Sustainability is more than a buzzword—it’s a necessity in today’s chocolate industry. As consumers demand eco-friendly practices, chocolatiers must adapt their operations to reduce waste and improve efficiency. One often-overlooked aspect of sustainability is the role of high-quality molds.

In the world of chocolate production, the choice of mold can make or break a product. Polycarbonate injection molds have become the gold standard for chocolatiers, and for good reason. 

Chocolate molding has a rich history that bridges the gap between traditional artistry and modern technology. For centuries, chocolatiers have used molds to create intricate designs and unique shapes that delight consumers. Artisan chocolatiers rely on molds as a canvas for their creativity, crafting products that tell a story. Meanwhile, industrial manufacturers leverage molds to meet the demands of mass production while maintaining quality and precision. Micelli Chocolate Molds sits at the intersection of these two worlds.

West Babylon, NY, based Micelli  Chocolate Mold Company (micelli.com) is pleased to announce the acquisition of Edgewood, NY, based Aztec Tool Company, Inc (aztectool.com). The purchase expands Aztec’s growing commercial and industrial toolmaking and plastic injection molding capabilities, while Micelli refocuses exclusively on its chocolate, confections and related markets. Aztec Tool Company has been renamed and rebranded Aztec Tooling & Injection Molding Company to reflect its expanded capabilities, complete with new logo design.

This family-run chocolate manufactory located in Portland, Oregon is run by wife and husband team Jessica and Charley Wheelock. Their passion for craft chocolate sent them on a journey towards understanding and perfecting every step of the bean-to-bar process – and all that had work really paid off.

Read our interview below and learn about the goings-on at their spacious Manufactory – where all of their delicious craft chocolate is produced.

Keep reading to discover more about Woodblock Chocolate.

We’re back for another installment of For the Love of Making Chocolate. Our latest talk with the trailblazers at SPOT delves into the enticing chocolate edibles experience they’re crafting in the legalized state of Washington. No strangers to being first on the scene, they broke onto the legalized market with their french couverture chocolate in 2014 and have continued to produce high quality and innovative products since then.

Sourcing only the finest organic cannabis to work with they ensure that each bar of their chocolate is precisely infused for a reliable and delicious product. A passion for quality is the driving force behind this pioneering brand and is mirrored in their tagline – “It’s legal now, you deserve the best.”

Read our interview to discover more about SPOT!

Kiva Confections, based in Oakland, California, creates cannabis infused artisan chocolates that serve patients looking for alternative ways of consuming their medicinal cannabis. Their dedication to efficiency, safety, and quality make them the leader in a progressive, burgeoning market.

In 2010, Founders Scott Palmer and Kristi Knoblich set out to become pioneers in the medicinal cannabis market by meticulously crafting some of California’s most highly regarded edibles. Their market requires a high degree of accuracy, consistency, and definition - a perfect challenge for the precision and craft of Micelli's polycarbonate injection molds.  The fine ingredients and skillful craft to making their chocolates mirrors the integrity of Kiva Confections– to produce quality products that promote quality treatment. 

Recently, we reached out to our friends at Kiva Confections to understand how they have found their sweet-spot in a budding industry. 

Read Our Entire Interview

Art Pollard, founder of Amano Artisan Chocolate, is a hands-on kind of guy with a keen eye for quality and a passion for connecting with farmers and getting to the source of the bean. He travels the world looking for the highest quality cacao beans and searching for the farmers that grow with their hearts. 

Based in Utah’s Wasatch Mountain range in the heart of the Rockies, Amano is dedicated to creating some of the world’s most exquisite chocolate through traditional techniques. “Amano means ‘by hand’ and ‘they love’ in Italian, and that describes the care and perfection that Amano brings to chocolate and in turn to the people who savor it.” 

Pollard visits plantations, forms deep and long-lasting relationships with farmers, and even helps them improve their processes to raise the standard of their cacao beans.

Recently, we sat down with Art Pollard of Amano Artisan Chocolate to discover how he got his start and what drives him to continue searching the world for the best cacao.  

Read Our Entire Interview

While we are well equipped to bring even the wildest imaginations to life, we are continuously impressed and inspired by the ideas our clients bring to us to execute.

When founders Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor of Dick Taylor Chocolate came to us, we knew it was not innovation, but tradition, that drove this duo to create.

When they got their start, they were fueled by the desire to disrupt the mass produced chocolate bar industry with a focus on high quality ingredients that enhance the rich flavor of the chocolate.

Read the full interview here and learn why Dick Taylor Chocolate changing the “bean to bar” game.

Derrick Pho, Master Chocolatier and founder of the Chocolate Technology Center, is committed to educating the next generation of chocolatiers.

Through his years of experience and raw passion for the art of making chocolate, Pho has realized that having a deep understanding of the behavior of chocolate is the key to consistency–which also happens to be the key to success. At The Chocolate Technology Center, he deconstructs the process to the very basics to ensure that students have a firm grasp on chocolate theory so that they can effectively, and tastefully, translate that to a delicious product.

Based in Toronto, Pho co-founded Sambirano Valley Chocolat, a premium Madagascar pure origin couverture chocolate, which contains a very high percentage of cocoa butter. He also created the Canadian Intercollegiate Chocolate Competition, held at Humber College in Toronto, and oversaw the Canadian selection and coaching for the highest distinction of the international chocolate competition. 

A client of Micelli, Pho is deeply invested in educating, inspiring and empowering his successors. To learn more about what fuels Pho and the intention of the Chocolate Technology Center to grow, influence and pioneer the future of chocolate, we had to pick his forward-thinking brain. 

Read His Full Interview

We’ve always known that the best and the brightest come to Micelli to bring their creations to life, but when we met Norman Love, we knew we’d seen a star.

Love got his start as a pastry chef, trained in France, and went on to head up the global kitchens of Ritz Carlton as executive pastry chef. During this time he developed a deep understanding for the necessity of quality ingredients for a superior final product and eventually took matters into his own hands, opening a confectionary.

Love has been featured by USA Today, The Today Show, Robb Report, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, Forbes and The Oprah Magazine for his creative, and expertly crafted, chocolates. 

Read his vibrant story and see how his custom Micelli polycarbonate injection molds tie it all together.