New Supplier: Bare Bones Chocolate

Bare Bones Chocolate is a micro-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker based in Glasgow, founded by Cameron and Lara. Passionate about chocolate and speciality foods, they set out to create a brand dedicated to producing outstanding chocolate with careful attention to every detail.

Their chocolate is crafted in a city-centre workshop in batches of around 30 kg. The cacao is roasted on a modified Giesen coffee roaster, and some of the equipment has been custom-designed to achieve the highest quality for these small-batch productions

Bare Bones Chocolate sources outstanding cacao beans from rare and remarkable origins across the globe, paying prices significantly higher than the standard Fairtrade market rate. Choosing speciality cacao means recognising and rewarding the true value of the farmers’ skill and dedication.

By paying a premium, they help ensure better-quality harvests, support the long-term sustainability of farms, and build strong, lasting partnerships with growers.

There’s no secret to it — exceptional chocolate starts with exceptional farmers.

When the cacao sacks arrive at the workshop, every stage of the process is carried out with great care.

The beans are hand-sorted, with each one inspected for defects. Any beans that are poorly fermented or damaged are removed, ensuring that only the highest-quality beans are used.

Next, the beans are roasted in a modified coffee roaster in small 5 kg batches. A slow, gentle roast allows the natural sugars to caramelise and the unique flavours of each bean to fully develop. The roaster provides precise control over the heat while continuously rotating the beans, ensuring even roasting — a level of consistency not possible with standard ovens.

After roasting, the beans are cracked to separate the husks from the nibs using a modified grain mill. The nibs are then carefully separated from the husks through winnowing, leaving pure cacao ready to be crafted into chocolate.

The nibs are combined with a small amount of cocoa butter in a heavy stone grinder, known as a melanger. Sugar is added, and the mixture is ground for up to 72 hours, reducing the particle size and creating a smooth, velvety chocolate. This extended three-day process also mellows the chocolate, removing volatile acids and reducing the bitterness often found in dark chocolate.

Once ground, the chocolate is aged for two to three weeks, allowing the flavours to develop further. Much like fine wine or cheese, chocolate evolves and enriches over time.

After ageing, the chocolate is tempered, aligning its crystal structure to stabilise the bar and produce a crisp, satisfying snap.

Each bar is hand-wrapped in Vegware compostable sheets and sealed with the signature “Handcrafted in Glasgow” label. The boxes are carefully labelled, stamped, and folded by hand, and are made from recycled coffee cups. All packaging is sourced from recycled materials and is 100% recyclable or compostable after use.

We now sell their beautiful handcrafted chocolate bars and indulgent hot chocolate flakes in our Foodhall, so our customers can enjoy the full flavour and care that goes into every bar.