Thursday, December 11, 2014

Union Kitchen's Undone Chocolate Launches 1st DC Chocolate Factory


From our friends at Union Kitchen...

The District gets its first local craft chocolate factory! Just in time for the holidays Undone Chocolate launches a small batch bean-to-bar craft chocolate company in Washington DC. Housed in Union Kitchen, an innovative food business incubator in Northeast DC, the Undone Chocolate factory roasts and grinds organic dark chocolate from cocoa beans sourced directly from small producers in Central & South America, and the Caribbean. By working with directly-sourced cocoa beans Undone Chocolate supports local economies and sustainable agricultural practices.

Cofounder Adam Kavalier received his PhD in plant science and went on to pursue research in cancer pharmacology at Cornell. While studying plant biology, Adam began experimenting with Cacao (the source of chocolate), he started making chocolate and scientifically analyzed his batches in the laboratory. Cofounder Kristen Kavalier has worked for startups in education and technology and is helping to take Undone Chocolate to the next level. Together, this husband and wife team are putting DC chocolate on the map!


As the District’s FIRST craft chocolate makers, they are excited to teach the local community about how chocolate is made and where it comes from. They will be teaching classes on how to make chocolate from scratch and organizing tasting events, including pairings with wine and cheese, all starting this winter.

Undone Chocolate plans to grow its factory within Union Kitchen and serve the local food community here in the District. Currently there is a 550 lb. stone grinder en route to the factory, just in time to grind chocolate for the holidays! Undone Chocolate will be featured in holiday markets and distributing to local retailers and local online distributors this winter.

Within the next few years Undone Chocolate plans to build it’s own stand alone chocolate factory in the District with a chocolate and coffee-centric cafe serving single origin foods and drinks from around the world! They will host tours, teach workshops and celebrate the complex and fascinating story of chocolate.

Union Kitchen is a shared commercial kitchen space in NE Washington, DC for food entrepreneurs of all kinds, providing a low-cost, low-risk, full-service kitchen for local businesses to grow. Union Kitchen lowers the barriers to entry for food businesses in order to catalyze the growth of small business, jobs, and culture. We provide the space for production and opportunities for revenues. Create. Contribute. Prosper.