Finnish artisan chocolate often starts as imported bulk product

Many Finnish companies selling handmade chocolate source their base chocolate from a handful of major foreign producers, an investigation by Yle has found.

Out of ten Finnish artisan chocolatiers contacted by Yle, six confirmed they purchase all or part of their chocolate pre-made from abroad. Only a small number of Finnish producers make chocolate starting from cocoa beans.

Companies such as Billnäs Chocolate Factory, Kirsin suklaat, Chocosomnia, and Suklaa Täplä openly acknowledge using imported chocolate, which they melt and refine into their own products. Even larger producers like Brunberg in Porvoo, which primarily makes its own chocolate, imports white chocolate due to allergen restrictions.

Industry practitioners defend the practice as craftsmanship, noting that all subsequent steps—from melting to packaging—are done by hand. Sabina Skogberg, production manager at Billnäs, argues that the multiple manual stages, including tempering, molding, flavoring, decorating, and packaging, qualify as artisan work.

The imported chocolate often comes from major European suppliers such as Barry Callebaut, Belcolade, Blanxart, Valrhona, and Felchlin. These companies sell chocolate in various forms, from small buttons to 15-kilogram bags, which small Finnish businesses then transform into their own confections.

A few Finnish producers, like Dammenberg, do process cocoa beans themselves but may still import certain types, such as milk or white chocolate, for practical reasons.