McGuire Chocolate Company is a bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer from St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. They sell handcrafted chocolate goods. Simple, high-quality ingredients, open sourcing, and a hands-on chocolate-making procedure are the company’s main priorities. It also features a café and engages in philanthropic initiatives as part of its giving back efforts.
Mark launched the business after learning about cacao beans while travelling through Central America on foot. He experimented with early processes, including roasting over a fire, hand peeling, and using a meat grinder, because he was fascinated by how cacao turns into chocolate. When he got back to Canada, he looked for chocolate-making instruction and experience.
After initially establishing itself in Calgary, McGuire eventually established itself in New Brunswick and grew its business. The company follows the path of quality, simplicity, and transparency. Emulsifiers, flavourings, and components that are difficult to identify are avoided, and only a small number of pronounceable ingredients are used.
Bean-to-Bar & Sourcing
Cacao is sourced from single-origin farms and estates by McGuire. Only around 5% of cacao worldwide has undergone this degree of fermentation; thus, the cacao they work with has undergone controlled fermentation, which is uncommon yet significantly affects flavour. Their chocolate bars have distinct flavour profiles that vary based on factors including roasting, fermentation, and place of origin.
Products They Offer
- Gift Boxes & Subscriptions – Curated boxes for gift giving; subscription options.
- Café Menu – The café serves in-house chocolate, ice cream, and baked goods.
- Chocolate Bars – Many varieties (dark, milk, white, vegan) and series like “The Hank Series.” Some award-winning bars.
- Truffles, Drinks, Spreads: Other chocolate products beyond bars.
Ingredients And Processes
- Cane sugar is typically used as a sweetener; artificial flavourings and additives are avoided.
- They strive for extremely fine grinding, or “below 30 microns,” which aids in flavour release and texture (smoothness).
- Dark, milk, white, vegan, and unique “Hank Series” bars are among the product ranges. Each bar in the “Hank Series,” which takes its name from their cat Hank, has a different flavour or ingredient (such as peanut butter or sea salt) and attractive packaging.
Local Presence and Community Connect
They manufacture in St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, New Brunswick. In addition to chocolate, they provide ice cream and baked products made with their bean-to-bar chocolate at their café on that town’s historic Water Street. They highlight their artisanal, small-batch approach by incorporating family into the business (children participating in taste tests, etc.).
They keep a transparent approach by allowing clients to track down the farms and fermenteries by publishing their supply chain. They bring in simplicity as they use no added flavours, emulsifiers, or difficult-to-pronounce ingredients. Ingredients are pure.
McGuire has a partnership with the ALS Society of New Brunswick & Nova Scotia, and the proceeds from specific chocolate boxes with ALS themes are given to these organizations.
Key Factors
- McGuire prepares ice packs and keeps an eye on the weather for shipments, particularly those going to warmer regions, to prevent melting during transit. The fact that chocolate can still melt even with safety measures is acknowledged.
- For orders over $75 (CAD or USD, depending on the area), delivery is free.
- Many of their bars have won awards from the International Chocolate Awards or the Academy of Chocolate. For instance, Carrot Cake White Chocolate has won a gold medal.
- If you appreciate taste transparency, you will understand the fuller flavour that comes from knowing the origins of the cacao and how it was fermented, roasted, and processed.
- For lovers of artisanal chocolate, there are key factors like premium ingredients, small batches, and attention to specifics like origin, inclusions, and grind.
- For consumers who care about ethics and social impact, McGuire’s efforts to improve supply chains, farmer incomes, and charitable contributions through controlled fermentation.
- For those giving gifts, the brand is unique due to its creative packaging and, if local, its café experience.
Conclusion
The McGuire Chocolate Company is a unique artisan bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer that blends ethics, transparency, and flavour. With its distinctive flavour selections, straightforward ingredient labels, award-winning bars, and café location in historic St. Andrews, it provides more than simply chocolate; it also offers connection, story, and artistry. Chocolate enthusiasts who are as concerned about the origins and production processes of their chocolate as they are about its flavour should definitely check out McGuire.
Experience the taste of true bean-to-bar craftsmanship. Get to know McGuire Chocolate’s award-winning bars, single-origin flavours, and artisanal creations from close quarters. Shop now at https://mcguirechocolate.com/
Your support is crucial in our mission to foster a community of innovators. CanadianSME Magazine is a valuable treasure trove of entrepreneurial knowledge. Click here to subscribe to our monthly editions for updates on Canadian businesses. Your role in staying updated is integral to our shared mission. Follow our handle @canadian_sme on X to remain updated on all business trends and developments.
