Since 2003, Lagusta’s Luscious has made small-batch vegan chocolates in New Paltz, pairing bold, unexpected flavors with painstaking artisan techniques. The woman-owned business works with small farmers and producers, uses ethical ingredients and recycled packaging, and treats social justice and environmental responsibility as part of the confectionery’s everyday practice. Its chocolates are made by hand in a shop that grew from one employee to as many as 15 during the holiday season.
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Sweet Vegan ChocolatesVegan chef Andrea Young founded Sweet Vegan Chocolates after learning to bake from her grandmother in Indiana, building a New York City chocolate company around inclusive, allergy-conscious indulgence. Its small-batch truffles are made for people who want plant-based chocolate without giving up flavor, while the company’s partnership with the Summer Youth Employment Program gives local students practical experience in food entrepreneurship.NEW YORK, NY
Morito ChocolatesFemale-founded Morito Chocolates makes cacao-driven vegan confections by hand in Brooklyn, beginning with its signature chocolate sticks and expanding into filled mini cups. The company builds each small batch from cacao, using organic, gluten-free ingredients and a short ingredient list so the chocolate’s character stays clear. Its sourcing is rooted in the Caribbean, including a partnership with Puerto Rico’s Hacienda Jeanmarie, the island’s first registered cacao hacienda.BROOKLYN, NY
The Chocolatier's PaletteThe Chocolatier’s Palette grew from more than a decade of holiday fudge-making for family and friends before its founding in 2013. Today, its Maryland kitchen produces small-batch Belgian-chocolate fudge with a rotating, art-inspired set of flavors, including options for vegan customers and custom orders for events or gifts.ROCKVILLE, MD
Nostalgia ChocolatesTyler Cagwin makes small-batched, bean-to-bar chocolate by hand at Nostalgia Chocolates’ little factory in Huntersville, North Carolina. Inspired by a first taste of real chocolate while sailing through the Caribbean, he built the company around old-fashioned handcraft, ethically sourced cacao, and the idea that chocolate should be savored slowly and shared. The range includes origin-focused bars as well as treats such as chocolate-covered caramels, with recyclable packaging intended to reduce its footprint.SYRACUSE, NY