Meet Hummingbird Chocolate—Canada’s most awarded chocolate maker
I often get asked by readers and friends as to what chocolate I recommend or “is the best.” To help you with your chocolate shopping, and in honour of the great chocolate being handcrafted in Canada, I dedicate this post to one of my favourite chocolate makers, Hummingbird Chocolate based in Almonte, Ontario, featuring one of Canada’s dedicated #WomenInChocolate.
Erica and Drew Gilmour of Hummingbird Chocolate are happy to welcome you for tours of their chocolate workshop in Almonte on Saturdays, but please book ahead as space is limited. Tours are not happening at present due to COVID. Curb-side pickup and expedited delivery are available at present and done efficiently.
I first met Erica Gilmour of Hummingbird Chocolate in 2013. She’d come to my Ottawa hotel room to bring me chocolate to taste, as at that time, they didn’t have a factory or a storefront location. She and husband Drew were making chocolate bars in the basement of their home, and selling them at local farmers’ markets in the Ottawa Valley. It was all kind of intriguing!
What a long way Hummingbird Chocolate has come in that short time, having won three awards from the International Academy of Chocolate in 2014, nine awards in 2015, and six Academy of Chocolate Awards in 2016 in addition to the coveted Golden Bean Award for “Best Bean to Bar in a dark chocolate bar.” That’s a total of 19 international awards in just three years! Since then, Hummingbird Chocolate has continued to wow the world each year and has won more than 100 international awards to date including six in the 2020 competition and a Silver Award in the 2020-2021 International Chocolate Awards for their former Golden Bean winner, the 70% Hispaniola bar.
Hummingbird Chocolate bars now come in a larger 60-gram size, replacing the original 28-gram size. On the wrappers, you’ll find some interesting info about chocolate making, photos of the cacao processing equipment, as well as the flavour notes for each bar.
Hummingbird chocolate has added cocoa butter to make it super silky as it melts in your mouth to reveal the unique flavour notes of each cocoa varietal.
What I love about Hummingbird Chocolate in addition to the powerfully pure taste, silky texture, and really cool packaging:
- Erica and Drew are genuine hardworking people who are making chocolate because they love it.
- The Gilmours have a really interesting history, having met while doing international aid work in Afghanistan.
- Ethics and sustainability are front and centre in the philosophy of Hummingbird Chocolate. They purchase their cocoa beans directly from farmers or cocoa cooperatives that provide them with top quality organic beans.
- They are always striving to expand their offerings and improve their craft by introducing new flavours of bars, perfecting the thickness of their bars, improving their packaging, and whatever it takes to meet their own high standards.
- Hummingbird Chocolate is now making couverture (bulk packaging of their chocolate for use in commercial kitchens.) What a great way to spread the love and give people a chance to enjoy and re-enjoy the many flavours of Hummingbird Chocolate. You can also buy roasted cocoa beans and cocoa nibs from Hummingbird, if you’re looking to taste pure unadulterated cocoa.
- They are Canadian! We Canadians are known for not blowing our own horns, for our humility, and humbleness. It’s so nice to see a small Canadian company making it big on the international stage.
- Not only is Hummingbird Chocolate, Canadian, but they are small town Canadian! That really appeals to me, as I, too, have lived in rural small-town Canada since 1982 and know how hard it is to get noticed when you live (or work) outside of a major centre. Hummingbird Chocolate is located in Almonte, Ontario, a tiny historic community located about 40 minutes from the Canadian capital of Ottawa.
I loved strolling through downtown Almonte. The town is situated just 40 minutes from Ottawa, and a great place to spend the day during your visit to Hummingbird Chocolate.
Almonte, Ontario, is a super scenic historic town situated on the (Canadian) Mississippi River.
Hummingbird Chocolate won the Golden Bean award in 2016 for its 70% Hispaniola dark chocolate bar, which also won Gold in its category. It continues to be awarded for this bar, and in 2021 won a Silver Award for the 70% Hispaniola from the International Academy of Chocolate. This bar is made from Trinitarian beans grown in the San Francisco de Macoris region of the Dominican Republic and offers flavour notes of deep cherry blended with light citrus. I love it! They also offer a fabulous Reserva Zorzal bar made from the same beans grown on a bird sanctuary, but with slightly different processing, you’ll taste flavour notes of apricot and pecan. So delicious.
