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"A 70% dark chocolate bar is really common, and that means thirty percent of that is gonna be your sweetener. And if thirty percent of that doesn’t really have flavor besides just sweet, then you’re losing a lot of opportunity there."
-Will Marx, Founder of WM Chocolate
Very few chocolate makers are truly going down a new and unusual path these days, and honestly, at first glance, neither is Will Marx. He's making (mostly) plain dark chocolates from ethically sourced single origin cacao.
But simplicity can be a good thing— it takes away the complicated window dressing and opens up the world of artisan food to a larger group of consumers. In it's own way, that's sort of revolutionary.
Over the last year in particular, Will's been restructuring his business in uncommon ways in order to more closely match his core values of high ethics, high flavor, and low environmental impact. So in this interview, the two of us dig into refined sugars, fine liquor, and enlightened outsourcing. I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation as much as I enjoyed having it.
To read more about craft chocolate, check out my article on Millennnials in Chocolate and my guide to where to buy craft chocolate online.
Topics We Cover
- how Will got started making chocolate for his own health reasons, and then decided to turn from-scratch chocolate making into a business
- types of sweeteners in chocolate, and the pros & cons of each
- Just Panela and the process of turning cane grass into sugar
- how his overall goals with his chocolate and with his company are directing his new business plan
- chocolate as music
- the logistics of moving towards "enlightened outsourcing" and why he's no longer bean to bar
- his approach towards getting his chocolate into more retail shops
- the impact of the pandemic upon how he'll choose to run his business many years into the future
Connect With Will & WM Chocolate
WM Chocolate on Instagram.
WM Chocolate on Facebook.
Connect With Chocolate On The Road
On Instagram: @chocolateontheroad
On Facebook: @chocolateontheroad
Show music is Roadtrip by Phil Reavis, and our transition music is We’re Gonna Be Around by People Like Us & Sweet Dreams by Lobo Loco.
To listen to the previous episode, click here.
Boris Modrian
Hello Max,
I just read your shortest update ever and I am apologizing for my lack of support.
I often thought of congratulating you on your wonderful interviews but was just too lazy or too busy.
Bottom line is to me your interviews are the ones I most look forward to reading. There are alot of pod casts out there but most of them are promoting something were as you just promote chocolate. Your passion and knowledge really come through in the inerviws. Laren Heinek is a great interviewer but I enjoy your's much more.
I hope more people come forward to show their appreciation. I realize how much work you put into your blogs but I hope you can find a way to keep doing them, even in a scaled down fasion.
No matter what you decide I'm grateful for the great content you have provided.
A Loyal Fan
Max
There's no need to apologize, Boris! I'm glad you're enjoying the interviews; that's the exact reason I do them. Hopefully I'll be able to cover a wider region by next year, but for now I'm just doing my best with what's available. The blog will certainly stay, but I won't be able to keep up with 5+ posts a month like in years previous. It will probably be more like 2, as I have a couple other long-term projects in the works, too. There's more stuff coming, so definitely stay tuned! 🙂