They say looks can be deceiving, but sometimes the surface tells the whole story. Such is the case with the new Vancouver-based boutique chocolate company, Beta5, whose name is derived from the crystalline structure of cocoa butter in its most stable form. “This matrix gives fine chocolate its distinctive shine and crisp snap,” explains owners Jessica Rosinski and Adam Chandler.
You may have seen their confections at chic markets like the Dirty Apron Delicatessen or Le Marché St. George—bright silver tins full of chocolate-covered fruits and nuts, or “polygon” chocolate bars wrapped in molecular-themed paper. The look is sleek, minimal, modern, even a little cheeky, and you’ll find that true about the chocolate and their retail store–meets-workshop on Industrial Avenue too.
Rosinski and Chandler set out to open a business that revolves around innovation and craftsmanship. For them, that means working with a cocoa manufacturer who maintains direct relationships with a number of plantations around the world. “The cacao harvested on these plantations is some of the highest quality available, and is sold directly from farmer to manufacturer, completely outside of the commodity market. The result is a much more sustainable industry, producing unique, nuanced chocolates,” Chandler explains.
They also source beautiful local ingredients, like sun-dried Okanagan cherries, hazelnuts from Poplar Grove Orchards in Agassiz, and Avalon dairy products—then put a playful spin on it all, like with their deadly chocolate-covered, freeze-dried blueberries, or their award-winning tobacco ganache. Just be careful, you might become addicted.
