Honest Chocolate is a small artisanal chocolate maker from Cape Town founded in 2010 by Anthony Gird and Michael de Klerk. The idea emerged when the two founders independently began experimenting with raw cacao and simple dark chocolate recipes. They initially sold their products at local markets before growing demand led them to open their own workshop. The company makes chocolate from whole cacao beans rather than using a ready-made chocolate base. The beans come from Tanzania where they are sourced and processed by Kokoa Kamili, a company that works with small-scale farmers. After arriving in Cape Town, the cacao is sorted, roasted, cracked, winnowed and ground in traditional granite grinders. The grinding process lasts several days and produces a smooth texture without the need for emulsifiers. The basic recipe contains 70 percent cacao and unrefined cane sugar. The products contain no dairy ingredients, gluten, artificial preservatives or flavorings. The range focuses primarily on dark chocolate combined with ingredients such as South African naartjie, Kalahari salt, dried pineapple and the aromatic herb buchu. In addition to chocolate bars, the company produces bonbons, spreads, truffles and seasonal collections. Honest Chocolate currently operates a production facility in the Woodstock district and two cafés where its chocolates can be tasted and purchased. The producer is recognized for its simply formulated dark chocolate, hands-on production process and use of African cacao.