- 10 hours ago
Cocoa Asante was founded in 2018 by Ella Livingston, a Ghanaian-American who made it her mission to provide chocolate of the best quality using cacao from her home country Ghana. We distribute our chocolate to businesses in the Chattanooga area. Customers can purchase directly from us online as well.
The depth of flavor and the silky smooth texture of our chocolates provide an experience like none other. We take pride in the exquisite taste we are able to produce through the use of fresh ingredients of the highest quality.
The depth of flavor and the silky smooth texture of our chocolates provide an experience like none other. We take pride in the exquisite taste we are able to produce through the use of fresh ingredients of the highest quality.
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hello, hello, and welcome to another episode of Shop Essence Live in partnership with the New Voices family.
00:07This is a program we bring you every single week where we highlight two new Black-owned businesses to shop.
00:13And as we get closer and closer to the holidays, you know you have people to buy for, you know you have people to buy for, you have no idea what to buy.
00:20Well, you have come to the right place because we are highlighting some luxury Black-owned brands today.
00:26And I'm so excited. I tell you, if I got either one of these things, I would be over the moon and happy.
00:32Up first, have you ever had chocolate? Probably. But have you ever had designer chocolate?
00:41Probably the best chocolate you've ever had, not only in taste, but looks beautiful.
00:45Well, we are about to be joined by Ella Livingston. She is of Coco Asante. Hey, Ella.
00:52Hi, how's it going?
00:53It's going so great. And I am just so excited to try out your chocolates. It's my favorite.
01:00So before we get into the products, though, you got to let the people know, how did you come up with this incredible brand?
01:08Absolutely. So a lot of people think that I'm a chocoholic, but I am actually not a chocoholic.
01:13Like, I just so happened to try amazing chocolate while studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan.
01:19And I just wanted to be able to bring the experience to my customers or to people here in the U.S.
01:26And also combine it with my family's history as cocoa farmers.
01:30So Coco Asante is my way of honoring my family's legacy as cocoa farmers back home in Ghana,
01:35while also providing an exquisite product and experience for my customers.
01:39I don't know what kind of magic fairy dust they have in Ghana, but if y'all have never had chocolate made from cocoa from Ghana, you are missing out.
01:51Can you talk a little bit about, you know, even how you source the cocoa?
01:56Like, what is that process like for you?
01:59Absolutely. Yeah. So I'll start with what we want to do.
02:03So we are committed to becoming Bean to Bar, which means that we're going to be processing the cacao beans ourselves.
02:09And our goal is to source directly from my family's farm in Ghana.
02:13Now, once we're going to be able to do so, we'll be completely unique.
02:17We'll be one of the few vertically integrated companies that's able to source from their own family farm in Ghana.
02:22So we're really excited to be able to achieve this goal.
02:25But while we grow, we currently do have another company that processes our cacao.
02:31They do source the cocoa beans from Ghana. We just don't process it ourselves.
02:35We take it through the last few steps. And then we, of course, create all of our fillings in-house, the decor in-house, everything else.
02:42So, yeah.
02:44Do you guys hear the pipeline of generational wealth that Ella is building right now?
02:50We must, we must, we must not only taste these delectable chocolates, but when you buy here at Shop Essence Live, you're buying directly from these Black-owned brands.
02:59Before we get into these delicious chocolates, you got a promo code that you're hooking us up with.
03:05Can you let us know what it is?
03:07Yes. So just for our audience, you guys have a special code.
03:11It is ESSENCE15, all caps, ESSENCE15.
03:15And that gets you 15% off your total order.
03:17Come on through.
03:20Okay. Now it's time to get into this chocolate.
03:24Yes. The best part.
03:25The best part. What's the first one you want to highlight here?
03:29Okay. So the first one I want to start with is the Black Box.
03:32That is, we titled it BGM.
03:34And that's because we use the Black Girl Magic.
03:38Ooh! The McBride Sisters!
03:42McBride Sisters.
03:42I am a fan and of, like, I wanted to create a beautiful dark chocolate and red wine bonbon because I love both.
03:51And what better way to do so than using the McBride Sisters.
03:54So if you'll open your box, what I love about our packaging is it slides open.
03:59So it creates a really, like, different feeling.
04:02It's not just opening a regular box.
04:04Like it's an experience!
04:06It's that experience, right?
04:08You remove the gold tab and then it reveals beautiful chocolates inside.
04:13Guys, guys, guys, guys, look at this.
04:17First of all, it feels like I'm not even supposed to eat this.
04:21We do have customers that actually won't eat their chocolates.
04:25It'll just freeze them forever because they feel like it's so pretty, yeah?
04:29This is chocolate?
04:31Oh, my gosh.
04:32Okay, so look at the bonbon.
04:34Look at that.
04:35It's like marble.
04:37Yes.
04:38And we go through a lot of work to make our chocolates not just taste amazing, but also look really beautiful.
04:44So pretty.
