The Organic House is Burlington's own award-winning chocolate factory

In a Burlington business park, a faint smell of chocolate comes from a small unit. 

The Organic House opened in 2020, just as the world was shutting its doors, and has offered Burlington and the GTA organic, vegan, gluten free, and refined sugar-free craft chocolate. 

“We’re bean to bar, so our chocolate is going to taste different than anything bought at the store,” Deanna Forder, one of the owners of The Organic House said. “If you went to the store and got a 70 per cent dark chocolate bar, and then came here to get our 70 per cent dark chocolate, you’d find the store bought one to be bitter because of how it’s processed. Ours will not be bitter.”

The company sources chocolate from as far away as the Philippines and Madagascar to offer dark salted caramel, clementine, and lavender maple chocolate bars among many others. To keep everything vegan, the shop uses cashew or oat milk instead of dairy, which they say is equal to – if not better – than a standard milk chocolate bar.

Forder calls it healthy chocolate, and it is even safe for diabetics due to a low GI index of 35. 

“We don’t use refined sugars, and we don’t use cane sugars,” Forder said. “We use organic coconut flower nectar which is a sustainable sugar. It comes from the sap of the flower, so we don’t harm the tree at all while it’s being harvested.”

Since opening the shop four years ago, the team has had success from the International Chocolate Awards and World Chocolate Awards. Last year, The Organic House won seven International awards and three World awards.

Best sellers include lavender, maple, coffee, and banana chocolates. Fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, and peach – all of which are sourced from Niagara Falls when they are in season before being freeze dried – are also popular. 

Outside of selling to the public, Forder is passionate about educating people about the responsibilities of sustainable chocolate making. 

“We’re in direct trade with farmers, we ensure there is no child labour involved with the farms, and that the farmers are getting a fair wage,” she said. “There are enough documentaries out there to show us that many farmers are making a dollar a day, and that’s not what we’re about. And that’s why we’re a bit more expensive than what you might find at the grocery store.”

The Organic House is available for demonstrations and public events where visitors can make their own chocolate bars, and choose their own fillings. Forder and the staff are sure to help keep the mess to a minimum, and share their knowledge and expertise on the supply chain, roasting process, and the ethics involved with chocolate production. 

The Organic House is located at 1016 Sutton Dr., unit C10, where chocolate made in the factory is sold on site. Online orders are also available through The Organic House website, and bars are for sale at Makers in Mapleview Centre.