Hummingbird works with a variety of cocoa origins including Guatemala (I loved the Alta Verapaz bar offering hoppy notes blended with bright fruit.) And in recent years, a Haitian bar, the Copán bar from Honduras, Oh Mama! bar from Nicaragua, the hot and spicy Mayan bar (now) featuring Peruvian cacao, and the Tumaco from Colombia have been added to the flavour roster. Try the delicious Dark Milk Tumaco bar which won a gold award from the Academy of Chocolate in 2020 or the new Mocha bars. You will always keep learning, and keep developing your palate with the single origin offerings from Hummingbird Chocolate.
Hummingbird Chocolate also creates an assortment of limited-supply confections such as the delicious Vodcow chocolate-covered caramels. You’ll also find unique infusion bars such as the Maple Bar featuring chocolate naturally sweetened with maple sugar made from concentrated Almonte-made maple syrup and the Honey Lavender Bar featuring honey from the Ottawa Valley and lavender oil from the Prince Edward County region of Ontario. It doesn’t get any more Canadian than that.
This past holiday season, I treated myself (and my friends!) to the three flavours of “chocolate salami” created by Hummingbird. The Chocolate Cherry and Brandy salami features cream and hazelnuts. I love the crunchiness of the hazelnuts, the creaminess of the chocolate ganache, and the tartness of the dried cherries and brandy. I also love the Pistachio and Date chocolate salami rolled in sesame seeds and am looking forward to tasting the Fig and Rosemary flavour over the holidays. Just three more reasons that Hummingbird Chocolate remains at the top of my Christmas list for giving and purchasing for myself.
Gourmands and chocolate enthusiasts are sure to enjoy the savoury side of chocolate in these chocolate salamis. They come complete with pairing suggestions. Another thing I love about Hummingbird Chocolate. You’ll find pairing suggestions with many of their products. I hope chocolate lovers from around the world will support this small Canadian company that has chosen to be “industrious, not industrial” in everything they do. They are a chocolate company built on ethics and a commitment to the sustainable world of artisanal handcrafted chocolate.
Have you tried Hummingbird Chocolate? If so, what’s been your favourite flavour so far? If not, what are you waiting for?
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That’s a lovely story you have written about Hummingbird Chocolate. I always admire the passion and journey every chocolatier chooses in order to create their unique artisanal chocolates. Good read!
What a lovely write-up! They sound like folks you want to wander around with for a day, sampling anything they plate in front of you. I’ll keep my eyes open (when I get to stores again) to see if it pops up anywhere around here.
Hi RoseMary and thx for your comment. I don’t believe Hummingbird is sold in US stores, but I do think they ship to the US. It’s really great chocolate. Let’s talk over the holidays.
Thanks for another mouth-watering slice of chocolate life, Doreen. I will check out the Hummingbird site right away. By the way, Almonte is also becoming known as a favourite shooting location for Hallmark Christmas movies — another reason to visit when we can travel again. Looking forward to your next post!
Thanks so much for your comment, Bev. Merry Christmas to you and Howard! I wonder if any of the Hallmark Christmas movies were filmed in Almonte? It is indeed a lovely historic town. I wish I’d had more time there. but I was on a mission to visit Hummingbird Chocolate and taste all their new offerings with Erica. The chocolate salamis are well worth ordering when they’re back in stock. Really unique.
We really enjoyed the Hummingbird cherry and brandy chocolate salami. The chocolate is smooth and melts in your mouth leaving the delicious cherry bits. I can taste why you so highly recommend Hummingbird products! Packaging the product in a salami format is very intriguing.
Hey, Bruce, I’m so glad you enjoyed the cherry brandy chocolate salami! Hummingbird Chocolate is such an innovative small Canadian company that is continually coming up with terrific chocolate offerings that I have no trouble recommending.
what a cool small town, small operation choclateer! Those Hummingbird Salamis look fascinating!
Hi, Linda. Yes, it’s always an incredible find for me when I discover great people making fantastic chocolate in a noteworthy place or setting. Those components are the experiential foundation of Chocolatour.
I get asked that, too, but I always reply, “I can only answer based on what we’ve received this year to test.” That’s why we do a best of the year. I always enjoy reading your experiences here with different chocolates. Thank you for keeping this up.
Hi TammyJo. I purchased the chocolate salamis via the Hummingbird Chocolate website.
It is always very satisfying to see people or a company experience success. You always educate your readers with your posts.
