Coromandel Chocolate

Coromandel Chocolate is a small family business rooted in a love story between France and New Zealand. Founder Thomas Capdevielle spent four years training at a prestigious chocolate academy in southwest France, working alongside renowned French chocolate makers, before eventually making his way to Aotearoa – where he fell in love with both the country and the Pacific cacao that grows nearby. After leading the kitchen at Honest Chocolate in Matakana, Thomas established Coromandel Chocolate and set up production in Whangamata, a corner of the country with breathtaking beauty that inspires his work every day.

Using traditional French techniques, Thomas handcrafts his chocolate from cacao sourced via Gaston Cacao, from small-scale farmers on Malekula Island in Vanuatu – a community he is deeply committed to supporting and championing. Every decision, from earth-conscious packaging to palm oil-free ingredients, reflects a business built on principles of fairness and transparency, and a genuine belief in the power of chocolate to create positive change.