Chocolate Pairings that Grow Together - Bold Origin Flavors

In our last blog, we explored how nuts, plant-based milks, and staple crops—each deeply rooted in cacao’s homeland—bring comfort, crunch, and creamy richness to chocolate. But the story of “what grows together goes together” doesn’t end with the familiar. Across cacao-growing regions, bold flavors and aromatic companions thrive alongside the cocoa tree, inspiring chocolate makers to venture beyond the expected.

Now, we invite you to discover chocolate’s bolder flavor companions. Imagine the satisfying depth of freshly roasted local coffee, the herbal intrigue of traditional teas, the delight of edible flowers, and the fiery embrace of local spices and chilis—all growing in harmony with cacao.  Join us as we celebrate the adventurous, the aromatic, and the unforgettable combinations that only origin can offer.

Coffee: The Richly Satisfying Energy Boost

Why Coffee and Chocolate Work Together

Cacao has a long-standing relationship with coffee in many origin countries, particularly in Latin America and Africa. Both thrive in similar climates and are often grown on the same farms. The sweet, roasted complexity of coffee deepen chocolate’s richness, making it a powerful pairing in bars and drinks.

With countless pairings worldwide, we'll travel the world of coffee and chocolate by country.

Ecuador

Cárdenas Chocolate 72% featuring local, specialty Jipijapa Coffee. It's almost as fun to say as it is to eat. And Mashpi Coffee Bar - made primarily from ground coffee from their sibling project Reserva Intillacta combined with Arriba Nacional cocoa butter, this bar packs a caffeine punch—equivalent to one shot of espresso per square!

Jamaica

Pure Chocolate Jamaica 70% with Coffee, One One Cacao 71% Blue Mountain Coffee, and Likkle More 68% Blue Mountain Coffee Chocolate all feature the highly coveted, world-famous Blue Mountain coffee in their incredible dark chocolate bars.

Brazil

The world leader in coffee production, tree-to-bar Baianí Chocolate Brazilian Coffee 70% has teamed-up with locally-grown Latitude 13º Roasters organic coffee for its award-winning bar. 

 

 

Vietnam

Residing in the world’s second-largest coffee-producing nation, Marou Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44% pays excellent homage to Vietnam’s prized robusta coffee.

 

 

 

Thailand

Newer to the coffee scene, Siamaya Chocolate Hill Coffee & Pomelo Dark Chocolate and Pridi Cacaofevier Black Magic 75% Dark Chocolate introduce a uniquely Thai spin on the cacao and coffee combo. 

 

 

Tea: Earthy and Herbal Culinary Explorations

Why Tea and Chocolate Work Together

With seemingly endless possibilities of culture, flavor, texture, and color - tea and chocolate pairings are bursting onto the world chocolate scene. From sweet and floral to fruity or earthy, tea and cacao allow us to explore a whole world of flavors in a single bite. 

Guayusa

Paccari Guayusa Chocolate brings together Ecuador’s energizing guayusa leaf and cacao for a smooth, earthy bar.

Hibiscus (Sorrel, Bissap)

Regardless of what name it goes by across Africa and the Caribbean, Hibiscus and white chocolate are a heavenly combination. INARU 40% Hibiscus White Chocolate from the Dominican Republic, One One Cacao’s Sorrel White Chocolate from Jamaica, and '57 Chocolate's Bissap White Chocolate from Ghana bring this classically fruity and floral African tea to its perfect balance with indulgently smooth white chocolate that turns a gorgeous magenta-purple from the tea-infusion.

Chrysanthemum

This delightful flower tea is known for its refreshing and calming aroma. Kad Kokoa’s Chrysanthemum 58% Dark Chocolate from Thailand will soothe you from the inside out.

 

 

Thai Milk Tea

The robust flavor and creamy, nectar-like texture have made this drink immensely popular worldwide. Both Siamaya in Chiang Mai and Kad Kakoa in Bangkok have created their own rendition of milk chocolate bars that elevate this Thai treat.

