The Chocolate Pod

Podcast by Zack Gallinger-Long

English

Business

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20 hours of audiobooks / month
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About The Chocolate Pod

Ever wonder what it really takes to turn cacao beans into incredible chocolate? The Chocolate Pod takes you behind the scenes with the passionate chocolatiers, makers, and innovators who are crafting some of the world's best small-batch chocolate. In every episode, you'll hear the real stories—the aha moments, the expensive mistakes, the late nights perfecting a recipe, and the pure joy of creating something people love. Whether you're a chocolate superfan curious about what makes craft chocolate special, an aspiring maker wondering if you could do this too, or just someone who appreciates a good origin story, you'll walk away inspired, informed, and probably craving chocolate.I'm Zack Gallinger-Long, and if you've been to a craft chocolate festival, you might know me as "the Golden Ticket guy" (yes, I wear a shiny gold suit while my wife rocks a Chocolate Queen costume). We're not industry insiders—we're enthusiastic fans who fell in love with this community and wanted to share these incredible stories. I bring my background in business consulting and small business ownership to ask research-informed questions that matter: How do you scale? What does "bean-to-bar" actually mean in practice? What factors influence the chocolate industry? This is a show for anyone who believes that the best stories are found in the passion, craft, and people behind what we love.

All episodes

6 episodes

Women in Craft Chocolate: Live from the Oregon Chocolate Festival

This week on The Chocolate Pod, we’re bringing you a live recording from the Oregon Chocolate Festival, featuring a panel of women shaping the craft chocolate industry. Hosted by Darlene Gallinger-Long, this conversation brings together chocolate makers and chocolatiers to share how they got started, the realities of building a business, and the resilience required to stay in it. From evolving craft and navigating pricing challenges to balancing creativity with sustainability, this panel offers an honest look at what it takes to grow in chocolate today. You’ll hear perspectives from Dr. Melissa Berry of Missionary Chocolates, Deena Branson of Branson’s Chocolates, Evergreen Love of AhHome Chocolate, and Desiree Marca of Scharffen Berger. Together, they explore the importance of community, the role of curiosity and experimentation, and why supporting local chocolate makers matters more than ever. If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like behind the scenes of craft chocolate or considered stepping into the industry yourself, this episode offers both inspiration and practical insight. Listen now to this special live episode of The Chocolate Pod. 🍫🎙️🎧 Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com [http://www.TheChocolatePodcast.com] Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

14 Apr 2026 - 25 min

Missionary Chocolates: Dr. Melissa Berry, ND

How does someone go from studying naturopathic medicine to building a chocolate company? For Dr. Melissa Berry, the answer began with a simple act of care: creating a chocolate her mother could safely enjoy. What started as small experiments in the kitchen gradually evolved into Missionary Chocolates, a brand known for its handcrafted vegan truffles and thoughtful approach to ingredients. Along the way, Melissa navigated doubt from others, discovered the power of community support, and learned how focusing her time on the right work could help the business grow. Listen to her story in the latest episode of The Chocolate Pod. 🍫🎙️🎧 Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

6 Mar 2026 - 24 min

Branson's Chocolates: Deena Branson

When a long-standing chocolate shop in Ashland, Oregon closed its doors, Deena Branson saw a craft worth carrying forward. After purchasing the equipment from the store, she founded Branson’s Chocolates and drew on her experience in craft chocolate industry to guide her as she refined recipes and continued learning. Unwrap the story of Branson's Chocolate in this episode of The Chocolate Pod. 🍫🎙️🎧 Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

2 Mar 2026 - 23 min

AhHome Chocolate: Evergreen Love

It all began with the Chocolate Team. A love cultivated since childhood… AhHome Chocolate is the brand founded by Evergreen Love, built on that early devotion and shaped by years of persistence. Today, that vision lives inside a chocolate factory and chocolate lounge in Trinity County, California, where Evergreen crafts superfood chocolate from scratch and creates a space designed to uplift her community. From kitchen experiments to a fully realized gathering place, her journey reflects steady determination, creative problem solving, and a belief that chocolate can nourish connection as much as it satisfies appetite. Listen to her story in the latest episode of The Chocolate Pod. 🍫🎙️🎧 Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

13 Feb 2026 - 18 min

Arcay Chocolates: Anabella Arcay

Arcay Chocolates is a family-owned chocolate business in Washington D.C. The founder, Annabella Arcay, started making chocolates in her home country of Venezuela in her kitchen in 2006. Over the years, Annabella became a master chocolatier and gained international notoriety after receiving 42 medals at the International Chocolate Awards! Listen to her story and the challenges she overcame along the way, in the latest episode of The Chocolate Pod. 🍫🎙️🎧 Discover more at www.TheChocolatePodcast.com

5 Feb 2026 - 15 min

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