More than chocolate...
"I set high standards for the cocoa beans that I use, making sure they enable protection of the rainforest and indigenous cultures. The best way to nurture conservation is to enhance the market for cacao, so that it improves the livelihood for communities who have lived among the rainforest for generations and act as its key protector. Every chocolate we make has its own story about the people, culture, and environment that we love to share with you. In our pursuit, we find wild and heirloom cacao varieties with unique flavors for you to savor and enjoy."
Denise Castronovo
Chocolate Maker & Ecologist
Gift Ideas
Accolades in the News
For those who think white chocolate isn't 'real' chocolate, have we got bars for you
November, 2017
"We started manufacturing white chocolate ourselves because there is very little white chocolate on the market that is pure and made only with cocoa butter, milk and sugar," says Denise Castronovo, founder of Florida's Castronovo Chocolate. "For us, it's a chance to educate our consumers about what real white chocolate actually is." Read Full Article
November, 2017
"We started manufacturing white chocolate ourselves because there is very little white chocolate on the market that is pure and made only with cocoa butter, milk and sugar," says Denise Castronovo, founder of Florida's Castronovo Chocolate. "For us, it's a chance to educate our consumers about what real white chocolate actually is." Read Full Article
You May Be Surprised That Florida Makes Some of the World's Best Chocolate
May, 2017
Denise Castronovo, creator of Castronovo Chocolate, set up shop in Stuart, Florida in 2013 to make her chocolate, and her journey has been filled with praise and accolades. She is in fact the only U.S. female chocolate maker to have ever been honored at the International Chocolate Awards, taking home awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Read Full Article
May, 2017
Denise Castronovo, creator of Castronovo Chocolate, set up shop in Stuart, Florida in 2013 to make her chocolate, and her journey has been filled with praise and accolades. She is in fact the only U.S. female chocolate maker to have ever been honored at the International Chocolate Awards, taking home awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Read Full Article
A Taste Test of Chocolate Bars Made from Scratch
December, 2015
Castronovo's Sierra Nevada 72% bar ranked #3 in Peter Wells's blind tasting of 14 bean-to- bar chocolates made in the United States. "A first impression of burned sugar and dark bread crust gives way to baked fruit - wild blueberry pie?" Read Full Article
December, 2015
Castronovo's Sierra Nevada 72% bar ranked #3 in Peter Wells's blind tasting of 14 bean-to- bar chocolates made in the United States. "A first impression of burned sugar and dark bread crust gives way to baked fruit - wild blueberry pie?" Read Full Article
The Best Chocolates of the Americas
August, 2015
"Castronovo's award-winning chocolate bars have a magical caramel flavor that comes naturally from the beans. The Sierra Nevada 63%, made from Colombian beans, has that rich, silky-smooth caramel flavor, plus a slight tartness that invites you to keep eating. It's addictively delicious..." Read Full Article
August, 2015
"Castronovo's award-winning chocolate bars have a magical caramel flavor that comes naturally from the beans. The Sierra Nevada 63%, made from Colombian beans, has that rich, silky-smooth caramel flavor, plus a slight tartness that invites you to keep eating. It's addictively delicious..." Read Full Article
Local Chocolate Shop Wins Top Honor
July, 2015
"Our chocolate is really just full of flavor,” she said. “It's all made bean to bar and we use processes that really predate mass production. It's all stone ground, and that just brings out a lot of the flavor notes.” See Video Broadcast
July, 2015
"Our chocolate is really just full of flavor,” she said. “It's all made bean to bar and we use processes that really predate mass production. It's all stone ground, and that just brings out a lot of the flavor notes.” See Video Broadcast
4 Brilliant Chefs Who Are Changing the World with Food
June, 2015
"Castronovo is one out of just a small handful of female chocolate makers in America. Her passion for ecology began with professor Eugene Odum (“the father of modern ecology”) and a trip to Costa Rica. There, she realized that saving the rainforest depended on creating a sustainable economy..." Read Full Article
June, 2015
"Castronovo is one out of just a small handful of female chocolate makers in America. Her passion for ecology began with professor Eugene Odum (“the father of modern ecology”) and a trip to Costa Rica. There, she realized that saving the rainforest depended on creating a sustainable economy..." Read Full Article
Treasure Coast chocolate shop gaining worldwide renown
October, 2014
"I knew we had something special with this chocolate,” she said. “This bean is an extremely rare cacao bean from the Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia." See Video Broadcast
October, 2014
"I knew we had something special with this chocolate,” she said. “This bean is an extremely rare cacao bean from the Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia." See Video Broadcast