 

 

Flowers - Tropical Beauty and Nuanced Flavor

Why Pairing Chocolate and Flowers Works

Gift-giving from Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day often includes both chocolate and flowers. But combining the two into one bar creates a heady bouquet of scents, flavors, and visual delight. 

Rose

While species vary, roses grow throughout many parts of the world and evoke romance for a reason. Their memorable scent and beautiful petals make falling in love easy. In India, Bon Fiction’s A Rose In Pistachio Skies - 55% Dark Chocolate honors the beloved flavors of rose water and pistachio in traditional Indian sweets. And, Mexico takes a bolder dark chocolate stance with Metiche's Rose & Pistachio Dark 75%.

 

Jambu Flower

Sourced from the Amazon rainforest, this unique flower brings a subtle, tingling and cooling sensation to Luisa Abram’s Jambu Flower Chocolate, making every bite a delightful adventure.

 

 

Herbs & Spices: Layering Complexity

Why Herbs & Spices and Chocolate Work Together

Spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger are also commonly grown near cacao and have long been used in traditional cacao-based beverages and foods. These add warmth, depth, and cultural specificity - turning chocolate into a multisensory journey.

Spices

Pure Chocolate Company 70% with Cinnamon, Chocolat Madagascar White Chocolate w/ Cinnamon 45%, Baiani White Chocolate w/ Brazilian Spices, and Definite Drinking Chocolate with Dominican Spices show how cinnamon, clove, ginger, and other local spices enhance many of the over 600 volatile compounds found in cacao.

Cardamom

With distinctly floral notes and hints of ginger and lemon, Diego's Chocolate Cardamom 75% Dark Milk Chocolate, the addition of Guatemalan cardamom elevates this decadent, slightly-soft, ganache-like chocolate bar. 

 

Mint

Offering a uniquely Southeast Asian twist, pairing mint with citrus as is done in many soups and salads, Marou Mint Orange Dong Nai 68% combines wild Vietnamese mint and orange for a bright, refreshing finish.

 

Shiso Seeds

Shiso is the Japanese name for perilla, a herb that is widely used in Asian cuisine as well as traditional Chinese medicine due to its incredible health benefits. Mildly toasting the seeds not only gives this Kad Kokoa - Dark chocolate 58% with shiso seeds a satisfying crunch but also helps to develop a long-lasting, peppery aftertaste, reminiscent of pan-roasted nuts.

 

Salt

Cuna de Piedra in Mexico joined Slow Food Mexico to create Comalcalco Tabasco with Ancient Spring Salt 73% in support of the salt mines in Zapotitlán Salinas to promote its historical, cultural, and gastronomic value.

 

 

Spicy Heat: For Cacao's more Savory Side

Why Chili and Chocolate Work Together

There’s something uniquely satisfying about the depth of savory, spicy heat in locally grown peppers contrasted with the smooth, cooling sensation of cocoa butter in chocolate. Cacao beans do not naturally contain any sugar, so these spicy peppers are perfect for drawing out cacao’s more savory side. 

Scotch Bonnet Pepper

Likkle More Scotch Bonnet Pepper Chocolate from Jamaica balances fiery chili with chocolate’s richness for a memorable taste sensation. 

 

 

Cobanero Chili

Rare chile peppers from Cobán, Guatemala lead to a gentle, warming finish for Diego’s Cobanero Chile Dark Chocolate Roll, proving that heat can elevate fine chocolate.

 

 

Jamaican Jerk

Pure Chocolate Jamaica incorporates this iconic meat seasoning into its award winning savory, mildly spicy Jerk Seasoning 70% Dark Chocolate. 

 

 

Thai Bullet Chili

Siamaya Chocolate Thai Bullet Chili Dark Chocolate is a surprisingly spicy combination of sun-dried Thai bullet chilies balanced by their fruity Signature Dark 70%.

