witness the cocoa date production live.

Our extra-soft organic Sukkary dates, coated in 100% organic cocoa from Peru, are a blessing for body, mind, and soul. Anyone who has ever tried our DATTELBÄR organic cocoa dates knows what I'm talking about. But how are cocoa dates actually produced, and what makes Zotter chocolate so special? Before I tell you all that, I'd like to start at the very beginning of the cocoa date's history...

From food craving to a successful product

When you get a craving for something sweet, a date probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. More likely, you think of chocolate, sweet chocolate that melts slowly in your mouth, its delicious taste and aroma making every cell in your body glow. Well, are you feeling a craving now, too? But this thought is usually quickly followed by a pang of conscience, because we know that conventional chocolate is anything but healthy for us – and eating high-percentage chocolate without sugar just isn't the same. Our dear DATTELBÄR boss had the same thought. So he simply tried eating the healthy dark chocolate at the same time as a date.

Love at first bite!

The combination of natural, unsweetened cocoa with a fresh date tastes far, far, far better than conventional chocolate and is also extremely healthy. The idea for the cocoa date was born.

Cocoa dates for everyone

In no time at all, the idea became the new favorite snack. To ensure everyone could enjoy the delicious cocoa dates, it was essential to find the best and most flavorful chocolate and partner with a sustainable company for production. When it comes to chocolate, transparency, and above all, sustainability, ZOTTER is at the forefront.

At just 26 years old, Josef Zotter and his wife opened a confectionery shop in the beautiful, green Styria region. Instead of ordinary rolls and apricot cakes, they offered scarlet runner bean roulades and hemp slices. More than 25 years ago, Josef began producing his own chocolate in the back room. Hand-dipped and in the most unusual varieties and variations. Soon, the Zotter family decided to specialize exclusively in chocolate and began traveling to the cocoa-growing countries to find the best varieties. Today, the Zotter Chocolate Factory is a state-of-the-art and sustainable company.

Organic ingredients, fair trade, and warmth are among the highest values.

Josef Zotter is considered the best chocolate producer in the world. But we're not just fascinated by the quality of the chocolate; we're also captivated by the love and trust that Josef invests in his company and his employees. For us, one thing was clear: there had to be DATTELBÄR organic cocoa dates with Zotter chocolate for everyone. And so it was done… from a favorite snack of dark chocolate and succulent dates, the cocoa date has become an absolute success. People who don't normally like dates and run for the hills when offered unsweetened dark chocolate can't stop snacking on our cocoa dates and are delighted to have finally found a healthy and delicious snack. Our DATTELBÄR organic cocoa dates are also a hit with kids and are even more popular than gummy bears and other sweets.

This is how cocoa dates are produced.

We were there live and were given a personal tour of the chocolate factory by Josef Zotter himself. In principle, cocoa date production is quite simple. The pitted and extra-soft Sukkary dates are placed on a conveyor belt and then dipped into molten chocolate. Afterward, they are cooled so the chocolate hardens. At the end of the conveyor belt, you can look forward to super fresh and delicious organic cocoa dates. Anyone who loves chocolate should definitely plan a trip to the chocolate factory, because on the chocolate tasting tour you not only experience the production process up close, but also learn all about chocolate making and can sample more than 300 different varieties.

Here You can order our unique organic cocoa dates made with Zotter cocoa.