Our Story
Hello! Lindy here. Welcome to Two Little Monkeys!
We are a craft chocolate company that is family-owned and operated since 2015, but our love for chocolate goes way back to childhood. I mean really, who doesn’t grow up loving chocolate? Being from Wisconsin, the land of beer and cheese, I was in awe when I saw a cacao tree in Costa Rica for the first time and tried the pulp from the football-shaped fruit. How could I have been so disconnected from my food that I didn’t even know that chocolate came from a tree? I had to learn more.
Ismael, on the other hand, grew up with cacao as a staple in his household. His mom would prepare a traditional drink every morning called “pinolillo”, which is cacao, cornmeal, cinnamon and raw sugar incorporated with milk. For a long time, he only knew this raw and rustic form of cacao and it wasn’t until much later in life that he tried a refined chocolate for the first time.
So here we were, growing up in two seemingly different worlds – me eating unsatisfying, commercially processed chocolate and Ismael eating real cacao without ever having tried a typical supermarket chocolate. Fast forward to 2005 when we met and eventually find ourselves married and harvesting cacao pods from a tree just off our front porch. We were inspired to became more connected to the roots of chocolate and Ismael started with a university research project on the production of cacao trees and post harvest processing. Together, we visited cacao farms all around Costa Rica and gained knowledge and inspiration from other local chocolate makers. Very quickly, we realized that cacao processed in small batches from high quality beans brings out flavors unlike any chocolate either of us remember growing up with. This was something that we wanted to share with the world! So with a few small pieces of equipment in our kitchen, we started Two Little Monkeys Chocolate and bridged both our experiences with cacao.
We have been steadily growing to reach where we are now, and constantly improving upon what we already love. We have a dedicated and certified factory space to work our chocolate magic as well as a farm and workshop area to welcome guests who would like to learn more about chocolate-making. Our mission is to provide educational opportunities that connect people to the world of craft chocolate, as well as bring you premium quality products with ethically produced, clean and local ingredients. Chocolate can be more than just a sweet treat, so we invite you to savor it slowly, let it melt and experience the flavors of Costa Rica.
Meet the Monkeys:
Ismael is co-founder, chocolate maker and a certified naturalist tour guide. His knowledge of Costa Rican flora and fauna was part of his inspiration to learn about sustainable production of cacao and how it is processed into chocolate. His journey started by visiting Costa Rican farms and connecting with the most experienced cacao farmers throughout the country. Now he shares his expertise with all the guests who participate in our chocolate-making workshop.
Lindy is co-founder, chocolate maker and sales/marketing coordinator. Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she moved to Costa Rica in 2005 to teach English where she met Ismael and decided to stay. Through meticulous practice, Lindy has become an expert in flavor development of cacao through different roasting profiles and is passionate about showcasing the flavors of Costa Rican cacao.
Mateo is monkey #1.
He is a creative and outgoing boy who loves building Legos, drawing Pokemon, and finding frogs and lizards to bring home! He wants to be an inventor when he grows up and always has his mind filled with his next project idea.
Lucie is monkey #2. She is an amazing little fireball of a girl who will keep you on your toes! She loves animals, cooking and dreams of becoming a baker. Lucie will often take over during her dad’s farm tour and teach all that she has learned about the plants on the farm.