About Us

some people break bread at the table; we believe in breaking chocolate.

Chocolate crafted as food. Giving back with every bar. Bold yet balanced flavors. And a rainbow of color. When CEO Jean Thompson founded jcoco in 2012, her mission was two-fold: elevate the way people experience chocolate and turn an everyday indulgence into an opportunity to make a difference. In addition to paying fair prices for our cacao, 10% net profits go to support cacao farmers to ensure a thriving future for this precious fruit and the community that sustains it.

Meet our founder, Jean Thompson

Jean Thompson, jcoco’s founder and the “j” in jcoco, is an unstoppable force for change. Her vision for the future includes chocolate as its own course at the table, a food celebrated as both delicious and nutritious, and appreciated for its rich layers of flavor and nuance based on terroir, fermentation, and roasting.

Jean is a fierce advocate for the chocolate ecosystem and is always thinking about being innovative in an industry that has been around for centuries. Her mission is to help people see chocolate in a different way and imagines a world where chocolate and craft is celebrated and valued for its complexity.

Feed the farmer.

Working directly with a small, local Peruvian chocolate maker ensures full traceability and sustainable farming practices - and the best flavor profile possible. To preserve these practices for many years to come, we cut out the middlemen and pay our farmers directly, ensuring that they take home amounts that are substantially above the industry average for fine cacao. By supporting origin cacao from small farms, you’re helping ensure a thriving future for farmers - and chocolate in general.

ethical sourcing

jcoco gourmet chocolate bars - milk, white, dark chocolate

Feed Yourself.

We believe that chocolate is food, every bit as complex as your favorite wine or craft spirit. We serve jcoco in tasting flights, food and wine pairings, and alongside—or in place of—sweet and savory courses. The jcoco experience showcases a variety of high-cacao blends that elevate the milk chocolate experience by bringing forward the cacao fruit notes.

pairings + recipes

Give back with every bar.

10% of net profits support cacao farmers in Peru.

Every bite you take strengthens the future of chocolate - and the people who grow it. We’re proud to partner with CORUS International to support the Women Leaders Network in VRAEM (Valle de los Ríos Apurímac, Ene y Mantaro), Peru, training female farmers on regenerative agriculture, income diversification, and cocoa quality production. Enabling farmers to meet market demands in terms of cacao quality and volume is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the women’s cooperatives in the VRAEM, and strengthens the region’s economy and continued ability to produce fine cacao into the future.

We are currently focusing on the Qori Warmi cooperative. Qori Warmi ('Women of Gold') is a cooperative made up entirely of women, dedicated to the cultivation and processing of cacao. After completing a community needs assessment where farmers were interviewed on how we can best support them, a program was designed to accomplish the below needs.

10% OF NET PROFITS FROM JCOCO GO TO

Income diversification activities enabling over 150 participants to expand their production. This includes the establishment of tree nurseries along with farmer training on tree care, replanting, and spacing.
Post-harvest training on proper drying, fermentation, and storage of cacao to over 150 participants.
Providing equipment as needed and identified by the community. This might include post-harvest equipment or wellness needs such as water purifiers.

REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE FOCUS.

Our programs also incorporate regenerative agricultural practices that improve soil health, increase biodiversity, and promote crop resilience to pests and climate change, resulting in more stable and sustainable production. In addition, regenerative agriculture considers community well-being, promoting food security and access to renewable resources. Training women in these techniques not only improves their knowledge and skills benefitting their families and the environment, but also strengthens their role as leaders in land-use decision-making and agricultural practices.

Experience Chocolate Together.

Chocolate is meant to be shared, and it always has been. Four millennia ago, the cacao bean was the food of kings, queens, and society’s elite. In ancient Mayan society, it was exchanged as currency. Chocolate wasn’t candy, it was money. With 10 unique varietals of cacao in the world and a complex cultivating process resulting in countless flavor profiles, chocolate shouldn’t simply be eaten; it should be experienced. jcoco inspires that experience, starting with our 3-bar envelope ideal for sharing. We have 11 culinary combinations for you to share, pair, and discuss, and recipes to experience them in new ways. No matter the meal, there’s a place for chocolate at the table.