Soma

The year was 2003 and David Castellan and Cynthia Leung had one concept: finding new ways to create and enjoy chocolate.

The first batches of chocolate were produced in tiny corner of a former whisky distillery. They started off roasting and winnowing cacao beans, refining and conching their own chocolate, spinning gelato, baking cookies, making hot chocolates, and producing a line of truffles. (whew!) A small retail portion would fold out during the day, and like a transformer, fold back in at night. It was here that they started meeting a community of very interesting folks with a healthy appetite for great chocolate.