How Chococurb is Shaking up the Chocolate Industry

Imagine opening your door to find a box of chocolate curated just for you. And not just the chocolate you usually have. Instead, it is a box that includes chocolate from small, local chocolatiers that you most likely have never tried before. Seattle based startup, Chococurb, is making this possible. For $30-$35 a month, you get 5-7 chocolates, specifically chosen based on your preferences. We had the opportunity to hear from Rohit Parashar, Strategy and Operations Specialist for Chococurb, about what his childhood self would say about working with chocolate and how the company has grown over the past year.

TechDay: What was the inspiration for Chococurb?

Rohit Parashar: In recent years, consumers have demanded more from what they eat, moving towards places with higher-quality offerings, like Whole Foods. As one of the world’s most popular foods, chocolate is no different. (Almost) everybody loves it, but there’s a problem—the chocolate they’re eating is bad for them, or even worse, fake. With this problem in mind, Roger Ling and Kamran Amir Ali launched Chococurb in December 2014.  They wanted to create an innovative and exciting experience to re-imagine the chocolate industry.

T: Describe the company in one sentence.

R: Chococurb is a chocolate discovery platform where we help people discover extraordinary chocolate products through personalized monthly subscription boxes, original editorial content, and a full service online ecommerce shop.

T: How do you decide what chocolates go into what box?

R: When a member first signs up for Chococurb, he or she completes a “Chocolate Profile,” specifying his or her preferences.  Each month, we take these preferences along with everything a member previously received to curate a completely unique box.  Finally, we always include a mix of product types, including truffles, caramels, and more (beyond bars).

T: If you could tell your childhood self that you work with chocolate, what would they say?

R: “That’s amazing!  I truly love chocolate and it is a dream come true that I work with it!” Ever since I was a kid, chocolate has brought a great sense of joy and nostalgia for me. I love the fact that I have joined a company that is re-imagining the chocolate industry and whose primary goals are to provide premium and health conscious chocolate items to door-steps all around the world.

T: What is different about the company now in comparison to a year ago?

R: We’ve experienced tremendous growth and are rapidly gaining traction, especially during the past few months. Our partner network has drastically expanded and we are currently collaborating with 39 partners, ranging from small artisan chocolatiers to large international makers. Our team is also growing.  We’ve gone from one to two to now six employees and I couldn’t be more excited—it’s amazing to be a part of it! We’ve learned (and are still learning) a lot more about what our members want.  This enables us to provide the outstanding customer service and the best chocolate experience around.

T:  What is your differentiator?

R: We truly are a discovery platform for chocolate and NOT a “subscription box company.”  By putting together personalized boxes, we’re introducing our members (and hopefully more and more chocolate loves) to products they never would have discovered or tried on their own. With that, we are also creating a larger and more educated chocolate community by providing original content (e.g. blog articles, videos, etc.). We’re constantly innovating and improving the customer experience by soliciting feedback from our members and partners alike.  We want to make Chococurb even more exciting for them and any people who love chocolate.

T:  Any other comments/thoughts?

R: Our biggest concern is how many people are eating poor quality, fake, and unhealthy chocolate (e.g. chocolate with partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats), artificial flavors/colors, etc.).  Part of the reason is simply because they don’t know an incredible amount of better options exist.  My team and I are setting out to change this. Without taking anything away from successful chocolate brands, the industry has grown stale in the sense that almost everything about it has been constant.  We believe it’s time to shake up the industry, educating and providing consumers with healthier options, bringing them new and exciting flavors, and adding some innovation to the chocolate game.

Chococurb is ensuring that the chocolate you are eating is of higher quality and healthier than the average chocolate bar; and they are doing this right at your doorstep.

Special thanks to Rohit Parashar of Chococurb