Thanks so much, Bev, for always being caring enough to offer a comment on one of my posts. I truly am appreciative and love to hear your thoughts. As you know, it is part of the mission of Chocolatour to introduce readers, event attendees, and tour participants to the people and places behind the chocolate. To me, that’s equally as important as the chocolate itself.
Thanks Doreen for the Dark Milk Tumaco Chocolate Bar. It was so good I ate it all in one sitting. Usually dark chocolate is bitter, but this was not the case with this one. It was also very rich and creamy. What does Tumaco mean?
Hi Debbie. So glad you enjoyed the bar. I LOVE dark milk chocolate, and apparently you do, too! Much healthier for you than milk chocolate. Tomato is a region in Colombia where the cacao is grown.
Thanks Doreen for the exquisite bar: Mayan, A touch of Spice, a hint of Heat, 68% cacao by Hummingbird Chocolate. Like many others have stated, the bar is a sample of art, smooth, elegant and very good.
Highly recommended!
Hi Marlene. I’m glad you enjoyed the Mayan bar. It’s interesting to note that it’s made with cacao from Peru. Very often, Mayan chocolate is made with Belizean or Mexican cacao. But I agree. It’s got just the right amount of heat and spices to make it a most enjoyable bar.
The chocolates are crafted so skilfully that they look like works of art. The texture looks so smooth and silky. If I had one in my hand, I would feel guilty to bite into it. It looks that good.
Thanks for your comment, Vyjay. Hummingbird Chocolate is indeed a work of art. but don’t let that stop you from eating and enjoying it! 🙂
Given all your reasons, they truly deserve the 19 awards they have and will surely increase as they strive for the love in chocolates. I love the design of the bars as it’s not the typical rectangular shapes. It also easily sells their name. Just brilliant! 🙂
Hi Jessica and thanks for stopping by. Yes, it’s truly wonderful when you see nice, honest, hardworking folks getting rewarded and acknowledged for their efforts. It makes my work all worthwhile. Cheers!
I’m addicted to chocolate. There’s nothing better than a cup of quality coffee and chocolate. I would love to try Hummingbird Chocolate, for sure! 🙂
HI Adam, and thx for stopping by. Iceland has great chocolate, too. Have you tried OmNom? They are a terrific company making great chocolate bars in Reykjavik.
Wow this chocolate brand sounds amazing! Love trying local chocolates as they are always 1000% better than big brands. Next time I’m in Canada I will be sure to check this one out 🙂
It’s so true, Kassie. Small craft producers of anything almost always make a superior product than large companies. There’s something about that hands-on approach that really makes the difference. Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks Doreen for introducing me to Hummingbird Chocolates, would be interested in trying some.
I am glad you are supporting local small town Canadian chocolate makers. Looks perfectly delicious
There is an International Chocolate Day? How did I not know this?! I sense I have a lot of making up to do…
I’d never heard of Hummingbird Chocolate before, but I know of a Canadian shop in London so I’ll definitely have a look next time I’m there!
Hi Claire, and thanks for stopping by. Yes, there are actually numerous public dates devoted to chocolate. July 7th is World Chocolate Day. Sept 13 is International Chocolate Day, and National Chocolate Day in North America. How’s that for a start?
It’s an excellent start!
Doreen, I wish I had heard about Hummingbird Chocolate a month ago. My son and his family went on a week long trip driving to places of interest in Ontario. They did visit Ottawa and my daughter in law, a true chocoholic would have loved sliding over to Almonte.
I’ll definitely pass this information on to them, possibly for their next Ontario trip.
Hi Lenie. So wonderful to hear from you! I hope you are doing well. Ottawa is truly a hotbed of Canadian chocolate. I was so impressed with the various chocolate options there (which I will cover in a future post.) I hope to launch volume II of Chocolatour there next year. Not sure where your son lives, but Hummingbird Chocolate does have an online store and mails throughout Canada. Cheers, and thx again for stopping by. 🙂
Hi Doreen, I’m with you. I like to support local, small companies too. Especially when they have a great product. It’s nice seeing them really take off with their businesses. To win all those awards so soon, they should be very proud of their success.
Right on, Susan. I know you do that with wine companies, which is great. It’s wonderful hearing the stories of the wineries that you share on your site. Yes, I was amazed at all the international awards that Hummingbird Chocolate has won. Really incredible for such a small, grassroots, hands-on company.
Congrats for Hummingbird! I love that they went from working in their basement to winning this award. Bravo!
