Our story
Owner and Founder, Kelly “Wonka” Johnson, found himself on a health quest discovering healing the body with raw, live foods when he was given three Cacao beans. As he sat with the beans and placed them in his mouth, he closed his eyes and felt a state of chocolate euphoria. In this moment, he realized that chocolate is a life force. He was deeply inspired and moved by the Spirit of Cacao. He answered the call to preserve Cacao’s purity and to share the state of bliss he had felt with others. With an open heart and strong will, he opened the doors of The Chocolate Shop in 2005.
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Kelly started the raw chocolate journey by creating our signature L.O.V.E. (Live, Organic, Vegan, Euphoria) Cups at the Rooted at Raw Bliss Cafe in Sedona, Arizona.
The Chocolate Shop and Raw Bliss Cafe expanded into ChocolaTree in 2008, which Kelly Co-founded. Over the years, thousands of people from all over the world have visited to experience handcrafted, ceremonial artisan chocolate in all of its divine purity. Many talented chocolatiers have come to the Chocolate Shop to learn, grow, and work at that blessed and iconic space. Some of whom stayed to practice the magic of creating nourishing chocolates for decades. Friends Many thank yous to all that came to work, play, and co-create in the meaningful and exemplary space.
Flowering Cacao is a brand evolution that builds upon The Chocolate Shop's deep-seated foundation and core values with expanded online offerings. Our Chocolate and Nut Butter operations moved out of ChocolaTree in 2024, and our products are no longer available at that location. Our products are available at Benoit Boutique and Interdependence Natural Foods in Sedona, Arizona, and Chocolita in Flagstaff.
As we continue to evolve with the Spirit of Cacao, humanity, and Mother Earth, we express immense gratitude. We are excited to align with the purity of Cacao in new ways, keeping our hearts open and ready to receive the wisdom and guidance of the ancients.
Cacao is sacred to us.
To be in integrity, we partner directly with small farms to preserve ancient cultivation. We feel it is our duty to back small growers and safeguard and preserve the heirloom Cacao species.
Shipping & Storage.
Thank you for taking the time to read about our shipping.
Our butters are shipped all year round.
Our chocolates are only available to be shipped in the cooler months of the year. Arizona’s hot heat rapidly melts the chocolates in the mail.
We ship our butters in bubble wrap and our chocolates in reflective bubble wrap and ice packs.
We use the most expeditious and economical shipping.
We recommend watching tracking and retrieving your package quickly.
If your weather is forecast to be on the warmer side, we recommend shipping to a work address or request the package to be held at the post office (indoor temperature controlled), if you won’t be at home during your regular delivery hours. Chocolate will start to melt at 74 degrees
We will not be responsible for a package sitting outside in the heat and chocolate melting. We are unable to verify how long it sat outside for.
If there was an issue in transit, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are happy to assist and address shipping issues.
Thank you for our delivery drivers and post office teams across the nation, and thank you so much for understanding the delicate nature of shipping our offerings.
Storage.
Our Almond Butters like to be stored in a cool, dark place. They can be stored in the refrigerator.
Store Tahini in the refrigerator.
For our Coconut Créme, store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. We recommend having some available on your counter in a smaller jar. You can think of it like dairy butter.
Storing Chocolate…
We store our Chocolates in dedicated Chocolate refrigerators kept around 65 degrees with low humidity at about 50%.
Store your chocolates in an airtight container, in a cool, dark place. Low humidity and kept at temperatures between 60-65 degrees.
Our Chocolates can be stored in your refrigerator to keep them below 70 degrees. Place them in an airtight container to help keep smells out and humidity down, and let them come up to room temperature before enjoying (about 10-15 minutes).