To help celebrate occasions big and small. To inspire random acts of chocolate. To make a small moment sweeter (the truffle on top, if you will).
As a woman-owned and powered company, we know that magic happens when everyone has a voice; it makes us bolder, pushes us to take risks, and honestly, it’s just a lot of fun. We’re endlessly inspired to evolve, to be better to each other and the planet, to leave the world kinder (and more delicious) than we found it.
WE ARE
SEATTLE CHOCOLATE COMPANY
SIMPLY PUT, WE'RE HERE TO LIFT YOU UP
CEO JEAN THOMPSON
AND DAUGHTER ELLIE
a little history
Since our founding in 1991, Seattle Chocolate Company has created its signature meltaway truffles and truffle bars in the heart of the Pacific Northwest. The original chocolate factory was destroyed by the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake, but entrepreneur, mother, and investor Jean Thompson has never been one to turn down a challenge. At a make-or-break moment for the company, she stepped up and took the helm as owner and CEO. Jean had little industry experience, but was armed with an unparalleled love of chocolate and a whole lot of grit - and soon turned the company into the colorful, thriving place it is today.
In 2012, Jean created jcoco, a bold new chocolate brand under the Seattle Chocolate umbrella, with a focus on feeding hungry families at its core. With each jcoco purchase, jcoco donates fresh servings of food to those in need through partnerships with food banks in Washington, California, and New York. With the help of your chocolate cravings, we’ve donated almost 4 million servings to date!
Many things have changed in the last 30 years: we’ve added delightful new flavors, infused the chocolate industry with a healthy dose of color and whimsy, pushed our products to be as earth-friendly as possible, and built an incredible team of chocolate-lovers. But that meltaway truffle you fell in love with 30 years ago? It’s just as delicious as you remember.
meet our fearless leader
JEAN THOMPSON, OWNER + CEO
Jean Thompson is many things: mother, entrepreneur, world traveller, and chocolate lover. A native New Englander, Jean graduated from Bates College before embarking on a career in high tech. Between software and chocolate, Jean was raising two children in Bellevue, Washington, and devoting her free time to nonprofit work. After the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake left the Seattle Chocolate manufacturing facility in ruins, Jean took on the job of owner and CEO, relocating the factory and running the daily operations of the company. Jean’s determination, willingness to learn and adapt, and curiosity fueled her as she led the company into a new era. In the process, Jean grew from marketer to business visionary, and from chocolate eater to chocolate maven with a sense of purpose.
With both chocolate brands—Seattle Chocolate and jcoco—Jean hopes to elevate the chocolate industry through innovative flavor combinations and consumer education. She also sees the popularity of chocolate as an opportunity to empower customers to give back through their purchases. She is passionate about elevating the chocolate industry, improving the lives of cacao farmers, and empowering future entrepreneurs who may learn from her story.
Jean has recently been featured in Inc. Magazine, Forbes, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, and Entrepreneur. In 2019 she gave a TEDx Talk on the future of cacao, Imagine a World Without Chocolate.
our sourcing and sustainability commitment
- We are passionate about cacao and the people who grow it. In addition to our origin chocolate directly sourced from small Peruvian Farms, we use Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa. Rainforest Alliance certification promotes a long term, robust, and sustainable approach to addressing unjust labor practices, preserving the environment, and bettering the economic situation of cocoa farmers and their families. Find out more at ra.org.
- We also have a commitment to protecting the earth, and work to make sure our products are as sustainable as possible. In 2020, we moved to compostable packaging for our entire line of sparkly truffles, and are currently in the process of transitioning our chocolate bar packaging to fully recyclable paper. In 2022, thanks to carbon offset purchases targeted toward sustainable and regenerative farming practices, Seattle Chocolate Company is officially carbon neutral - and we're just getting started. Learn more here. We also compost our chocolate scraps and sell our imperfect factory seconds, so none of the deliciousness goes to waste!
watch the magic happen
JOIN US ON A FACTORY TOUR
Join us to see it all in person at the Seattle Chocolate factory and flagship store! Learn about how cacao becomes chocolate, check out our chocolate-making machines and the start-to-finish creation of our truffles and bars from the vantage point of our hot pink walkway, and taste our signature, smooth chocolate recipes along the way.
two brands, one mission
At Seattle Chocolate Company we’re endlessly inspired to evolve, to be better to the planet, and to leave the world brighter (and more delicious) than we found it. Explore our two brands to discover just how we do that.