!

An absolute treasure tucked into an evolving neighborhood in North Springfield. It’s filled with the most welcoming and lovely smiles and sweets. It’s story adds purpose and intention to the all-around delightful experience of this chocolate. Gentrification at its finest! Bravo!

A friend brought me two bars... OMG! I am officially giving up on all other chocolate. The smoothness, the flavor the mouth feels, the taste were beyond amazing. Can't wait to make a run to Springfield!

One of the few American bean-to-bar chocolate makers that actually has the skills & quality ingredients, and not just marketing. Tanzania and Davao dark chocolate bars are high cacao content and still taste good with a smooth not grainy texture. The malted milk chocolate Jeni's collaboration also has high cacao for a milk chocolate, less sugar, and delicious. The bars are also a decent value at 85g unlike others at 60g or less. Cute lettered squares scored into each chocolate bar, a plus for presentation. You can often find these bars at Whole Foods and other high end grocers.

Learned about this bean to bar chocolate magic place on PBS Taste Makers. Sought out the store while in Springfield. Just the smell of the place is heaven! Tasted two varieties and bought them both. Amazing!

Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! Askinosie is in a large, old building in a historic area of town. The shop has lots of character! We visited on a Sunday, and only one person was working the counter. Another group was finishing their transaction when we arrived. So, the staff member happily guided us through tasting samples of the various bars Askinosie makes. We ended up purchasing 5 to take home with us. What a great treat! Next time, we'll try to be there on a day they offering a tour.

The retail space is quite small, but the smells are BIG. We were greeted warmly and offered samples as we decided what to get for ourselves and for gifts. We tried/purchased a white chocolate with cocoa nibs, a Jeni's ice cream collab, and a dark chocolate. These are definitely bars for savoring at the price point, and that makes them even more special.

I have often seen these bars in my Whole Foods store. It was fun to discover the headquarters in the Historic C-street district of Springfield, MO. It is not distinctive, or attractive. But I would advise a stop-in. It is worth it! The story of the development of the business is fascinating. A murder trial attorney decided to change careers to something less taxing and more fun. As a hobby, he took up baking. It was far less stressful and much more enjoyable. Out of that, and his world travels, he learned to make chocolate! And characteristic of his perfectionism, his chocolate creations are superb!

This is a production facility that has a small retail space in it. The staff member was very nice and encouraged me to try as many of the chocolates as I liked to. She also helped guide me towards the chocolate bars that I would likely like the most. The chocolate I tried was top of the line, including Interesting single source bars and bars with mixed in flavors. I particularly liked the single source bar from the Philippines and the bar that mixes in American Spoon Fruit raspberry. Both were extraordinary. Nicely done.

Very cool little stop and whoa the smell when you walk in! I really liked the Tanzanian dark chocolate -- a little hint of berry -- and the avocado and rosemary bar!

Came in for the afternoon tour of the factory. It was very informative and fun. We really enjoy this chocolate and all the things they do in the bean to bar world. Everyone should stop in and try a bar and learn about this fascinating world of chocolate.

This is the best chocolate I have ever had! Askinosie focuses on ethical chocolate and being environmentally conscious, so the prices are higher than the supermarket, but the price is worth it for those reasons. The coconut milk chocolate is vegan and delicious (also no more expensive than their other chocolate bars!). I have ordered boxes from their website to give as gifts, and I recommend you do the same, all your chocolate loving friends will thank you! There dark chocolate is not bitter like many of the other brands I have tried.

The first thing I'll say is this is by far the most delicious chocolate I've ever had. I'm not a fan of white or milk chocolate and even I enjoy them from this place. The people complaining about the price really know nothing about how incredible of a deal this is. It's a small business that has a direct benefit with the farmers and cares for his farmers and their people. We are getting one of the best chocolates in the world. Stop complaining about the price. The tour shows in depth how the chocolate is created and was very interesting to me. You also gets samples of the chocolate and nibs. I like all the chocolates but my favorite is the Amazonia 72% chocolate bar. I could eat an entire bar in a day. If you prefer a "sipping" chocolate I suggest the 77% Davao Philippines chocolate bar. All are fantastic!

