Raw Chocolate Love is a brand of gourmet chocolates that produce small bars with a big effect. Their chocolates contain a range of ingredients—from sea salt to Earl Grey and even lavender—but all are 100% pure, organic, and full of antioxidants that successful nourish the body, mind, and soul. Raw Chocolate Love refuses to use flavor extracts or preservatives in their recipes and all their delicious offerings are subsequently gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. The company creates both handmade bars and truffles via a small chocolate lab in New York City.
They use only the highest quality ingredients including “vitamin L” which stands for love.
Raw Chocolate Love was founded by holistic health counselor, musical artist, and chocolate aficionado Shimon Pinhas in 2008. A graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Shimon takes pride in serving chocolate that is both delicious and healthy. In the early days of his company, he peddled his wares around NYC via bicycle. This led to him successfully selling samples to over twenty-five stores. As of 2019, business is booming, and Raw Chocolate Love even had a popular booth at the popular Long Island Chocolate Expo.
Shimon Pinhas recently granted an exclusive interview where he discussed his company, chocolate, and more.
Health counseling, starting a company, and flavors
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you first discover your love for chocolate and what’s your personal favorite blend?
Shimon Pinhas (SP): I understand that chocolate is healthy depending on how you make it. I learned to start making Raw Chocolate for myself. My favorite bland is 85 percent dark and coconut, but I love all flavors every day.
I also love to experiment and try to find new flavors!
MM: When did you get into health counseling and holistic medicine?
SP: When I studied Nutrition at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It's interesting and fascinating to learn about ourselves and our body...and making quality and healthy chocolate with the intention to spread the love and quality with everyone.
Love and quality are things that we all need and deserve in life.
MM: You’re also a musical artist, so what kind of music do you create?
SP: I used to own a music rehearsal studio, and I play a little.
MM: What was the process of starting the business like, especially in the early days when you sold chocolates via your bike?
SP: I made chocolate for myself and one day I gave pieces of some of my chocolate to someone at a health food store where I live. They liked it and wanted to sell it so I made a few chocolate bars for them and they sold it in a few days. Then I got my bike and, in one day, I got a lot of interest and received an order from 15 health food stores! That’s how everything started.
MM: How has your company grown and expanded since its establishment in 2008?
SP: The company grows a little every year. I love what I do, and that passion comes through in the flavors.
MM: What kinds of chocolate do you offer and which flavors are most exotic?
SP: I offer the finest quality chocolate that is organic, very healthy, and contains no dairy, soy, or gluten. It’s also vegan and low-glycemic without any preservatives or similar process ingredients. I also made sure my chocolate nurses the body by including superfoods ingredients with essential vitamins and minerals. We have some very unique flavors, like chocolate infused with rose, lavender, white truffle oil, earl grey components.
Holidays, new blends, and chocolate expos
MM: Do you create any special treats for holidays like Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas? -
SP: Yes, we have some special shapes and flavors for these special days!
MM: Are you going to be releasing any new blends soon?
SP: Yes, I just made a new flavor not long ago it’s called "Earl Grey," and it is yummy!
MM: What were your experiences at the 2019 Long Island Chocolate Expo like?
SP: The show was fun. It is nice and satisfying to share the love and quality with everyone since we need it and deserve it. There were many visitors to my booth who enjoyed our samples.
MM: What is your motto and/or advice or some closing words?
SP: Eat good, be good, do good! We are all connected and need each other to survive. When we share we all grow.
