Today we’d like to introduce you to Red Thalhammer.
Hi Red, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My love affair with chocolate began at an early age at my parents’ restaurant in Austria. But it wasn’t until 2009 that I pivoted from a successful career as an Art Director working and living in NYC into a full-time chocolate venture with a singular vision — to create an antidote to all manners of emotional affliction and to capitalize on the cacao health benefits for stress relieve and deep emotional gratification.
A serendipitous text message calling for an antidote prompted me to create a true mood-boosting super-chocolate that is loaded with exquisite and antioxidant-filled cacao and real flavor toppings. Friends and family waited in anticipation to taste my latest batch as I experimented in my kitchen: Conching and tempering, and coming up with the perfect combinations of chocolate, herbs, and spices.
Soon my quaint apartment permeated with aromatic delight as boxes of the finest ingredients from around the world piled up. Nine months into my journey, I settled on the world-renowned Nacional beans for their wonderful floral and fruity aroma. Not long after, I packed my bags and left for Ecuador with a recipe and original flavors in hand.
The very first batch of Antidote Chocolate was launched on July 25th, 2010, and quickly found approval from New York’s cultured palates. Today, Antidote Chocolate is sold in hundreds of grocery, specialty, and natural food stores nationwide, online, as well as in Japan and Canada. But the small batch DIY spirit, which led me to this moment remains in the making of every batch.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Never easy or smooth if you run a business. There were many challenges and 5 years into Antidote, a CPG company in which I had no background, I burned my batteries and it took me some years to recover from it.
Followed by two temperature warehouse accidents in different locations that damaged thousands of bars making it unsellable by our standards and it rendered a big deficit 2 years in a row. However we donated thousands of bars to NY food kitchens and shelters and it was a pleasure to have found great recipients for basically intact superfood chocolate.
Then in the pandemic, I made some bad decisions. However, that happens when running a business as well as daily troubleshooting things that you have no control over.
All consumers want is great chocolate that takes them places and makes them feel good!
As you know, we’re big fans of Antidote Chocolate. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We create exquisite superfood chocolate that come in exciting flavors, loaded with the fine aroma of cacao while low in sugar – to feed your superpowers. The problem with most chocolate is too much sugar, too much sugar alternatives, and too little of the superfood, cacao.
Therefore this is what matters to us:
– High on cacao, less sugar. Our bars are loaded with finest quality of the prized Nacional Complex cacao from Ecuador. Goodbye to sugar loads that make us crave more and make us sick, and goodbye to all the alternative sugars that are shipped around the globe and promoted as so good for you.
– Exciting and culinary flavor pairings. Skillfully applied with real bits and pieces of spices – fruits – salts – and nuts. Never any flavorings or essential oils.
– Sustainability at its core. Practicing direct-trade with our cacao farmers as well as chocolate made at country of cacao and it’s good for you. That is a sustainable life cycle for all involved. Antidote – chocolate that loves you back.
Pricing:
- $ 9 for Antidote flavored bars
- $ 10 for Antidote Milk and 100% bars
Contact Info:
- Website: https://
antidotechoco.com/ - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/antidotechoco/ - Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/AntidoteChoco/ - Linkedin: https://www.
linkedin.com/company/ antidotechocolate - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
AntidoteChoco