We visited here on a Friday afternoon. The shop is located inside the production factory so the smells were amazing. We sampled almost everything. I ended up buying broken bars which were half off. Such a great deal! My favorites were the white chocolate and the dark chocolate toasted coconut sugar. Goat milk is used instead of cow's milk which is nice because it's lower in lactose. My husband loved the black licorice which I admit was very unique. I also got some cocoa powder to use at home. We loved our experience.

I wish my review could be as in depth as some of the others in regard to how the chocolate is made. In fact, I probably can't tell you anything new that hasn't been said before. So I'll just make mine short and sweet (!) ... This chocolate is delicious. My husband and I went to visit their little storefront where a very informative young man was passing around samples and telling stories about each one. I'm not sure how many people were there to actually buy anything, but you could tell this guy wasn't the least bit concerned about it. The samples were flowing let me just say. Had we stopped long enough to listen to what he said, my review may be a little more informative. However, what I can tell you is the variety of flavors and uniqueness of each bar will leave you figuring out which one(s) to take home right away. Unfortunately, because of the almost $10 price per bar, it makes it very difficult to buy one of each. We settled on a tin of Mexican Sipping Chocolate (thinking of cool autumn nights ahead), a jar of the chocolate/hazelnut spread, and the Mexican dark chocolate bar that had a sugar crystal texture that melted on your tongue almost instantly followed by a mild vanilla bean flavor. Can't wait for dessert this week! And once this is gone, we will definitely go back for more. If you're in Springfield on a Tuesday afternoon, stop by for a factory tour. I'm regretful we were unable to do this, but next time I'll be sure to plan better.

I've just come home from dabbling in the chocolates of Belgium and Germany and I still feel like giving this place 5 stars. With it's modern bright exterior it is inviting and truly a piece of eye candy for the sometimes overlooked stretch that is Commercial Street. You walk in and cocoa inundates your vulnerable chocolate adoring senses. I like that the factory is also in plain view as you catch glimpses of the chocolate formation process. And, if a glimpse isn't enough they offer tours every Tuesday which are just a few dollars to attend. If you'd prefer to bask in all the chocolate glory alone, then they also have private tours available for a modest price. I haven't even been on the tour yet, and I am happily addicted to this company. The design was the instigator of my affection for Askinosie. It has thoughtful and engaging packaging for the chocolate, and the space successfully mimics a clean and modern aesthetic. The staff was tremendously helpful and more importantly they were able to discuss the different types of chocolates, their origins, and even the nuances of flavor. The dark chocolate from the Philippines with sea salt has become the standard by which I now hold other chocolates too. It is bitter sweet and buttery up front and then it is punctuated by a hint of sea salt flavor. I can't help but love a place that sucks you in with free samples, pleasing design, and an ethical operation.

We stopped by the other day to show the 3 year old what a real chocolate factory looks like; since she's consumed with Willy Wanka. There's really not much to see in the storefront, and tours are only given on Tuesdays at 3pm unless you have a large group to schedule a private one. The staff seemed very friendly, and eager to answer any questions while giving you samples. My issue though is the price. Sure it's nice that they work with local people in that area instead of getting it wholesale, but I don't think the explanation they give of why they do this really adds up. It doesn't seem like the people they are strictly working with are making way more money vs selling their product to a wholesaler. The chocolate they have is very good, and a lot of it very original, but honestly they are very comparable to any other specialty chocolate you can buy at a much cheaper price. As a person who has had the opportunity to sample chocolates from around the globe; they offer nothing that stands out from a mass producer. I appreciate their contributions to the city, but their chocolate is just way to overpriced for me.

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days working at the Askinose factory recently and I'd give them five stars just for being the most wonderful people to be around. Even if they were all jerks, however, they'd still get five stars. This is truly delicious chocolate that can stand toe-to-toe with any chocolate on the planet. So much of their operation is done by hand and that attention to detail can be detected in every product they offer (Chocolate Bars, Nibs, Powder, etc). The beans are carefully sourced for their quality from farmers that they maintain working relationships with (and profit sharing). As if the chocolate wasn't enough, you can feel good because the money is benefiting real farmers in less developed parts of the world.

