Encuentro: Artisanal French Chocolate with a Commitment to Excellence and Sustainability

Encuentro, a family-run artisanal chocolate factory, stands out in the French chocolate landscape. It is one of the few chocolatiers in France that adopts a bean-to-bar approach, meticulously working from exceptional cocoa beans to create chocolate bars with a distinct tasting signature. Their process involves roasting, conching, maturing, and molding the chocolate, a testament to their demanding craftsmanship. Their excellence has been recognized with the Epicure d’Or award in 2019, 2020, and 2021, and they were also acclaimed as one of the “25 best of the best” chocolatiers at the Paris Chocolate Show by the Club des Croqueurs de chocolat.

The Founders: Candice & Antoine
Candice and Antoine, self-taught chocolatiers with a deep passion for cocoa, founded Encuentro in 2012 in the Dominican Republic. Returning to France, they established Encuentro (meaning “Meeting” in Spanish) with a vision to forge direct connections with producers, minimize intermediaries, and prioritize traceability and transparency in their chocolate-making process.

A Committed Approach
Encuentro believes that good chocolate is not just about taste, but also about respect for the environment and people. They focus on using cocoa and cane sugar that support soil health, water conservation, biodiversity, and bring happiness to both the growers and the artisans.

The Chocolate Factory in Saint-André-Lez-Lille
Encuentro’s factory is located in Saint-André-Lez-Lille, nestled in a century-old former spinning mill. Reflecting their transparent and inclusive approach, the factory features transparent walls and regularly opens its doors to chocolate enthusiasts. Here, Candice and Antoine strive to make their factory as welcoming and accessible as possible, inviting everyone to be a part of their chocolate journey.