 

 

Thai Jinda Chilies

Sourcing very spicy Thai jinda chilies from SlowFood in Chiang Mai, Pridi Cacaofevier Hall of Flame 80% Dark Chocolate is a spicy and smoky chocolate perfect for heat lovers. 

 

Taiwanese Magao Wild Pepper

Fu Wan Taiwan Magao Chocolate 62% features a wild mountain pepper native to Taiwan, makes this bar explode with tropical fruits before finishing with the warming brightness of lemongrass and ginger.

 

Spirits - Complex Flavors Perfect for Pairing

Why Pairing Chocolate with Spirits Works

We may not think of chocolate and spirits as “growing together.” But, whether sugarcane is processed into cane sugar or transformed into an elegant drink, the fact remains that it’s an unbeatable pairing with cacao. 

Rum

Definite Chocolate adds the Dominican Republic’s iconic Brugal Rum founded in 1888 to its in Dominican Rum 75% Finca Elvisia bar for tasting notes of dried fruits and molasses.

 

 

Cachaça

Baianí in Brazil uses its 65% dark chocolate as the palette for the world-famous Brazilian recipe, the Caipirinha. Infusing their nibs in Da Tulha Destillers Cachaça for at least 30 days and finishing the chocolate with caramelized sugar and dehydrated lime zest. 

 

For Ease of Shopping

You'll find several of the products and brands tagged above at the following retail partners.

Bar & Cocoa -

• Baianí 65% Dark Chocolate Caipirinha
• Baianí Chocolate Brazilian Coffee 70% 
• Baiani White Chocolate w/ Brazilian Spices
• Chocolat Madagascar White Chocolate w/ Cinnamon 45%
• Definite Chocolate Dominican Rum 75% Finca Elvisia
• Definite Drinking Chocolate with Dominican Spices
• Marou Mint Orange Dong Nai 68%
• Marou Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44%
• Pure Chocolate Jamaica 70% with Jerk Seasoning

The Chocolate Dispensary - 

• Baiani White Chocolate w/ Brazilian Spices
• Cárdenas Chocolate 72% Jipijapa Coffee
• Comalcalco Tabasco with Ancient Spring Salt 73%
• Kad Kokoa’s Chrysanthemum 58% Dark Chocolate
• Kad Kokoa Dark chocolate 58% with Shiso Seeds 
• Kad Kakoa Thai Milk Tea Bar
• Likkle More 68% Blue Mountain Coffee Chocolate 
• Likkle More Scotch Bonnet Pepper Chocolate
• Metiche Rose & Pistachio Dark 75%

Caputo's - 

• Cuna de Piedra Comalcalco Tabasco with Ancient Spring Salt 73%
• Fu Wan Taiwan Magao Chocolate 62% 
• Luisa Abram’s Jambu Flower Chocolate
• Marou Mint Orange Dong Nai 68%
• Marou Vietnamese Coffee Milk Chocolate 44%

What Agroforestry Teaches Us—Gently

While not always center stage, agroforestry and regenerative agriculture quietly reinforce the wisdom behind these pairings. The crops that thrive together in cacao-growing regions—fruits, nuts, spices, and more— create dynamic flavors AND build resilient ecosystems. Cacao flourishes beneath the shade of companion trees, surrounded by plants that nurture the soil, support biodiversity, and sustain farming communities.

The delicious irony? The very plants that help cacao thrive in the field are the same ones that help chocolate shine on the palate.

 

Conclusion: Listening to the Land

When we let nature guide our flavor choices, we move beyond fleeting trends and into something deeper and more authentic. “What grows together goes together” is more than a catchy phrase—it’s a reminder that flavor is rooted in relationships: between plants, people, and the land itself. These combinations are not random; they’re agricultural, ecological, and profoundly regenerative—for the soil, for our senses, and for the communities at origin who have always known: the best flavors are already written in the landscape.

At Cocoa Future Collaborative, we celebrate chocolate that carries these stories—and the makers who listen closely enough to tell them.