Chocolates founder Paul Dincer launched a Kickstarter this week with hopes of opening a second location of the shop, popular for its single-origin, bean-to-bar raw chocolates.
Koko Monk also offers 14 unusual flavours of hot chocolate, including A Non-Conformist’s Plea For an Imaginary Summer — tomato hot chocolate with rose and raspberry; Strange Gravity — oregano hot chocolate with melon and a touch of anise; and, Brunette Bangle — curry hot chocolate with coconut liquor.
The goal of the campaign, which runs until April 3, is to raise $10,000 to be used for new equipment that will allow Dincer to produce a sophisticated line of ready-to-brew hot chocolate products, operate a dedicated hot chocolate café, and meet the ever-growing demand for the chocolates. Dincer hopes to open the second location this fall — Koko Monk has been located in Kits since 2013.
Dincer creates one-of-a-kind, complex flavour fusions using unprocessed cacao beans. Over the years, Koko Monk’s unique hot chocolate creations have been recognized in media stories, including 27 of the Greatest Places in the World to Get Hot Chocolate in BuzzFeed, 10 of the Most Insanely Decadent Mugs of Hot Chocolate across Canada in Chatelaine, and Top 10 Places to Drink Hot Chocolate in BiteMeMore.com.
After meticulous research, Dincer is ready to produce his ready-to-brew hot chocolate cube, which, if all goes well, will be carried at the new location. The small, flavour-packed cubes will allow hot chocolate aficionados to make Koko Monk’s delicious cacao brews at home. And backers of the Kickstarter campaign will be among the first to try the new product.
The cubes, available in three different flavours, including Authentic, Turkish Mocha, and Matcha Tea White Hot Chocolate, will be offered exclusively to backers as delicious rewards. Dincer has crafted packages for a wide range of pledges, ranging from $5 to $1,000.
“I’m so proud of Koko Monk Chocolates, a thriving independently owned business that has a strong personal connection within the community,” Dincer said in a press release. “I really look forward to expanding that community in our new location, with a larger shop and café. We’ll be able to produce a range of new products, including the hot chocolate cubes, which I'm also very excited about.”
@sthomas10
