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I am a chocoholic! Finding a chocolate box that seemed like a good value took a while. Raaka Chocolate was highly recommended on Reddit, so I decided to risk it. Let’s see if the people of Reddit have good taste in chocolate.
About Raaka Chocolate
Raaka Chocolate is a small chocolate maker based in New York. They use unroasted, fermented cocoa in their bars to give it more unique flavor. This also lets more of the distinct flavor notes created by growing in different region shine through in the finished product. Fun fact: Raw cacao contains more antioxidants than it’s heated counterparts.
The subscription box is called First Nibs because each month they produce two new, small-batch bars that are shipped out only to subscribers. If subscribers choose the three bar plan, the extra bar is a standard from their collection.
Pricing
A two bar subscription is $22.95/mo and a three bar subscription is $27.95/mo. Shipping is included in the subscription price. I pre-paid for three months for $84, so there was no discount for purchasing multiple months.
Example Boxes
First Box
- Vanilla Rooibos – Difficult to pick up any flavors, it just tasted like earthy chocolate.
- Hojicha & Bitter Orange – Mostly picked up hints of citrus in the background
- Matcha Swirl – Very light tea flavor and our favorite from the first box
I hosted a little chocolate tasting at home, so I got two extra bars to round out the experience:
- Maple + Nibs – There was a hint of maple, but the prominent flavor was aggressively dark cacao nibs.
- Earl Grey – I could taste the tea flavor, but it wasn’t very strong. Still quite a nice bar though.
The most interesting part of the experience was tasting bars with cocoa beans grown in different locations. I never would have noticed the difference in flavors without tasting the bars side by side. The favorite of the night was the Matcha Swirl, followed by the Earl Grey and Vanilla bars.
Second Box
- Bourbon Cask Aged – Difficult to pick up any clear flavors, but this was the best one of the bunch.
- Tamarind Ginger Ale -The flavors did not pair well and it was not enjoyable. It took several weeks for us to finish this bar and we nearly tossed it.
- Root Beer – Again, it was a very light flavor that was hard to pick up on. It was good, but we’re still dreaming about the Match Swirl from the first box.
The issue this month was that the chocolate melted in transit. We had a heat wave and the reflective bag and tiny cold pack they include was not even close to enough. I received three flavors of chocolate soup and immediately put them in the fridge to cool off. As you can see in the photos, they were deformed, discolored, and the paper was stuck in one of them.
Third Box – Delaying Until Fall
Pros & Cons of Raaka Chocolate
What I Love
- High quality chocolate
- Unique flavor due to the unroasted beans (and likely more antioxidants too!)
- Received & tried flavor combinations I never would have picked for myself
- It was fun to host a chocolate tasting night as an alternative to wine or just hanging out
- Would make a great consumable gift
The Less Desirable
- The chocolate often overpowers the other flavors in the bar
- Cold pack is not enough to combat the heat in summer months
Verdict
I really enjoyed the first box. I created a little at-home chocolate tasting with some fruit to munch on between bars.
The second box was much less enjoyable. Between the melting, paper getting stuck in the chocolate, and odd flavors, I didn’t enjoy it as much. Chocolate normally disappears pretty quickly, but it sat for a few weeks and ultimately some pieces were thrown out.
I chose to delay receiving the third box until fall so we don’t have a repeat of that experience. In the fall and winter months, this is a nice treat. Until the packaging is upgraded, it’s best to stay away from this subscription for the months of June, July, and August.
If you’re interested in signing up, you can do so here.
Alternatives
- The Original Gourmet Chocolate Club – At $61.95/box, a required 3 month commitment, shipping charges, and fees, the total comes out to about $260. That is a pretty serious financial commitment!
- Endorphin Foods – Sending out 7 bars for $45 a month (shipping included), this appears to be one of the better buys.
- JollyJoy’s Chocolate Club Box – They ship out a variety of truffles for $26/mo plus shipping. Longer subscriptions can lower the monthly price a little. This is one I’d like to try this winter.
Not in to Commitment?
You can order by the bar or sets of chocolate bars from Raaka.
If you’re looking for a variety pack, I suggest Taza Mexican style Chocolate Sampler which can be snacked on or turned into hot chocolate.
Hu Kitchen Hazelnut Praline is my current favorite.
