Ok there weren’t any umpa lumpas and we didn’t need a golden ticket to get in, but the chocolate factory tour to be had at Creo Chocolate (122 NE Broadway, PDX) is quite special indeed. This past Saturday a group of four of us enjoyed this entertaining, informative and especially tasty one hour experience. The tour ($20/pp) featured where chocolate comes from (Cacao trees), it’s history as a trade and ritual element in South and Central America, and, of course, every step of how it is made. Further, each tour attendee got to make his or her own bar of chocolate - custom flavored from a pick of 20+ additional ingredients! Way too fun. Complete with tasting options at every stage of the process, you’ll want to put this activity square on your list of to do’s.

Located at 122 NE Broadway, Creo Chocolate Factory is a gem indeed. Stop in for an amazing selecstion of hand-crafted chocolate and take part in a fun, informative tour that allows you to make your own chocolate bar! Image: Dan Meyers

A view inside Creo Chocolate Factory. If you enjoy chocolate, this place is your jam. Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers

Creo, A Blend of Love and Creativity

With a "love for how things are made," in 2014 Janet and Tim Straub, along with their son Kevin, founded and began operating Creo Chocolate Factory. Getting its roots from running a highly successful raspberry farm north of Longview, Wa. for decades, the Straubs started experimenting with making batches of homemade chocolate several years ago. And after touring North America, tasting chocolate in every conceivable venue, and realizing the vast differences in quality, taste, and purity between industrial chocolate (the kind you find at 7-eleven) and true, “craft chocolate”, the opportunity was clear. Now one of 5 craft chocolate makers in Portland, and one of three with a storefront, Creo has risen to the top of the game winning many awards for its creations. And therein lies the root of its name: Creo means “create” in Latin and “I believe” in Spanish. These words capture the heart behind the business, which operates in a way that serves to protect its growers/farmers in a truly respectable way.

Harvested from Cacao trees that grow in tropical regions around the world, each "pod" has enough beans for about one chocolate bar. The beans, sour and sweet (and nothing like chocolate upon removal), are dried, fermented, and finally roasted (after… — Harvested from Cacao trees that grow in tropical regions around the world, each "pod" has enough beans for about one chocolate bar. The beans, sour and sweet (and nothing like chocolate upon removal), are dried, fermented, and finally roasted (after purchase) in the first steps to making chocolate. Take the tour at Creo to get the rest of the "farm to table" story...it is quite compelling. Image Courtesy: Dan Meyers (this picture was on the wall at Creo, I shot it with my camera).

Firmly bucking the trend of exploiting farmers in Central and South America, which has a long and negative neo-colonial history, the owners of Creo have created a legacy that goes beyond even the Fair Trade Act. They deal direct with their suppliers and pay them an above market price. Why? Because having owned and operated their raspberry farm for so many years, they know all too well how expensive and laborious running a farm is. The generous deals they make with their farmers helps to ensure their success and security. And while these higher costs are indeed seen in the end price of their incredible chocolate...let’s just say you more than get what you pay for.