Why We Use Barry Callebaut

When you bite into a Harry Specters chocolate, the first thing you notice is the flavour. The second is the finish: silky, clean, and beautifully balanced. That comes down to craft… and it also comes down to the chocolate we start with.

That’s why we use Callebaut: a heritage Belgian chocolate maker known for consistent couverture, dependable performance in the kitchen, and a taste that lets our fresh ingredients do their best work. And just as importantly, it’s a choice rooted in values, because Callebaut’s cocoa sourcing is tied to the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, supporting farming communities through practical, long-term programmes.

History

In the small Belgian town of Wieze, Octaaf Callebaut had been quietly working on a chocolate recipe of his own. For months, the scent of freshly roasted cocoa beans filled the air and sparked curiosity. When his first chocolate emerged from the conche and was shared with those around him, it marked the beginning of what would become Callebaut’s Finest Belgian Chocolate.

It didn’t take long for local shops and their customers to fall for this new chocolate, and for the story to travel far beyond the nearby villages.

In 2011, Callebaut celebrated 100 years of chocolate making alongside artisan chefs around the world. A century on from the original recipes created in 1911, that same respect for tradition continues to shape every new batch.

Quality you can taste (and we can trust)

Great chocolate should do two things at once: taste incredible on its own, and make everything built around it taste even better. Callebaut helps us deliver both.

• Smooth, rounded flavour that creates a luxurious base for our ganaches, caramels, pralines and fruit-led fillings

• A clean melt and satisfying snap - the kind of finish that makes a chocolate feel truly premium

• Consistency we can rely on, so every box tastes the way it should, whether you’re ordering today or gifting next month

In short: it’s a chocolate that behaves brilliantly behind the scenes, and shines in every bite.

Ethical cocoa, with real-world impact

Callebaut sources cocoa through a sustainability approach tied to the Cocoa Horizons Foundation, which they founded in 2015. For every pack we purchase, part of that value is reinvested back into farming communities, supporting practical programmes that focus on farmer training and stronger livelihoods.

Through work directly with farmer groups, the Foundation helps:

• Improve farming knowledge and productivity

• Support young farmers building long-term careers in cocoa

• Empower women farmers with training and opportunity

So when we choose this chocolate, we’re choosing quality and responsibility, because better cocoa starts with better outcomes for the people who grow it.