With Ghirardelli chocolate, higher cacao content means that the chocolate tastes darker, has more intense chocolate flavor, and has less sugar. However, when comparing across brands, higher cacao content may not mean darker since a chocolate made from more cocoa powder may not achieve as an intense chocolate flavor.

High quality cacao beans are the starting point of every Ghirardelli creation. From there, we process the chocolate using the methods we have worked to refine since our founding in 1852. The result is smooth, rich, slow-melting dark chocolate that continues to surprise and delight.

In 1849, Ghirardelli received news of the gold strike at Sutter's Mill and sailed to California. After doing some prospecting, Ghirardelli opened a general store in Stockton, California, offering supplies and confections to fellow miners.

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is certified kosher by KOF-K Kosher Supervision, however, Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is not Halal certified and we do not guarantee that our products comply with all Halal requirements. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-877-9338.

Teuscher. Named the Best Chocolate in the World by National Geographic Magazine, Teuscher delivers a divine chocolate experience resulting from years of chocolate passion and tradition.

Friis-Holm Chokolade (Denmark) was the most awarded with 16 prizes, including 7 silvers and 9 bronzes. Other multi-award-winners this year included: Fu Wan Chocolate (Taiwan) with 11 prizes, Kasama Chocolate (Canada) 10 prizes, Fjåk Chocolate (Norway) 10 prizes. One of the highest scores went to Mary Chocolate Co.

10 Best Chocolatiers

• Teuscher (Zurich, Switzerland)
• Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, Illinois, USA)
• Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. (
• Jacques Torres Chocolate (New York, New York, USA)
• Norman Love Confections (Ft.
• Valrhona (France)
• Godiva Chocolatier (Brussels, Belgium and worldwide)

Ghirardelli - American Heritage Since its historic beginnings in 1852, the founder Domingo Ghirardelli was dedicated to creating premium chocolate with highest quality only. Today, the historic chocolate factory at Ghirardelli Square is one of San Francisco's landmark.

Ghirardelli - American Heritage Since its historic beginnings in 1852, the founder Domingo Ghirardelli was dedicated to creating premium chocolate with highest quality only. Today, the historic chocolate factory at Ghirardelli Square is one of San Francisco's landmark.

Ghirardelli Square, considered the first successful adaptive reuse project in the country, has a history that spans more than a century and covers three continents. This specialty retail and dining complex, housing shops and restaurants, was originally a chocolate factory established by Domenico “Domingo” Ghirardelli.

Because chocolate is a plant-derived food item or ingredient, it is generally considered halal. But the source of the food item is not the only criteria because halal also depends on cleanliness. For a specific brand to pass the halal certification, it has to go through a proper assessment by authorities.

Is Chocolate Safe To Consume? Although lead and cadmium were found in all of the dark chocolates tested, five had safe levels of the heavy metals. Ghirardelli, Mast, Valrhona and Taza Chocolate had bars with cadmium and lead levels under California's maximum allowable dose level (MADL).