04:45I guess I'm just going to have to take one for the team and eat the chocolate for you guys.
04:51I think so.
04:53What I wouldn't do for you guys, y'all.
05:03I'll never get time from it.
05:04Oh, my goodness.
05:07First of all, there's a whole bottle of wine in here.
05:12It is.
05:13It's wine.
05:14You can taste the wine and the notes of cherry and all the red berries that come from the red blend.
05:21Oh, my gosh.
05:21It takes you through all of the, like, you have the nice, smooth, delicious, dark chocolate.
05:29But then the red wine hits you.
05:33It is so delicious.
05:35This is BGM, once again, from Coco Asante.
05:40And it has Black Girl Magic wine in it.
05:43If you're a Black Girl Magic fan, McBride Sisters, and you love it, can you just imagine, like, getting this and a bottle of Black Girl Magic wine and giving that as a gift to someone that would just be such a really, really nice gift.
06:00Great gift for your boss.
06:01Great gift for that person that, you know, your rich auntie, you don't know what to get her.
06:04She would love this.
06:07So good.
06:07All right.
06:08What's the next one that you want to highlight?
06:10A reminder to everyone, Essence 15.
06:13Put these in your cart, use the code, and you get 15% off.
06:17Really, really great deal.
06:18What's next?
06:19All right.
06:20I think next we should go to the original variety.
06:22So the original variety has dark milk and white.
06:26Oh.
06:27It opens up beautifully.
06:29That is just gorgeous.
06:35Really beautiful.
06:36I love it.
06:37All right.
06:38This has a variety.
06:40Yes.
06:41Now, you get to decide if you want dark milk or white.
06:44Now, dark is going to be the, if you'll look closely, you'll see, like, the bottom.
06:48Yep.
06:48Yeah.
06:49The middle two are milk, and then the last ones are two whites.
06:53Feel free.
06:54I mean, you know, dealership.
06:55I mean, I feel like it would be unfair for me to choose.
06:59I feel like they all want me to taste all of them.
07:04So the white chocolate.
07:08I'm going to go for milk.
07:09It's been a while since I've done milk.
07:13Oh, my God.
07:16So smooth.
07:19So delicious.
07:21It's the texture in the center that does it for me every time.
07:24So can you explain what's in the center of these?
07:28Absolutely.
07:29So, whew, that was good.
07:31Sorry.
07:32For the original flavors, so the dark one has a dark shell and a dark chocolate ganache.
07:37The milk one has a milk shell and a milk chocolate ganache.
07:40And then the white chocolate has a white shell, white chocolate ganache.
07:43Some of our flavors are a little bit more intricate.
07:45So while we only have two bonbon flavors here, we do have some, like, mangonata that has a mango pentefouille that we made from scratch using fresh mangoes and japonais peppers.
07:58And we use a local company to source the peppers from.
08:02We also have a layer of actually dark chocolate with coffee in the ganache.
08:08And the coffee comes from a veteran-owned company.
08:11One of our most popular flavors is actually chai pecan caramel.
08:14It's not available right today, but it will be soon.
08:19Oh, yeah.
08:19And that one was rated a, I think it was a 9.3 or a 9.8.
08:24One of those two by Keith Lee.
08:26And he's a guy that's-
08:27Oh, Keith Lee.
08:29Yes.
08:30So we are fans of Keith Lee.
08:31He tells nothing but the truth.
08:33So you already know.
08:34So if he likes it, you're going to love it.
08:37Yes.
08:38If he likes it, it's just so, so great.
08:40And you can tell that it comes from really, really great quality ingredients.
08:46Because sometimes nowadays when you buy, you know, just a regular hot chocolate, I mean, chocolate bars, it tastes a little bit waxy.
08:55Like, you don't really get the melt-in-your-mouth quality that you're getting with Coco Asante.
09:01So good.
09:02Absolutely.
09:02And that's because there's a lot of additives.
09:04There's a lot of fillers in their chocolates.
09:06But we try to keep our chocolates, I don't want to say pure because it's not, you know, dairy-free or vegan.
09:11But we try to keep it as authentic to the flavor of the cacao beans as possible.
09:17Yeah.
09:18All right.
09:18You have one more, which is probably aesthetically my favorite.
09:22And I don't know if I can bring myself to eat this one because it's so pretty.
09:27But what's the last one?
09:28This is going to be our dark bar.
09:30So for the dark bar, yeah, get a little close so I can get that.
09:34There we go.
09:35I love the packaging on this one.
09:37And when you open up the bar, you'll get a beautiful, and it has like a little pyramid design.
09:43Guys, look at it.
09:44And it reflects light.
09:45Let me actually take off the plastic so you can see how shiny the chocolate is.
09:49Look at this.
09:49First of all, first of all, this is like a clutch.
09:53I could just like, this does look like a design for a beautiful clutch to wear with a ball gown.
09:58Like, look how beautiful that is.
10:00Yes.
