In this bonus episode, we hear from Kelly Campos of Dark Matter Coffee and Sleep Walk Chocolate in Chicago. Kelly talks all about the barrel-aged beer chocolate bars Sleep Walk has made in collaboration with breweries like Half Acre and Revolution

In this episode, host David Nilsen recaps the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle and shares his takeaways from one of craft chocolate’s largest annual events.

Today we're talking with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate in New Zealand. David shares with us the thought and intention behind Foundry’s elegant packaging design. Enjoy!

Here's the entire Collaboration for Chocolate Makers series in one place! 

In this supercut of the Collaboration series from early 2026, we talk about reasons to collaborate, things to consider before you do, and we walk through different types of possible collaborations and how craft chocolate makers should go about them.

Today we’re spending a few minutes with Caroline Houghton of Carobeans in St. Paul, Minnesota. Caroline talks about how her community came together to protect their neighbors during the immigration raids earlier this year, and the ICE Melter bar she creates to raise awareness and funds for immigrant justice.

In this episode, host David Nilsen talks with chocolate makers and experts about the growing segment of mezcal-infused craft chocolate. They discuss what mezcal is and how it’s being used in unique craft chocolate bars.

Today we’re spending a few minutes with Allo Gilinsky and Rachel Benkowski of the Craft Beverage Education Summit to talk about how to make beer education approachable for consumers. Enjoy!

David and Melinda talk common pitfalls companies make in media relations, how to handle crisis communications, what to do after you get media coverage, and simple action items to get craft chocolate companies started on their media relations path. 

Today we're talking with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate to hear about the basics of Foundry’s legendary annual whisky-infused bar. Enjoy!

Food and beverage journalist David Nilsen talks how to maintain communication with members of the media, how to communicate story ideas in an informal but helpful way, how stories come together on the freelance journalism side, and much more.

In this episode, host David Nilsen talks with Allo Gilinsky and Rachel Benkowski about the philosophy and passion behind the Craft Connections Beverage Education Summit, why beverage education is so important, and how we can provide actionable tools for staff and consumers without overwhelming or talking over them. 

Journalist David Nilsen and public relations pro Melinda Guerra talk all about press releases. What they are, when to send them, to whom to send them, what to include, and, just as importantly, the inverse of all those: when not to send them, what not to include, etc. 

Luke Owen Smith in New Zealand has launched A Bar Apart, an organization with a corresponding emblem that certifies the quality and practices of New Zealand based craft chocolate makers. In today's episode, Luke shares what A Bar Apart is, what it means, and what he hopes it will accomplish.

In part 3 of their Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series, David and Melinda talk about building a media list. They look at understanding different types of media, making a list of media you might want to reach out to, the information you need for prospective contacts, how to find contact info, how to initiate communication, and more. 

Today we're talking with David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate to learn about the R&D process for Foundry’s annual whisky-infused bar. Enjoy!

In part two of Bean to Barstool’s  Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series, David Nilsen and Melinda Guerra talk about identifying stories, understanding what constitutes a story, and what the different types of media coverage are.

In this episode, host David Nilsen talks with Ava J. Holmes and Fiorella Richter, the founders of Women of Cacao, a global, bilingual network uniting professionals across sectors within cacao and craft chocolate: from genetics and farming to chocolate making and science, which culminates each year in the Women of Cacao Summit, a hybrid virtual and in-person global gathering. Ava and Fiorella speak to the rich history of women in cacao and chocolate, their own journeys to craft chocolate, and what folks can expect at this year’s summit.

In part one of Bean to Barstool’s  Media Relations for Craft Chocolate Makers series, host David Nilsen talks about why media relations is so important no matter the size of your chocolate business, and why you need to have a strategy for this.

In this bonus episode, host David Nilsen talks about his concerns around the ecological and human harms of LLM AI technology, and the business reasons he doesn't think you should use it in promoting your craft chocolate business. 

In today's episode, David Herrick of Foundry Chocolate walks us through Foundry’s annual whisky-infused bar made with Thompson Distillery.