Forum: cooking.stackexchange.com
Tags: <chocolate>
Title: Cheapest place to get bulk chocolate?
Question: Where do I buy good quality (for truffles) chocolate in bulk quantities (> 3 lbs)? The prices I'm seeing for Valrhona, etc on Amazon reach nearly $15/lb and that is ridiculous. Any preferred vendors? Thanks!

Answers:
sents: text: In the world of high-end chocolate, Valrhona isn't even the most expensive - in fact, it's practically entry level.
text: Amedei Signature retails at a whopping $40/lb in "bulk" (1 kg) quantities.
text: I don't think I've ever seen Valhrona in bulk quantities and/or at a significantly discounted price.
text: On the other hand, there are similar-quality brands that are way more affordably-priced.
text: On chocosphere you can buy 22 lbs of Callebaut callets for just over $6 per pound.
text: Or you can get one of Felchlin's Grand Cru chocolates for about $10 per pound.
text: You can even buy Guittard there for what appears to be $6.60/lb.
text: But you'll notice that they even though they also carry Valrhona, they don't have it in bulk.
text: I also see Candy Warehouse selling the Guittard wafers for, apparently, $3.10/lb if you buy the 25 lb bag.
text: Chocolate Man sells the Felchlin Maracaibo chocolate (not Grand Cru) for a measly $7.80/lb.
text: They've got a variety of other well-known brands as well, although their selection is limited, they don't have a lot of the crazy high-end stuff.
text: Chocovic chocolate also sells at around the $10 range at most stores.
text: If you can find it, they distribute 10 kg and 25 kg bags (that's 22 lbs and 55 lbs ).
text: I'm not sure where, but if you go to their official site they explicitly mention that they make that size.
text: You should consider that the exorbitant prices may not be a result of where you're buying from, but of what you're buying.
text: Valrhona is just expensive.
text: You may say that is because it's better than all the others, and you may be right (
text: although some would disagree - it's more than a little subjective) -
text: but that is the price you pay for "premium" products.
text: They can get away with charging $13-$15/lb, so they do.
text: Do yourself a favour
text: - try some of the lesser-known brands.
text: A lot of them really do make fantastic chocolate
text: , they're just not as famous as Valrhona.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/41/Aaronut
score: 12
sents: text: Chocosphere has been my source for around a year or so: http://www.chocosphere.com/
text: They are based on Oregon (unfortunately for me), but they sell all of the most common brands of chocolate.
text: Most of their chocolates are sold in 1 kg, 3 kg, or 5kg quantities.
text: As a bonus, they are really good at shipping.
text: I've had them ship chocolate literally across the country in warm weather and it showed up unmelted.
text: EDIT: As others have noted, Valrhona is NEVER cheap.
text: Ever.
text: And Valrhona isn't the only one.
text: I've been wanting to try some Michel Cluizel stuff, but its $40/kg!!!
text: I use cheaper chocolate, such as Callebaut, when I'm working on recipes.
text: When I'm making anything that's going to be boxed up, I may order different chocolate.
text: A current (and rather unknown) favorite, is Chocolate Santander, a Columbian single-origin chocolate that beat out all the Valrhona varieties I had on hand (2 or 3), Callebaut, and about 5 other chocolates I had around in a taste test.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/3779/Computerish
score: 5
sents: text: I purchase from two sources that are cheaper than the ones mentioned already: Bakers Cash and Carry sells a full line of Guittard at rock-bottomprices.
text: I just discovered that there are two companies online withthat name.
text: The one that I use, and really love the pricing at, is here .
text: and L'Epicerie has the best prices on Valrhona
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/43292/Hank Friedman
score: 2
sents: text: Try Guittard products.
text: I think they stand up well against Valrhona.
text: I use Scharffen Berger cocoa and I buy it in bulk.
text: I have used Chocosphere in the past - good customer service, but their prices are not as competitive as they used to be.
text: I've been shopping around on the web and can sometimes beat their prices by enough dollars that I try new places.
text: For truffles, I use the Guittard 63 (it might be 62 percent)
text: dark chocolate 10 pound bar.
text: Worked wonderfully and overall cost for the chocolate on a per pound basis was very good.
text: I'd have loved to try the Divine Chocolates site listed in this other answer but
text: "contact us for price" is a nonstarter.
text: I want to be able to compare prices online without waiting on office hours or having to speak to someone.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/14872/BearMountainBooks
score: 1
sents: text: I order from worldwidechcocolate.com.
text: They have a LOT of different brands, and I have tried most of them.
text: I am a Valhrona person, but I have found Callebaut and Guittard to be quite comparable.
answer_details: author: cooking.stackexchange.com/users/24713/juce
score: 1

Summary of the answers:
Callebaut and Guittard are more affordable, or you could try some of the lesser-known brands such as Chocolate Santander. Chocosphere is also a good source.
There are other, less well-known brands that are cheaper. Try Guittard, Callebaut and Santander instead.