My favorite place to get chocolate in Springfield! If you are visiting from out of town you need to stop here!! All of the cacao beans are imported from countries around the world! The owners of Askinosie have actually worked alongside the farmers of the cacao beans they are using. My favorite chocolate bar is the 70% dark chocolate with cacao nibs, but all of the options are delicious! The bars are typically $8.75 or more, but they are amazing quality!

I received a tip that these guys provide chocolate to my favorite coffee shop in Kansas CIty, Parisi, so during a trip to Springfield, I just had to stop by! I really enjoyed visiting Askinosie Chocolate and learning about the passion and dedication behind their delicious product. They only give tours on Sundays, and I was there on a Saturday, so I was only able to browse the merchandise. The girl let me and another lady sample the chocolate. I ended up buying some goat's milk chocolate for $8. I'm glad I stopped by; happy to support these kinds of businesses!

I have to admit that I've not actually been to the Askinosie factory/storefront but after a chocolate tasting with Shawn at Zingerman's in Ann Arbor last night I have to give them props. First off, they make some amazing chocolate. I took a friend with me who hadn't really strayed into the waters of really good chocolate and had little experience with bean to bar (being a chocoholic, I've definitely eaten my fair share of cocoa beans and tried more than a few varieties of bars in my day) and I daresay this tasting changed her life. "I'll never eat a snickers again!" she whispered to me upon first bite. The chocolate is smooth, snaps perfectly and each bar (coming from a single source in one of 4 locales) is each unique and delicious. In addition to a tasting of finished bars he also took us on a tasting through the whole process starting with whole roasted cocoa beans, onto chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, etc. It was fantastic. Also surprisingly fantastic? Their white chocolate. I'm usually not much of a white chocolate fan since it's a bit too sweet for me (I like my chocolate dark) but this one was fantastic, made with goat milk with a bit of a tang (try their bar sprinkled with cocoa nibs, it's incredible). We tried different levels of dark, bars they've collaborated on other companies with (a coffee bar with Intelligensia, a malted bar through Jeni's ice cream, etc), and everything was outstanding. Even more amazing was what we learned about the company--how much work they do in their community (helping a local homeless shelter create a study room for the kids, running programs for elementary school kids to come into the factory to learn the business, etc) and how they work so closely with the farms they buy from abroad. You can even see the photo of the lead farmer who picked the beans used in your bar on the wrapper. It really personalizes the whole process. They offer profit sharing with the farms and farmers, and even take the finished chocolate back to the farmers so they can try it (most cocoa bean farmers never try a finished piece of chocolate which I never considered). I also loved hearing about Chocolate University, their program for local kids. In the high school program they had a group of Juniors work to pick a new female farmer to work with in Tanzania then they went to the Tanzania and even helped bring a fresh water well to the town where the beans are grown. There's even more they do (like help feed kids in the village, provide textbooks for the town school, etc) but I could be writing all day if I recap all that. But it's just impressive that they're not only committed to the quality of their product but also the people involved in the process. It's really refreshing and touching. I don't have a reason to make it down to Springfield, unfortunately, but if I ever do the first stop I make will be their factory. In the meantime I'll keep buying their delicious chocolate and supporting the amazing work they do from my own local shops that sell their products (Zingerman's). If you are in the area I highly suggest taking the tour of the factory. All the money they raise from these tours (only $4 a person) goes straight into supporting Chocolate University and the programs they implement here and abroad. Bravo, Askinosie. You set an amazing example for us all!

The only reason for four stars and not five is the price. And I still feel a little guilty for not just giving them that one because of the expense the endure to make such a high quality product. If you pay for their chocolate, you're not paying for the name, you're paying the farmer that grew the beans, then you're paying for the beans to get to Springfield MO, Then you're paying for the process of taking that bean and turning it into a beautiful bar of chocolate. Their Website can give you a lot more info, all I'll say is, This ain't no Hershey Bar, and you can tell from the packaging to breaking off the first piece to the first bite. Something really special to have in town.

