La BeanBox

What's in the box: A curated selection of bean-to-bar chocolate bars from craft makers, many of whom process cocoa in its country of origin.

La BeanBox is a Belgian chocolate subscription built around bean-to-bar makers, small chocolatiers who roast their own cocoa beans and control every step of production. Founder Alice Voisin has been selecting chocolate for more than ten years. She favours makers who turn cocoa into chocolate in the countries where it grows, such as Madagascar, Peru and Vietnam. She says she visits producers in person to check their ethics and to keep the supply chain from grower to subscriber as short as possible. Taste is the main selection criterion, with attention to cacao genetics, terroir and roasting quality. The brand openly positions itself against the big industrial chocolate companies, pointing to deforestation, child labour and low farmer incomes as reasons to buy differently. You can subscribe for yourself or give the box as a gift, and the site has a guide to help you pick a plan. The site is in French and the business feels small and personal: the founder's own phone number is listed for delivery questions, and shipments are adjusted in hot weather to protect the chocolate. The front page does not give prices, box size or delivery frequency, so check the subscription pages before you sign up.