It’s so cool when that kind off thing happens, isn’t it Rose? Thx for stopping by to join the conversation. 🙂
A regret I have is not following one of my many ideas to become a chocolatier! Instead I eat copious amounts of it. Love your website!
Thx so much for your kind words, Murissa. Glad you enjoy my site. I hope you’ll subscribe. We’ll all about chocolate travel here, so I guarantee you will never be bored! 🙂 And it’s never too late to try making chocolate on the side. That’s how the Gilmours got started. They used to make small amounts in their basement and sell it at country fairs. Look where they are now!
I LOVE these guys!! The chocolate, their ethics, the different flavours. I totally agree.
I know how much chocolate means to you, so Happy Chocolate day. The Hummingbird chocolate sounds great. I live just across the border, when I go to Canada where can I get some?
Hi William: I believe Sabrina had discovered a location in NYC that sells Hummingbird Chocolate. I suggest checking their website prior to your next journey and hopefully, you will find a shop that is convenient to you. Cheers and thanks for stopping by.
I’ve never had Hummingbird Chocolate, but it’s sounds wonderful. It’s also wonderful that a small chocolate maker from a small town won this prestigious award. It’s quality not quantity — just because you might live and work in a big city doesn’t automatically make you the best.
Absolutely, Jeannette. But so often, we who live and work in small communities get overlooked or perceived as not offering a good enough product or service. It thrills me to no end when folks like the Gilmours are recognized for their hard work and talent.
Wow – looks amazing. I read an article about their chocolate and was really excited that Canadians won such a prestigious award. I have not had Hummingbird Chocolate but would love to try it!
An interesting story about the chocolate and town. I love chocolates anyway and the social responsibility bit makes this one attractive. Adding to that is the charm of the gorgeous town – waterfalls and heritage buildings. Nice one!
Thanks, Ami!
19 international awards in just 3 years? wow! This shows their dedication and sincerity!
I wish them all the very best for their future projects!
And Happy Chocolate day in advance, Doreen!
Thanks very much, Tuhin. And yes, it really is remarkable that a small new company like Hummingbird Chocolate is making a very strong entrance onto the world stage of chocolate. I am so thrilled for them, and for Canadian chocolate lovers who have ready access to their quality bars.
How gorgeous does Almonte look, and to think you can get delicious chocolate there as well!
Nice combination!
Sounds interesting, but I noticed in your list of why you love it…you didn’t list how it tastes 🙂
Hi Heather. That’s because I made it so very clear in the text of the post just how much I love their chocolate! I will revise the wording of the title of the sub-heading to say “other” reasons why I love Hummingbird Chocolate. 🙂
I love the logo! It does look incredibly smooth, I’d definitely give it a try.
I did not know international chocolate day was this week. I will make sure to celebrate!
Love the Gilmours’ story. And it is always great to support not just a good product, but good people. The name Hummingbird chocolate is great too.
Hi Erica. Yes, the Gilmours chose the name and symbol of the hummingbird for their chocolate as it represents the delicate environmental footprint they want to make with their chocolate making. They have really thought things through very carefully.
The Hummingbird chocolate looks delicious. I like the wrapping, it reminds of chocolate wrapping from the 50’s or 60’s – very authentic.
I wish this couple all the best in their business venture.
Hi Phoenicia and thx for your comment. Yes, eating fine chocolate should engage all the senses. The look of the wrapping and the chocolate itself should engage the sense of sight. You inhale the aroma of the chocolate to engage your sense of smell. Feel the silkiness of the chocolate in your mouth as it melts. Can you feel your senses tingling? 🙂
I enjoy reading your descriptions of the way the various chocolatiers you introduce to us ply their craft, Doreen. It is so obvious how much you love what you are doing! I am not familiar with Hummingbird chocolate, but now that I’m back on the mainland I’m looking forward to discovering many new things!
Thank you for the wonderful compliment, Marquita. I’,m glad that my passion shows through in my work as I am indeed totally enthralled with the world of fine handcrafted chocolate. Welcome back to the mainland. I hope the transition was a smooth one.
That is truly a chocolate success story and they sound like people who deserve it. Would love to try their chocolate sometime.
Right on, Ken! These are indeed the kind of wonderful stories we like to hear and share. I am so thrilled to be able to help share the amazing success story of Hummingbird Chocolate, and do hope you’ll be able to taste it soon. Sabrina says she found an outlet in NYC, so that may be convenient for you, too.
