It's Chocolate Week

Every October, the UK celebrates Chocolate Week — a nationwide moment to appreciate, explore, and indulge in one of the world's most beloved foods. For us at York Cocoa Works, it's one of the highlights of the year: a chance to share what we do, deepen the conversation around craft chocolate, and welcome new people into the world of bean to bar making.

What Is Chocolate Week?

Chocolate Week is an annual celebration of fine chocolate in the UK, typically held in the second week of October. It was established to shine a light on quality chocolate — the kind made with care, from properly sourced cacao, by people who understand the craft. It's a counterpoint to the mass-produced confectionery that dominates supermarket shelves, and a celebration of the chocolatiers, makers, and producers who are doing things differently.

For craft chocolate makers like us, it's an important moment in the calendar — not just commercially, but culturally. It's a week when the conversation around chocolate gets a little deeper, and people who might not usually think about where their chocolate comes from start to ask the right questions.

How We're Marking It This Year

This Chocolate Week, we have a full programme of events and experiences at York Cocoa Works:

• Tasting events — guided tastings in our café exploring single-origin bars from our current collection, with notes on flavour, origin, and process.
• Bean to Bar workshops — our most popular workshop, running throughout the week, giving you the chance to make your own chocolate bar from scratch using our equipment and expertise.
• Special Chocolate Week menu — our café will be running a dedicated menu of chocolate-forward drinks and treats, including some seasonal specials you won't find at any other time of year.
• Meet the maker sessions — drop in and talk to our team about how we source our cacao, why we make the choices we do, and what goes into every bar we produce.

Why Craft Chocolate Matters

Chocolate Week is also a good moment to reflect on why craft chocolate is worth seeking out. The difference between a mass-produced chocolate bar and a craft bean to bar chocolate isn't just about taste — though the taste difference is significant. It's about transparency, traceability, and the relationship between maker and farmer.

At York Cocoa Works, we know where every batch of cacao we use comes from. We know the farms, in many cases the farmers, and the conditions under which the cacao was grown and processed. That knowledge shapes every decision we make — from which origins we work with to how we roast and develop each batch.

When you buy craft chocolate, you're supporting a supply chain that values the people at every stage of it. That's worth celebrating.

Join Us This Chocolate Week

Whether you're a long-time chocolate enthusiast or just beginning to explore what craft chocolate has to offer, Chocolate Week is the perfect time to come and see us. Book a workshop, join a tasting, or simply come in for a cup of our hot chocolate and a conversation.

We're in York city centre, and we'd love to see you.