Askinosie values quality of working conditions of its workers all the way down the production line and it values the quality of its chocolate. The chocolate is all fairly traded. They give tours about the making process, which I have not been on yet. They have dark and white chocolate, variations of each. All have very distinct tastes. I especially like the Ancho Chile and Pistachio Dark Chocolate bar. I love the heart behind this company, and they also have some of the best chocolate I've ever had!

I went to the newly opened Surfas in Costa Mesa http://www.yelp.com/biz/surfas-culinary-district-costa-mesa and found 3 kinds of their chocolate bars. I chose San Jose Del Tambo from Ecuador (70% dark) and i find the chocoate very good. Flavorful yet on the light side. Creamy smooth, readily dissolved and the cocoa butter gives a moist feeling that lingers. Not sweet. I like the idea of sourcing from small farms and the packaging uses biodegradable, non-GM material from sustainable source. $8 for 3oz bar is not cheap but i think it's worth it.

4/5 stars ONLY because they don't do the tours on Saturdays. Otherwise, the chocolate itself deserves 5 stars. There's not much to the place for visitors (unless you go on a Tuesday afternoon for the tour). The highlight is they offer samples of all their varieties of chocolate. It's mostly dark chocolate, although they do have 3 white chocolate bars and one milk chocolate with goat milk bar, which I thought was very tasty. I didn't see anything offered to drink either, which I was really wanting after all that dark chocolate. They have some merchandise for sale as well if you're looking for an Askinosie hat or t-shirt. The young woman who was there said the tour is 45 minutes long and is only given on Tuesday afternoons, I think around 3pm? Cool place to stop in to sample/buy some marvelous chocolate.

I'm really torn on this place for my rating because they have great chocolate but their "tour" is a joke. They do offer "tours" of their chocolate making but only on Tuesday's at 3:30 pm. I was pretty excited to get a tour even though the business is very small. The lady giving the tour was very nice. To start, they charge $5 plus tax just for the tour. The lady started explaining their process of making chocolate and went to a couple machines to show the process. The downside of all this is that since it's so late in the day all their machines are shut down and stopped for the day. You really don't get to see anything actually happening like actually making chocolate. The tour guide said they package their chocolate first thing in the morning so all the workers were long gone for the day by the time the tour started and absolutely nothing is happening to watch or see. Just machines sitting quietly idle. The tour only lasted about 5 minutes tops and we were done. On the flip side of the coin you do get to taste in very small quantities a small portion of their chocolate and anything you purchase you get 10% off. The good part about this chocolate is that it really is great chocolate and the owner has a great story. He buys the beans directly from farmers all over the world and brings them back to be processed. It's kind of like direct trade from farmers to buyer. The owner does get some of the finest beans available as well because his chocolate has won a lot of awards all over the U.S. for having some of the finest and even won best chocolate bar for 2013. Having said all this my ratings are Tour- Zero stars. Not worth the time or money they charge you to see absolutely nothing happening. Chocolate- 5 starts. Chocolate is some of the finest you will ever taste.

I ordered two thank you packages of chocolate. The packages arrived beautifully put together. The chocolate was divine! The chocolate covered malt balls were spectacular! The customer service is fantastic. I had help in figuring out what items to order, and excellent explanations of which items would work for dark chocolate lovers and milk chocolate lovers would enjoy. This was such a treat.

The chocolate factory tour was so interesting! My children and I made a homeschool field trip out of it. What a wonderful little factory with a terrific purpose. Amazing chocolate too! Thank you!

Try and find a bad chocolate. I dare you. You probably wont, but if by chance you do, you'll have a wonderful time tasting all of them to try to find one that isn't up to par!

A coworker bought all of us office girls a chocolate bar from Askinosie's. I hadn't heard of it before that! I loved the packaging, the concept, and of course the chocolate. They have an amazing website and I cannot wait to visit the store!