Taza Chocolate

Taza founder and CEO Alex Whitmore took his first bite of stone ground chocolate while traveling in Oaxaca, Mexico. He was so inspired by the rustic intensity that he decided to create a chocolate factory back home in Somerville, Massachusetts. He learned to hand-carve granite mill stones to make chocolate that is less processed, so their Direct Trade cacao can shine. In 2005, he officially launched Taza with his wife, Kathleen Fulton, who is Taza’s Chief Design Officer.

Taza is a pioneer in ethical cacao sourcing. They were the first U.S. chocolate maker to establish a third-party certified Direct Trade Cacao Certification program. They maintain direct relationships with their cacao farmers and pay a premium above the Fair Trade price for their cacao.

You can find Taza Chocolate and other extraordinary American-made products at the Lap Around America store in Branson, Missouri.