A vegan chocolatier has opened in Miami’s Bay Harbor Islands. The new shop, called BON Chocolatier, specializes in high-end, Kosher-certified chocolates that are free from dairy, palm oil, corn syrup, preservatives, artificial flavors, and hydrogenated oils.
According to local news source Miami New Times, the shop was opened by Paris native Deborah Andreu, who trained for years under a master pastry chef in Belgium in order to master chocolate-making. Her husband, Yoann, is a former real estate agent. According to the Andreus, BON is the largest artisan chocolatier in Florida. The shop makes truffles, chocolate coins, and classic treats like chocolate-covered pretzels.
Every vegan truffle in BON Chocolatier is color-coded by flavor with Pantone-esque shades. Some flavors, like the rich, chocolatey shade of the Dark Chocolate Himalayan Salt truffle or the light green shade of Creamy Pistachio, can be guessed upon glance. Others, like the sky-blue Fluffy Marshmallow Vanilla, come as a surprise. Yoann says that all of the flavors were developed with the diverse Miami clientele in mind.
“We came up with three main flavors. The praline is French, and we wanted to stick to our roots. However, it’s not too sweet,” he said. “For the ganache, it’s pretty much a mandatory flavor because it’s a traditional way of making the truffle. We did the fruit collection since we have access to so much fresh fruit in South Florida. My favorite is the mango.”
“We are very impressed with the reception because it’s been a success from the first week,” Yoann continued. “People also really enjoy the unexpected flavors, like quinoa with chocolate. Major companies such as Saks and businesses in the Design District have already started contacting us because they heard how unique and amazing our chocolate is that we make locally onsite at our shop.”
According to Reuters, the demand for high-quality, healthier chocolate is on the rise as sales of classic candy bars like Hershey’s milk chocolate and Kit Kats stagnate. Dark, raw, and artisan chocolates are all attracting health-conscious consumers who are looking for less processed options.
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