10:01Yes.
10:02And once again, we go through a lot of work to make sure it's shiny, it's beautiful, it's smooth, and it tastes amazing.
10:09You guys, I cannot ruin this art, but I will.
10:15I will sacrifice to have to taste it for you guys.
10:19All right.
10:21So pretty.
10:23Yeah, this makes for such a, imagine you're throwing a dinner party, and you want to have parting gifts.
10:28Like, this is just beautiful.
10:30Absolutely.
10:31Absolutely.
10:31We find that this is one of our highest sellers.
10:34Just for a one-off gift, if you're not sure, what exactly do they want?
10:37Do they like one?
10:38I don't know.
10:39A lot of people go for our dark bars, and it's not too dark.
10:42It's about 55% dark.
10:44And I find that for a lot of people who don't like dark chocolate, it's the perfect percentage because it's not bitter at all.
10:51You got it.
10:52That's what I was just about to say.
10:54I'm not a dark chocolate girl because it has that aftertaste I don't normally like, but this is delicious.
11:01And thank you for breaking that down, 55%.
11:03So it was so good and beautiful.
11:07Okay.
11:09As I finish my dark chocolate, you are a member of the New Voices family, which is our partner here.
11:14Can you talk about what it's been like being a part of that community?
11:18Absolutely.
11:19So first and foremost, I am a fan.
11:22I was, so I graduated from Spelman, and being in New Voices feels like I'm back at Spelman, where I'm in a community of people who look like me.
11:33There's representation everywhere.
11:35I feel accepted for who I am.
11:38And it's just a beautiful space to be in.
11:41And not only that, I feel like I'm getting so much value from just the curriculum of what I'm learning.
11:47And it meets me at the level that I'm at, right?
11:50I'm in the stage where I'm ready to grow and scale, and they're providing the material that I need to grow and scale.
11:56And we have access, I should say, access to experts, not just somebody who has studied it or has done a little bit, but we're getting direct access to the experts in whatever industry we're talking about.
12:08So it's been an amazing, amazing experience.
12:12I'm very, very grateful to be a part of it.
12:15I love that.
12:16And there's so much camaraderie between New Voices brand.
12:20So it's a really, really great group to join.
12:22It's completely free.
12:23So make sure you guys are going to New Voices family.com for more information on how you can join.
12:30There's so many benefits there to it.
12:32But I'm still, like, I'm still basking in a glove on my chocolate.
12:38So, so great.
12:40So do you, why don't you share with the people how they can get in touch with you, how they can kind of follow and make sure that they are continuing to support and continuing to order?
12:50Absolutely.
12:51So you can do so in two ways.
12:52The first, follow us on all social media channels, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram.
12:57It's at Cocoa Asante, that's C-O-C-O-A-A-S-A-N-T-E.
13:03And, of course, you can shop at our website, www.cocoasante.com.
13:08Once again, that's C-O-C-O-A-A-S-A-N-T-E.
13:12We have so many amazing flavors coming out for the holiday season.
13:15We have beautiful hot cocoa ornament bombs.
13:18And I'm technically not supposed to say this yet, but we have a limited amount of Barbie-themed hot cocoa ornament bombs.
13:26You have Barbie-themed hot cocoa ornament bombs.
13:31So is that an ornament and then it has, like, chocolate on the inside?
13:35Yeah.
13:35So think of, so it's chocolate on the outside and inside we pipe our specialty marshmallow fluff.
13:40But it's shaped like an ornament and you can actually split it in two.
13:44And so you get two servings in one and it's the most decadent, rich, oh my gosh, just rich chocolate hot cocoa.
13:53I mean, it's, it's my daughter, she's three and she wants this, like, every day.
13:58But, yeah, it's, it's really amazing.
14:00I'm excited to bring it out for, for our customers.
14:03You definitely have a future customer in that.
14:06Would you have a, what's the release date for that one?
14:09So people can look out.
14:09So the hot cocoa ornament bombs are going to be released next Friday.
14:15So next Friday they will come out and I'm super excited for them.
14:19And then the week after we'll release our Christmas box.
14:22So it's a large box of 25 bonbons.
14:25And if you'll believe it, I had a customer one day that told me that he ate the whole box by himself.
14:30Didn't share it with his wife or anything, but we'll have that box so that you can share with others or enjoy it by yourself if you choose.
14:37I'm sure you owe your wife another box of chocolate if you're watching out there.
14:41I understand.
14:42I understand the struggle of not being able to put it down.
14:46Well, you have been so, so great.
14:48Thank you so much for sharing Coco Asante with us.
14:51And I hope to see you in the future.
14:54Guys, make sure if you're going to her website to buy, there is an incredible promo code that she's hooking us up with.
15:00Essence 15, all caps.
15:02Get 15% off of your order.
15:04Ella, thank you so much for joining us and good luck to Coco Asante.
15:08Thank you so much for having me.
15:10All right.
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