Did Mast Brothers Really Sell Re-Melted Chocolate?
It's no secret the world loves to hate on companies like Hershey's, who sell chocolate bars people liken to wax so much, there's an actual Asking Lot page where some have questioned if the candy bar is actually made from it. And while others enjoy Hershey's chocolate just fine, there is no denying that many prefer artisan or European chocolate instead.
But even artisan chocolate can be misleading. Enter Mast Brothers, which has been heavily featured as a known "artisanal, bean-to-bar chocolate used in high-end restaurants" and sold in expensive food establishments around the world (via Bon Appétit). Though they've been featured in food forward magazines for their expertise, and received praise for their flavors, they are now coming under fire, receiving accusations of fraud. Many are now claiming that their artisanal, bean-to-bar stance is a lie and that they actually use re-melted chocolate in some of their bars.
Mast Brothers face scrutiny over their chocolate
In 2015, it seemed the veil was lifted on the big time brand, although not many seemed to mind, as you can still find it in countless stores. The New York Times and NPR both covered the scandal that would put some artisanal chocolate lovers into a tailspin of self doubt. As NPR noted, the brand was small batch and specialty, having only made 1,500 bars per day and packaging them in a way that made the $10 price tag seem almost reasonable for the quality it was sure to hold inside.
However, after some accusations of fraud, the Mast Brothers did admit that in their first year's batch they re-melted chocolate, but have been true to their namesake ever since. It makes you wonder whether it is worth the hefty price you'd be paying for chocolate, if you can't exactly be certain it is up to your quality standards. But as NPR notes, "If you think something tastes better, it really does taste better to you, even if it technically isn't any better." So in that case, if you want to spend the $10 on a candy bar potentially made with lies, do what makes you happy.