Raglan Chocolate

Mike Renfree was working as a food technologist for an industrial confectioner in Hamilton when his employer switched to a cheaper type of cacao mass made with lower-quality beans. To Mike, the flavour was vastly inferior, and he couldn’t stop wondering why. His research led him not just to the world of specialty cacao, but to the darker side of the mainstream chocolate industry, where issues with modern slavery and illegal child labour in the supply chain are well documented. After discovering that it was possible to make his own bean-to-bar chocolate, he was instantly hooked. He built a tiny chocolate workshop in his basement, bought a small roaster, and started learning everything he could.

Mike launched Raglan Chocolate in 2017 with his partner Simone Downey, who looks after everything outside of the chocolate making. Their cacao is sourced exclusively from Pacific neighbours – Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Vanuatu – and inside each wrapper is a photo and story of the grower, making the connection between maker and farmer tangible for every customer. Raglan Chocolate's commitment to sustainability runs deep, from their plastic-free packaging and minimal waste production, to their strong ties with the people of Raglan – a town that, as Mike puts it, makes you feel like anything is possible.