Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar
Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar
Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar
Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar
Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar

Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar

Sale price$75.00
Sold out
Pickup currently unavailable at McGuire Chocolate

Craft Chocolate Advent Calendar

McGuire Chocolate

Pickup currently unavailable

174 Water Street
St. Andrews NB E5B 1B2
Canada

+15068144321

This advent calendar celebrates a year of creative evolution in small batch, bean to bar chocolate from the McGuire Chocolate Company.

In the lead up to Christmas, you will experience 24 different chocolate bars or truffles. Each day is unique and special.

All of the chocolate presented is made from cacao beans at our little shop in Saint Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada.

We actively source transparently traded cacao from small farms around the world. Then we roast, shell, and grind these cacao beans with premium ingredients to create world-class chocolate and truffles.

Thank you for coming on this journey with us.

 

Please note: products ordered with the advent calendar will be shipped out at the same time as the advent calendar.

 

Customer Reviews

Based on 4 reviews
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L
Lauren
Box assembly/construction issues

I agree with Anna-Beth’s review. The chocolate is wonderful (and excellent customer service about shipping, when to consume by, etc). But I was disappointed to discover that while the truffles stayed in their slots, the bars just slid around. Most of the bar “days” appeared empty when opened, and I sort of had to take apart the calendar to find all the bars and then guess at their flavors from the list on the back of the box (also agree it would be nice if there was a way for a day-by-day reveal instead of listing all on the back). I’d order again next year if this issue got sorted. I do want to reiterate that the chocolate is delicious.

We were very disappointed that the mini chocolate bars fell out of their slots. This is something we heard from our customers, and we are working with our packaging company to resolve this for next year. We appreciate the feed back. Stay tuned!

A
Anna-Beth

First of all I love McGuires, but I feel there are some things about this year’s calendar that could be done better. I don’t like how the flavours are listed all on the back. In order to see what flavour you have today you spoil the surprise for the whole month. I also find that the pieces of chocolate are sliding around the calendar and are not staying in the windows for the correct days. There is some refinement of the concept that could be done especially compared to previous years.

However the quality of the chocolate is incredible and we are so lucky to have talented people in our local community. Also the box is beautifully designed!

E
Erin Linton
Advent Calendar: So hard to savour!

I love McGuire Chocolate! 😍🤤
The calendar so far has been a delicious surprise each day (I try not to peek at the flavours on the back!). The art on the packaging is beautiful, a festive piece of my decor this year. Wonderful!

a
amanda leavitt
Chocolate miracle

McGuire chocolate is the best quality and taste in the Maritimes. Their thoughtful selection of ingredients makes it a premium choice. We can’t get enough!!

Changing the Focus

Industry Evolution

The 20th century chocolate industry was built on a few extremely large companies - making all of the chocolate in the world and distributing it through chocolatiers.  Single origin wasn’t even niche – it just wasn’t a thing.  In this model we lost all transparency to the source and cacao was treated as a commodity.  There are even futures contracts for cacao traded on global exchanges. This treatment is similar to other commodities like oil and gold. The problem is that when we accept cacao as a commodity, we imply that all cacao is created equal.  In turn, the effect on farmers is that they emphasize yield over quality.  Why go through the investment and effort of having your cacao properly fermented if it’s not going to fetch a premium in the marketplace?

When we list our cacao source – not simply the country but the farmer group – you know that your chocolate bar is made from cacao the supports farmer premiums for a product that goes the extra mile.

High Quality

Fermented Cacao

An astonishing amount of effort goes into well fermented cacao. The fermentation process must occur within 2 days of being cut from the tree and cacao trees grow in some of the most remote areas of the world. It is not a commercial crop as it requires strong biodiversity to thrive. 

On top of this, the fermentation process is capital intensive as it requires infrastructure and technical expertise.  A tall order for cacao farmers who (for the most part) live below the poverty line and get squeezed by commodity cacao prices.

Tracability

Is the chocolate you eat transparently traded?

The best indicator is if the farm is listed on the chocolate bar. When the cacao source is listed – not simply the country but the farmer group – you know that your chocolate bar is made from cacao the supports farmer premiums for a product that goes the extra mile.

farmers first

ETHICAL AND TRACEABLE

Fair trade certifications do not go nearly far enough to ensure farmers are actually treated fairly in the chocolate industry. When your cacao sources are traceable you can be confident there is accountability in the supply chain.

A labour of love

The Chocolate Making Process

1

Working with fermented cacao

Only about 5% of cacao in the world undergoes a controlled fermentation due to the specialized knowledge and infrastructure required in remote areas.

2

Transparently and ethically sourced

We publish our supply chain because we are proud of its contributors. You can trace all of our origins back to the farmers and fermentaries.

3

Roasted at different levels

Roasting is the primary flavour influencer that a chocolate maker directly controls. We design, and continuely tweak, a unique profile for each one of our cacao bean origins.

4

Shell removal

Cacao beans are roasted in their shells which then have to be removed before grinding. We have built many winnowers over the years to help semi-automate this labour intensive process.

5

Grinding the ingredients

Melangers stones are made of heavy granite and roll over cacao until the fat naturally liquifies and eventually smooths out. This grinding process takes a week to complete and is where all of the ingredients of chocolate come together.

6

Measure microns

We use a grindometer to measure the micron size of our chocolate near the end of the grinding process. We take our chocolate below 30 microns which is as smooth as the human tongue can detect.

7

Obtain max flavor

The amount of air we exposed the chocolate to during the grind will harmonize the flavour components and mellow the insentity levels.

8

Feel good chocolate

It's easy to feel good while eating world-class chocolate made using only top notch ingredients from traceable sources.

Working with fermented cacao

1

Only about 5% of cacao in the world undergoes a controlled fermentation due to the specialized knowledge and infrastructure required in remote areas.

Transparently and ethically sourced

2

We publish our supply chain because we are proud of its contributors. You can trace all of our origins back to the farmers and fermentaries.

Roasted at different levels

3

Roasting is the primary flavour influencer that a chocolate maker directly controls. We design, and continuely tweak, a unique profile for each one of our cacao bean origins.

Shell removal

4

Cacao beans are roasted in their shells which then have to be removed before grinding. We have built many winnowers over the years to help semi-automate this labour intensive process.

Grinding the ingredients

5

Melangers stones are made of heavy granite and roll over cacao until the fat naturally liquifies and eventually smooths out. This grinding process takes a week to complete and is where all of the ingredients of chocolate come together.

Measure microns

6

We use a grindometer to measure the micron size of our chocolate near the end of the grinding process. We take our chocolate below 30 microns which is as smooth as the human tongue can detect.

Obtain max flavor

7

The amount of air we exposed the chocolate to during the grind will harmonize the flavour components and mellow the insentity levels.

Feel good chocolate

8

It's easy to feel good while eating world-class chocolate made using only top notch ingredients from traceable sources.