Our Ethical Cacao Story

Patisserie Perfection, From the Bean Up

Brian Campbell grew up on the Isle of Lewis off the coast of Scotland and worked his way through Michelin-starred kitchens in England before making his way to New Zealand, where he became one of Auckland’s most celebrated pastry chefs. After stints at The French Cafe, Bracu, and Kermadec, he opened the first Miann location in 2015 with his wife and business partner Roselle. The name Miann is Scottish Gaelic for ‘desire’ — a fitting word for a business built entirely around the pursuit of exceptional flavour.

Not content with reaching the pinnacle of patisserie, Brian took on the daunting task of making all of Miann’s chocolate from scratch, setting up a bean-to-bar factory in Ponsonby alongside one of his two Auckland dessert cafes — the other being in Britomart. What makes Miann genuinely unique is what happens next: rather than simply selling bars, Brian’s team transforms their single-origin chocolate into an extraordinary range of cakes, gelato, sorbets, macarons, pastries and bonbons. It makes Miann one of the very few producers in the world to take chocolate all the way from cacao bean to finished dessert, and one of the most extraordinary chocolate destinations in Aotearoa.

Chocolate That Starts With Doing Right

At Miann Chocolate Factory, we believe that truly great chocolate can only come from truly ethical sourcing. That means knowing exactly where our cacao beans come from, and being confident that every step of the journey reflects our values.

Why Sourcing Matters

Chocolate can be confusing. For most of its modern history, the industry has done little to help you understand what you’re actually buying — where the cacao was grown, how it was transformed into chocolate, or who really made it. Today, the shelves are full of products, labels and terms that blur the line between bean-to-bar craft chocolate, mass-produced industrial bars, artisan chocolatiers working with pre-made couverture, and mainstream confectionery. It’s a lot for chocolate lovers to navigate.

The global cacao industry has also long faced serious challenges, including exploitative labour practices, child labour, and poverty among farming communities. We refuse to be part of that story. From the moment we select our cacao partners, we ask hard questions and hold ourselves to high standards.

No Slavery. No Child Labour. Ever.

We source exclusively from suppliers who can demonstrate fair labour practices, safe working conditions, and zero tolerance for child labour. This isn’t a box-ticking exercise — it’s a commitment we take seriously at every level of our business.

Well-Sourced Beans, Better Chocolate

Ethically sourced cacao isn’t just the right thing to do — it also produces better beans. When farmers are paid fairly and supported properly, they invest in their crops. The result is higher quality cacao, and ultimately, a richer, more complex chocolate for you to enjoy.

Our Ongoing Commitment

We are continuously working to deepen our relationships with cacao growers, increase transparency in our supply chain, and support farming communities that share our values. Because we believe the best chocolate leaves the world a little better than it found it.

Proud Members of A Bar Apart

Craft chocolate makers source their cacao with care, control every stage of production, and create something that reflects both the origin of the bean and the skill of the maker. To help chocolate lovers navigate this landscape with confidence, we are proud to carry the A Bar Apart emblem — an independent mark of craft and integrity awarded only to true bean-to-bar chocolate makers.

Displaying this emblem means we are committed to four things: making chocolate from scratch starting with the cacao bean; being transparent about exactly where our beans come from; openly sharing our chocolate-making process; and sourcing a diverse range of specialty cacao to create chocolate with exceptional, complex flavours. A Bar Apart exists to celebrate and support this craft — and we’re honoured to be part of it.

Bean-to-Bar

We make our chocolate from scratch, starting with roasting cacao beans. The process of transforming cacao beans into chocolate is complex and magical — and it’s a craft we take seriously.

Transparent Origin

We are transparent about the source of our beans, beyond just the country where the cacao was grown. There are well-reported ethical and moral issues in the cacao supply chain, and we believe transparency is an essential step towards improving the chocolate industry.

Transparent Process

We share our chocolate making process openly. When shopping for chocolate there can be confusion about whether companies truly make chocolate from scratch — the A Bar Apart emblem helps provide that clarity.

Celebrating Flavour Diversity

The flavour of chocolate can be so much more than ‘chocolatey’. We source a variety of specialty cacao beans to create chocolate with exceptional, diverse, and complex flavours. Tasting this kind of chocolate can be a beautiful and revelatory experience.