Artist Zuzana Chmielova (Zu) is the RIVA Chocolate Maker.

“I started my chocolate-making journey in early 2017 upon successful completion of the Chocolate Making from the Bean Program at the Ecole Chocolat Professional School of Chocolate Arts. It gave me a great base of knowledge and led me to the first homemade batch of chocolate from cocoa beans.

I realized that I would like to be part of that sweet adventure and wanted to see the cacao plant in its natural habitat. The cacao grows only around the equator and with the help of my bean supplier, Juan from the Mexican Arabica Bean Company, I went to learn post-harvest practices in Comalcalco, Mexico at Hacienda Cacaotera Jesús Maria in 2019. This experience changed my view of chocolate. I have treated each cocoa bean with care and respect ever since. Dedicated to honouring the hard work of humans behind each harvest, as well as the long journey to get it all the way to my kitchen, and from there, to you.” – Zuzana Chmielova

Bean-to-bar is a craft chocolate-making movement that celebrates the cacao and treats it like gold (as did the Mesoamericans). There is a belief that Theobroma Cacao is a goddess plant, and bears fruit that reflects the soil, topography, and the climate in which it is grown.

RIVA chocolate strives to honour the amazing natural flavours and complexities of the cocoa beans -featuring cocoa profiles from Nicaragua, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Vietnam and more.

“RIVA is a combination of one passion with another, RIVA is a path, RIVA is joy and a new adventure.” – Zuzana Chmielova