The Chocolate Pod

09/11/2026

Come join us at the California Chocolate Expo in November! Tickets on sale now!

🍫❤️ THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS! ❤️🍫

The official California Chocolate Expo – Redding poster is here, and we’re incredibly grateful to the businesses and organizations helping us bring this year’s Expo to life!

A sweet THANK YOU to our 2026 sponsors:

✨ Action News Now
✨ Anah Roll
✨ Chocolate After Dark
✨ Cocoa and Craft
✨ Eat Shasta
✨ Redding Fire Festival
✨ Goufrais USA
✨ KRCR
✨ K-Shasta
✨ La Joie Bakery
✨ NorCal Neighbors – Direct Mail Advertising
✨ The Chocolate Pod
✨ Q97
✨ RSVP Advertising
✨ Santie Aunties Magical Fudge
✨ Silly Sprinkles
✨ Turtle Bay Exploration Park
✨ When Pie Meets Bread
✨ Wild 99.3

Supporting our sponsors helps support the events they make possible. ❤️

And you can help us, too! Share this poster and help us spread the word about one of Northern California’s sweetest days of the year! 🍫

🎟️ Tickets are on sale NOW!
Choose General Admission, Late Entry, or upgrade to one of our limited Milk or Dark Chocolate VIP Early Entry Packages.

📅 Saturday, November 14, 2026
📍 Red Lion Hotel • Redding, CA
🕚 11:00 AM–6:30 PM

🍫 Get your tickets:
https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/hottelproductions/california-chocolate-expo-2026

Thank you to every sponsor, vendor, guest and chocolate lover who helps make the California Chocolate Expo possible. We’ll see you in November!

08/06/2026

Chasing your passion and turning it into something real takes guts. Evergreen has done exactly that with AhHome Chocolate, and her 2-year countdown posts are a great reminder of how far consistent action can take you.

Loved the story about brewing cacao over a fire for 150+ people at the Expansion Festival back in 2019, and seeing how far she's come since then. Excited to see what she shares next as she counts down to the anniversary.
Keep going, Evergreen!

05/15/2026

Thank you, Sherwood Sun, for helping to share our story! 📰📣

Two local Sherwoodians host a podcast all about craft chocolate makers and chocolatiers from Oregon and beyond. Read all about it right here: www.sherwoodsun.org/sherwood-co-hosts-bring-the-chocolate-pod-podcast-to-texas-california

05/14/2026

05/14/2026

🍫✨ Get First Taste of the Magic — VIP Tickets Are Calling ✨🍫
If you’ve been dreaming about experiencing the California Chocolate Expo before the crowds… this is your moment 🍫✨

Our VIP Early Entry Package is more than just a ticket—it’s your sweet little head start into a world of rich flavors, first picks, and unhurried indulgence.

VIP is limited—and it always disappears faster than your favorite chocolate bar 💫

⏰ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (before general admission opens)
Walk in while tables are fully stocked and the first grabs are available.

⭐ VIP Includes:
🍫 A premium chocolate bar with inclusion
🥛 Choose your vibe: Dark Package (bold + rich) or Milk Package (smooth + creamy)
🍬 Gift card for a bonbon (redeemable at Anah Roll’s booth)
✨ Exclusive tasting experiences with select vendors
🛍️ Event bag for samples, swag & all your chocolate treasures

This is where you get:
• First pick of limited batches
• Time to talk with makers
• A more relaxed, elevated experience
Because craft chocolate isn’t just something you eat… it’s something you experience.

🎟️ VIP is limited—and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
👉 Order tickets here: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/hottelproductions/california-chocolate-expo-2026

Join us at the California Chocolate Expo at the Red Lion Hotel in Redding and discover bold dark bars, creamy confections, handmade treats, and incredible small businesses all in one place.

Support artisan makers. Taste something unforgettable. Take home more than you planned.

04/18/2026

Great to see Branson's Chocolates will be featured in the Language of Business series. 👏🎥🤩🍫

04/14/2026

Live from the 🎤🍫

This week’s episode of The Chocolate Pod features a live panel hosted by Darlene Gallinger-Long, bringing together women across the craft chocolate industry to share their stories, lessons, and perspectives.

Thank you to the Oregon Chocolate Festival for the opportunity to be part of such a great event, and to our panelists for an incredible conversation:
✨ Dr. Melissa Berry – Missionary Chocolates
✨ Deena Branson – Branson’s Chocolates
✨ Evergreen Love – AhHome Chocolate
✨ Desiree Marca – Scharffen Berger

From creativity and community to resilience and growth, this episode is a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build in chocolate.

🎧 Listen now – link in bio

04/14/2026

We had the opportunity to record a special live episode of The Chocolate Pod at the Oregon Chocolate Festival this year!

Hosted by Darlene Gallinger-Long, this panel brought together an incredible group of women in chocolate to share their journeys, lessons learned, and what it really takes to find success in the craft chocolate industry.

A huge thank you to the Oregon Chocolate Festival for the opportunity, and to our panelists for such an honest and thoughtful conversation:
• Dr. Melissa Berry, Missionary Chocolates
• Deena Branson, Branson's Chocolates
• Evergreen Love, AhHome
• Desiree Marca, Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

🎧 Listen now: www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

04/11/2026

Seattle's most delicious week is here!

Seattle Chocolate Week arrives April 17–26, 2026, uniting over 15 of the Area’s top chocolate shops, bakeries, cafés, and bars in a week-long celebration of cocoa, craft, and creativity. From handmade truffles and gourmet brownies to chocolate cocktails and dessert pairings, this sweet citywide event offers something for every chocolate lover.

Participants can purchase a digital Chocolate Passport (starting at $10) that unlocks access to exclusive offers, treats, and discounts at participating businesses. To redeem perks, passport holders simply visit a location, scan a custom QR code, and sign in with their email — a fun and easy way to explore new favorites across the area.

Seattle Chocolate Week also highlights the talent and innovation of local chocolate artisans and independent businesses, driving foot traffic, discovery, and community support.

Passports are available at:
www.SeattleChocolateWeek.com

04/05/2026

Came across a chocolate fountain while visiting New York. 🗽🏙️🍫