There’s buzz in the news about Washington D.C. getting its first chocolate factory next summer. We can only hope there will be a chocolate river moat surrounding the whole thing!

Founders of the company “Concept C”, Sarah and Colin Hartman, are the chocolatiers planning this endeavor. Sarah is a culinary school graduate, and her husband Colin is a Wharton MBA grad and former U.S. Marine.

The couple plan to specialize in bars made with cocoa beans from the Amazon and rainforests in Brazil. Back in D.C. their factory will be located right next to DC Brau – anyone else thinking chocolate stout specials?

Like most of the cocoa producing world, Brazilian cocoa farms were hit with a fungal infestation that devastated the industry decades ago. The farmers there mostly shut down their cocoa farms or converted them into more lucrative businesses to get by.

One hope of the Hartmans, is to use the chocolate industry to help restore the rainforest. The “C” in their business name “Concept C” stands for both chocolate and conservation.

They plan to donate a portion of their sales to reserves in that seek to purchase deforested, unproductive farm land and help bring back native plants and wildlife to Brazil.

To begin their product line, Concept C will make an Amazon dark chocolate bar, an Atlantic rainforest one, and a mixture of the two for the “pure Brazilian” bar. In the future, bars that include Brazilian fruits may be in store, as well as bonbons. The two also plan to sell cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and cocoa nibs.

"We really want to become a strong part of the food industry here and the food movement," Colin Hartman says. Although they would like to distribute nationally, the Hartmans will be striving to have a very local focus.

Upon opening, the chocolate factory will host tours, tastings, and workshops. Carry on, Concept C, Chocolate University Online supports you.

Original story from Washington City Paper by Jessica Sidman.

Photo: “Lincoln Memorial and $5” by Ryan McFarland is licensed under (CC BY 2.0) / cropped from original

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Ashleigh Rader

Content Developer at Chocolate University Online

All her life, Ashleigh has enjoyed, indulged in, and spread the gift of chocolate. She says, "life's too short to skip dessert." Ashleigh joined CUO to help share on our blog and social networks more about the wonders of chocolate.

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