I can see why you like their chocolate. It’s so nice to be able to connect with the creators. I will have to check them out when I am in New York City visiting. It looks like they have a place in NYC that carries their product. Great pictures too. =)
So cool, Sabrina! I didn’t even realize that Hummingbird Chocolate is selling their chocolate in the US. (I guess I should check out their website in more detail!) I do hope you’ll give it a try if you can get your hands on some. It’s in high demand and short supply right now!
Will do!
Mmm…that big chocolate bar looks delicious! Thanks for covering this, Doreen! I had no idea there was such an award, but glad there is! Almonte was already on my “what to see in Canada” list because of the natural beauty there–now there’s also a tasty reason to visit!
Right on, Kate! Yes, Almonte may be small, but it’s really charming and I wish I’d had more time to hang around and explore the shops more. If you are visiting, be sure to be in touch with Hummingbird Chocolate ahead of time to ensure they have chocolate. They were closed to the public the day i was there.
We’ve never had the honor of featuring this company on our site but they sound neat and a huge Congrats! to them for winning this recognition.
Hi TammyJo and thanks for your comment. Like you, I’ve eaten a tremendous amount of chocolate from a wide assortment of chocolate makers and chocolatiers, but Hummingbird Chocolate really is a company to watch. I hope you have the opportunity to soon taste and enjoy their chocolate.
I love hummingbirds, I love dark chocolate, and I love entrepreneurs who love their work and approach it ethically! While I can’t taste this chocolate, I can appreciate it from afar! Here’s to International Chocolate Day!
I can’t get the Comment Luv to work, but here’s a link to a recent post: http://www.tropicaltravelgirl.com/scuba-diving-on-looe-key-reef-florida-keys-a-sanctuary-for-sea-life/
Hi Debbie and thanks for your comment. (I’m not sure why Comment Luv isn’t working for you. Hopefully for the next post!)
Yes, hopefully, Hummingbird Chocolate will eventually be available beyond Canada. I know that the Gilmours are struggling whether to continue to grow slowly and organically, or put the peddle to the metal and open up the floodgates. I believe they are favouring the slow steady growth model, but it may be difficult for them to keep back the masses, as there has been a tremendous about of media attention and public interest since they won the big award.
Doreen I love this post from start to finish. I think it’s my favorite of all your posts so far. I love the backstory of Hummingbird Chocolate, their organic success, and their principles. I wish Hummingbird Chocolate were available here. I’d be buying a batch of bars as we speak!
Thx so much, Linda! I really appreciate your comments on my post. You have been a reader and supporter of Chocolatour from the start, and I will try and continue to meet and exceed your expectations. I’m sure that eventually, Hummingbird Chocolate will be available south of the border, but right now, they’re having trouble keeping up with the demand in their own backyard!
That’s not a bad problem for them to have!
Indeed! I think the concern is that if you don’t get your product out while the demand is hot, will the demand still be there 6 months or a year from now? Hopefully it will be, for Hummingbird Chocolate.
How special to read about two Canadian chocolate makers! I love the fact that their product is always evolving with the introduction of interesting and delicious new flavours.
Hi Bev. Yes, I really enjoyed spending time with Erica and Drew of Hummingbird Chocolate and learning how much cacao inspires them.
How nice, Doreen. Your favourite chocolate maker is bound to produce delicious chocolate. Delighted that they are recognized for doing so.
We loved the Fleur de Sel bar pictured above – just the right amount of salty. I’m looking forward to trying the hispaniola once the wait list at The Candy Bar dies down.
Glad you enjoyed that bar, Virginia. I haven’t tried a Hummingbird bar that I didn’t like. 🙂
Thanks to you, I know about Hummingbird Chocolate, but haven’t tried it yet. I see a road trip in my near future. Almonte is not that far from here. I will be sure to tell them that you sent me.
Thanks, Christine. I know you will enjoy not only the journey, but also the chocolate as it is truly the healthy kind. By the way, I know you like Giddy YoYo, and I’m pretty sure Joanne stocks that, too, at JoJo CoCo in Kanata.
I can understand why you love Hummingbird Chocolate. The maple bar sounds interesting. Is their chocolate available anywhere in Manitoba?
Not to my knowledge, Donna. But I know you can order directly from their site, so it’s worth doing so if you want to try some really great artisan chocolate.