KNOW YOUR CHOCOLATE-Our Mission Statement & Company Pledges

Our Mission- To provide premium artisan foods & confections with a unique culinary perspective while maintaining sustainable & ethical operations and contributing to our local community.

Sustainability- Cacao Sourcing & Green Operations

We have proudly allied ourselves with Guittard Chocolate of San Francisco for all of our chocolate sourcing. Family owned and operated for over 150 years, Guittard Chocolate products are created from cocoa beans that are sourced from around the world for their quality and their sustainability. Cocoa growing is unique because 80% of the world crop is produced on little more than 10 acres, and as such is a limited commodity that requires unique considerations. Some of their cocoa beans are bought through direct relationships with the cacao farmers and some are sourced through agents that the farmers choose to represent their products. They pay a premium well over the market value for the high quality cocoa beans to produce the phenomenal bulk chocolate that we use exclusively for our entire chocolate line.

We feel strongly about global efforts toward sustainability of the environment of the cocoa growing regions and the well being of cocoa workers. We have chosen Guittard not only for the culinary integrity of their chocolate, but also because of their community involvement. They are members of The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), a public-private member group of stakeholders in cocoa whose members represent many world governments, world banks, private foundations, researchers, & producers. Through WCF, Guittard is a funding partner of the Cocoa Livelihoods Program (CLP), delivering essential support to insure quality of life for farmers through sustainable cocoa growing. They are also funding partners of the ECHOES program (Empowering Cocoa Households with Opportunities and Education Solutions) which is dedicated to improving sustainable cacao farming in West Africa.

Commercially, Guittard is licensed by Fairtrade Labeling Organization, for greater profit for the farmer, and they source cocoa beans that are Rainforest Alliance Certified, for greater sustainability. Gary Guittard, current CEO, is a volunteer member of the Fairtrade Labeling Organization’s Cocoa Products Advising Council, a diverse group of cocoa community experts providing strategic advice on Fair Trade Certification of cocoa.

We strive to maintain “green” operations which includes our dedication to using only corn-based & post-consumer paper products for all to-go containers, onsite recycling for all appropriate cardboard & plastics, recycling of all grease trap and cooking fat emissions for reuse as bio-fuel, and reuse of all external shipping & packing materials.

Product Integrity- Ingredient & Dietary Considerations

Everything that bears the Eclipse Chocolat name consists of hand-selected ingredients, including organic items when possible.

We proudly feature couverture chocolate for use in our entire chocolate line. Couverture is of the highest quality chocolate available, containing extra cocoa butter content as high as 32-39%. This high percentage of cocoa butter, the natural fat contained in the cacao pod, contributes to the chocolate’s luxurious mouthfeel and velvety texture. Mass manufactured chocolate can contain as little as 3-5% cocoa butter and is often augmented with the addition of vegetable fats such as partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Cocoa butter is far superior to vegetable fats and is the only saturated fat that does not contribute to one’s LDL (or bad) cholesterol. Because it melts at body temperature, it is also used in high-end cosmetics. This means global demand of cocoa butter far outstrips demand for the other main component of chocolate, cocoa solids (or cocoa liquor), making it the most expensive component in creating chocolate.

Upholding tradition, all of our chocolate contains trace amounts of soy lecithin, a natural emulsifier that ensures shelf life and texture. Chocolate without soy lecithin is typically described as “grainy” or “sandy” because of its limited ability to retain crystallization.

We happily label our products for special dietary considerations. We currently feature 6 vegan chocolate bars, 2 vegan truffles, 1 gluten-free pastry.

We label all of our products according to USDA guidelines and never use artificial ingredients or preservatives.

Artisan Production- Onsite Manufacturing & Packaging

All of our products are produced and packaged by hand in small batches. We even produce all of the component ingredients (like peanut butter toffee, cayenne-candied hazelnut, & creme fraiche caramel) from which our chocolates and pastries are created. Because this process is intimately tied to personal handling and not mass-manufacturing, it is sometimes challenging to maintain inventory on our most popular items  and some flavors are only seasonally available.

Community Involvement-Charitable Contributions & In-Kind Donations

We are proud to pledge 10% of our net-profits to local non-profits and charities. This program is budgeted quarterly, based on our net income projections, and typically takes form as In-Kind donations. Because our pledge is public, we often see 3-5 donation requests each week. While we would like to support all organizations, our budget is typically allocated 2-3 months in advance due to high demand. In years past, our contributions have gone to a diverse group of organizations including: The SD Zoo, Elderhelp, The La Jolla Playhouse, SD Pride, AIDS Lifecycle, Scripps’ HOPE Fund, Foundation for Change, SD Children’s Museum,  and dozens of similar charities.