Meagan T
Google
UPDATE: Down to 1.5 stars because I contacted the owner and gave them what they needed as part of their response below but they NEVER responded. Hopefully this was just a mistake. I hope the company will reread this as I have a new concern, and not "seeing machinery work" was not the point of this post.
Don't go on a tour! All of the samples you get on the tour you can get for free in their store (okay, maybe one wasn't out). So I was paying a high price to have the experience around a table in a social atmosphere instead of in their cafe (same size peices--most of them as small as a nickel). You get to crush one bean, wear a hair net, write on a card, drink water from a plastic cup, look at a foam model of a cacao pod, and watch a few clips from a video that was mostly fast forwarded through (there was a little machinery but not dwelt on--and I was told it was our substitute for very little operating that day. But what an uncomfortable substitute: it was mostly viewing someone take a tour with minimal details and without any of the restrictions we peasants are normally under and he even got to drink the chocolate!). Their hallway photos and write ups gave us a better understanding of the factory than the video did. We got a chance to look at their equipment from afar and not really see any of the workings (I saw a metal pot spin and looked at a bag of shells)--no discount for not witnessing machines run and no photos or getting close enough to see in--not even a mirror to be like hey here's a better look at this equipment and here's what's at the bottom--can't you at least take out an ipad and show it running so we can visualize things? Maybe a diagram explaining some inner workings? I was under the impression that we'd get a few full sized bars to take home, maybe they changed that just before we went? The free bar is the size of a Ghiradeli wrapped chocolate.
Wait there's a five star review here that got to have photos? We were told that's not allowed, someone apparently got an exemption for a *cause* wink wink! Our guide was like I get to use this compost in my backyard--well great for you! So no offering their pretty vintage-style burlap bags or something for us? There's also more plastic used in the factory than I expected--and it contacts the chocolate, and it's not impressive to be told that they are using a pre-lead regulation machine and one that was used for newspaper that they can't clean because it would damage it. Upon reflection I should have asked if they were using food-grade mineral oil to run the parts and aid in releasing the chocolate (this is a very controversial additive not required on packages--printed papers can transfer it to food). I was told that they were using Hollow Tree Honey; so why was Kirtland Signature honey and some other generic unimpressive ingredients on the shelf (from my understanding Kirtland Signature Honey is diluted with something like corn syrup--you don't have to have 100% honey in order to label something as honey and you can totally heat honey and label it raw)? I thought you had to use shea butter to label something chocolate. I'm not saying they're breaking rules, but I left with more questions than answers.
I wrote this to make up for the fact that I told a family hurting for money in the cafe yeah, you should do the tour, upon reflection, no, please don't do that to yourselves. I really hope the best for Ritual, no hard feelings; hope things turn around. Maybe they are in dire financial straights, so much that they had to have a "paying customers-only" restroom notice. But they invest way too much into having the artisan "feels" while cutting corners where it counts--the video and library in the tasting room (no you don't get to read there) were a waste of money customers have to pay for. My husband bought several bars to make up for the tour--also a regret, you may enjoy what essentially are just cacao bars--though I'm not sure why so many brag about having tobacco flavor; creepy. Not complaining about the cafe, they did that part right.
