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. 

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.

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. 

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

In this episode of Bean to Barstool, David Nilsen talks with Elmer Pineda of Yojoa Chocolate in Honduras. They discuss the background of Yojoa Chocolate and their cacao farm, the natural landscape that provides so much flavor and inspiration to Yojoa’s bars, the importance of not only fermentation but carefully controlled drying in flavor formation, and some of Yojoa’s unique inclusion bars, like Espresso and Anis Avocado. 

In this episode of Bean to Barstool, David Nilsen talks with Mike King of Encore Coffee and Chocolate about the overlap between these worlds, what he’s learned about each from the other, how sourcing and roasting and flavor formulation differs between them, and how he creates the delicious coffee infused bars like Cafe Mocha, Vanilla Latte, and Caramel Macchiato in his Coffee House Series. 

In this episode of Bean to Barstool, London Coe and David Nilsen discuss the importance of Global Black Chocolate Makers Month, what we gain when we have tasting experiences that push us outside our comfort zones, and the makers she'll be promoting throughout February.

In this episode, host David Nilsen talks with KESSHŌ Chocolate co-founder and chocolate maker Liang Wang about her Asian-inspired craft chocolate bars, and how flavor can help us bridge cultural divides.

Host David Nilsen talks with Jake Potter, founder and chocolate maker at Red Rock Chocolate in Utah. They talk about the upcoming inaugural Red Rock Region Chocolate and Fine Foods Festival in Hurricane, Utah, discussing vendors, classes, and other things to expect at the fest.

David recaps the second annual Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival in Rushville, Indiana, shares what makes it special, and talks about the craft chocolate bars he grabbed at the fest.

In this bonus episode of Bean to Barstool, I reflect back on my recent trip to Mexico to judge at Copa Cerveza Mx and the great beer and chocolate I had while I was there, and discuss what I love about beer judging and what you should and shouldn't take away from beer award results. 

In this episode, David Nilsen previews the second annual Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival, and talks with organizer Barb Genuario, sponsor Cocoa Supply's CEO Leila Carvajal Erker, chocolate maker Tandy Peterson of Embers Chocolate, and educator London Coe of Peace on Fifth about what to expect at this year's fest and what makes this festival so unique. 

In this episode, we talk with Christopher Nobles of Piety & Desire Chocolate in New Orleans, Louisiana. We talk about the flavors of New Orleans, the city’s personality, and how it all makes its way into his chocolate, including bars made with local beer and rum.

In this episode, we talk with Greg & T from Front Porch Chocolate in Montana. They've crafted many of their excellent inclusion bars—Including Chai Rose, Fig & Cherry, and Strawberry Lemon—with beer pairing in mind, and here we talk with them about the concepts behind their bars and the beer pairings they've designed for each. 

In this episode, David talks with Dorothy Neary of NearyNogs Chocolate in Northern Ireland. They discuss the importance of music in Irish culture and how it's influenced several of their chocolate bars, the use of distinctly Irish ingredients like gorse flower and seaweed, and the beautiful natural landscape around their factory that influences them creatively. They also discuss their use of Irish whiskey in several bars, and pairing with whiskey.