If you love chocolate, there’s a new name you should have on your tasting list: JULAID Chocolate Makers. This small chocolate maker from Bragança in the heart of Trás-os-Montes, is bringing a fresh take on high-quality bean-to-bar chocolate to Portugal. Located in the north of Portugal close to the Montesinho Natural Park, their chocolate studio is redefining the craft of chocolate-making.
A chocolate journey that started with a Christmas gift
The story of JULAID began in December 2018 while unpacking the Christmas gifts. Among the gifts that year were boxes of industrial produced chocolates which made the founders Paula Trigo and Rui Madeira think. What started as a curiosity soon turned into a passion. After training, reading and traveling, they discovered the bean-to-bar movement and knew instantly: “We want to be part of this!”.
Photo from Instagram @julaid_chocolate_makers
From that moment, the chocolate brand JULAID was born. In their small studio in Bragança, they carefully roast, grind and craft their chocolates from scratch. Using single-origin cocoa beans, organic cane sugar and a dedication to quality, their chocolate creations stand out in Portugal’s growing craft chocolate scene.
Award-winning chocolate from Trás-os-Montes
Bean-to-bar chocolate makers are still a rarity in Portugal with only a few names like Glad from Porto and Feitoria do Cacao from Aveiro leading the way. But JULAID is also quickly entering the market and convince chocolate lovers with their taste. In 2024, their 70% chocolate bar from Brazil won Bronze at the Academy of Chocolate Awards and proved that their dedication to quality is paying off.
JULAID’s chocolate offering includes only dark chocolates so far which are made with carefully selected cocoa beans from Brazil, India, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Tanzania. On top, their chocolate bars are entirely vegan, gluten-free and nut-free. This makes them a great choice for anyone looking for pure, high-quality chocolate.
Where to buy JULAID chocolate
Chocolate lovers can buy JULAID’s chocolate bars through their webshop or in selected stores across Portugal. No matter if you’re a serious chocolate expert or just excited to try something new, JULAID is definitely a name to remember in Portugal’s chocolate scene.
