Foundry Chocolate Solomon Islands 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

70 g bar - New Zealand

Some chocolates take you on a flavor journey. Foundry Chocolate's Solomon Islands 70% takes that idea quite literally. Made with cacao gathered from small farming communities scattered across three islands in the South Pacific, this bar combines the comforting richness of toasted hazelnuts and golden toffee with an unexpected spark of tropical brightness. It's warm, generous, and complex—the kind of chocolate that makes us want to settle in and savor every square.

We're particularly captivated by the way this chocolate balances its flavors. Deep caramel and buttery toffee-like notes create a rich, enveloping beginning, while roasted hazelnut adds a lovely nutty depth. Then comes a little surprise: a lively suggestion of sweet tropical zest that lifts the whole experience. We love that contrast between comforting warmth and bright, almost playful fruitiness. It's a chocolate with a lingering, satisfying character that invites another taste, and perhaps another discovery.

The cacao is known as Korosim Microlots, sourced from ten small villages across the islands of Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Vella La Vella in the Solomon Islands. Getting these beans from farm to chocolate maker isn't exactly straightforward. Harvests must travel through tropical rainforests, across rivers, and over stretches of sea. In fact, the name Korosim comes from Solomon Islands Pidgin English and means "crossing," a fitting tribute to the remarkable connections between these island communities.

Behind the cacao is a project supported by ADRA International, working with farming families to improve cacao cultivation, fermentation, and post-harvest processing. Through training in pruning, grafting, crop management, and improved drying and fermentation techniques, growers have been able to produce higher-quality cacao that commands premium prices from craft chocolate makers.

What we especially appreciate is how those improvements translate into meaningful opportunities for the families involved. According to the project, increased cacao income has helped some families send children to high school, invest in their farms, and build savings for the future. It's also encouraged younger generations to see cacao farming as a worthwhile livelihood. That's an origin story worth celebrating.

Foundry works with the 2025 vintage of Korosim Microlots cacao, transforming these carefully grown and fermented beans into an expressive 70% dark chocolate using just two ingredients: cacao and cane sugar. Even the packaging reflects the journey: Foundry co-founder Janelle Herrick created an illustration inspired by the many crossings involved in bringing this cacao together.

We think this is a wonderful bar for anyone who loves the comforting richness of nutty, caramel-forward chocolate but wants something more adventurous. And it's a particularly delicious reminder that behind every exceptional single-origin chocolate are farmers, communities, and stories that deserve to be discovered.

Tasting Notes: Toasted hazelnut, deep caramel, buttery toffee, sweet tropical zest, warm lingering finish.

Cacao Origin: Korosim Microlots, Guadalcanal, Malaita, and Vella La Vella, Solomon Islands. 2025 vintage.

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic cane sugar. No added cacao butter, lecithin, or vanilla.

Dietary: Dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, vegan, and 100% plant-based.

About Foundry Chocolate

Just north of Auckland, New Zealand, husband-and-wife team David and Janelle Herrick create extraordinary micro-batch bean-to-bar chocolate with an almost obsessive devotion to cacao's natural flavors. Working with exceptional single-origin beans, Foundry uses just cacao and organic sugar in its dark chocolate—or pure cacao for its 100% bars. No added cacao butter, vanilla, or lecithin. Their meticulous approach has earned numerous international awards, including Best in Show at the 2024 Northwest Chocolate Festival. Every bar is a delicious exploration of what makes each cacao origin unique.

Explore the full Foundry Chocolate collection at ChefShop.