These goals sound noble, but the more important question is, how is the chocolate? First off, Seeds of Change chocolate bars are gorgeous. The generous, 3.53 ounce bars are encased in a gold foil wrapper, which is fully enclosed by a beautifully illustrated, full-color wrapper made of heavy paper. Each is decorated with a scene that ties into the bar’s name and origins, and inside the wrapper is an explanation of the company’s mission, and a brief history of chocolate.
Seeds of Change bars are not boring; each incorporates numerous additives that bring texture and flavor to the chocolate. Unlike some other candy bars that try to push the flavor envelope by adding savory, avante garde ingredients, Seeds of Change sticks with flavors and combinations that pair extremely well with chocolate and the traditional idea of dessert flavorings. It’s refreshing to see this playfulness produce consistently delicious chocolates across the board.
Playa del Coco is a dark (61%) chocolate with coconut. I’m a huge coconut fan, so for me, this was love at first bite. The chocolate is dark and substantial but not chalky or bitter. The coconut is generously distributed throughout and gets an extra boost from the addition of coconut extract in the chocolate. The coconut pieces are small and have a good bite, so it’s not distractingly chewy. The packaging doesn’t say whether the coconut is toasted, but it is so crisp, it seems as if it might be. This is a bar I could easily demolish in one sitting, so I’m filing it under the “so delicious it’s dangerous” category.
Santa Catarina is dark chocolate (61%) with mango toasted coconut, and cashews. The ingredient list also includes passion fruit flavor, to give it a tropical boost. I found myself really wanting to love it, because the flavor is so good. The coconut and cashews add great crunch, and the mango and passion fruit give it a really tart, fruity flavor, and it all works incredibly well together. However, some of the mango strips are rather large, and I thought they were too chewy in the otherwise smooth and crunchy chocolate bar. I don’t like things stuck in my teeth, and the mango kept distracting me. This might not be a problem for other people, but the texture kept me from giving this bar full marks.
The Seeds of Change line includes a few other flavors that incorporate hazelnuts, dried blueberries, and walnuts. The bars can be purchased from their website for $2.45 for a 3.5-ounce bar, which is a bargain in my book. The chocolate may not be the finest on the market, but I greatly enjoyed the flavors and think that these unique bars are a great value for money. An added bonus is that your purchase will help support sustainable agriculture and organic farmers worldwide.
