I Think This Aldi Chocolate Outshines Even The Fanciest Bars. Here's Why

Full disclosure: I'm a huge Aldi fan, mostly because I hate boring shopping trips. Going to Aldi is completely different in that there's a ton of must-buy Aldi-brand staples that should definitely be on your radar, and wading into the Aldi Finds aisles invariably gives me a moment where I can briefly pretend to discover never-before-seen items. You know, just as a little treat to myself. Must-buys are always a win, though, and that brings me to Aldi's Choceur chocolate bars. When I say these things are amazing, I'm serious.

Aldi imports its Choceur chocolate from Europe, and that might not seem like a big deal. Trust me, friends, it is. Choceur chocolate is extra-rich, shockingly creamy, and so luxurious you might be inspired to stick out your pinky and maybe sip some ruby port from a fancy little crystal glass as you enjoy it.

Everything made with Choceur chocolates is a win, and there are plenty of options. Pro tip: Don't skip the white chocolate. I loathe American white chocolate for having a flavor and texture I might describe as crayon-adjacent. Choceur's is creamy, not too sweet, and has a flavor that will change your mind about white chocolate. Even the standard milk chocolate bar is deliciously unique; Aldi keeps pretty quiet about product details, but has revealed it contains hazelnut spread.

Let's explain why it's so important that Aldi imports Choceur. There are a ton of differences between American and European chocolate production, starting with ingredients. American brands tend to use more sugar while European brands tend to use more cocoa butter and solids by a wide margin. American chocolate often has additional additives too.

We all know that America's about bigger, stronger, faster, and when the ethos is applied to chocolate production it's not a good thing. Faster processes mean you're going to get a grainier end product, while taking your time leads to extra-creamy deliciousness. The American manufacturing process also breaks down milk into components that include butyric acid, and while that's kept in to make the bar more shelf-stable, it's acidic and can impact flavor. 

Pick up one of Choceur's milk chocolate bars and a Hershey's bar. Eat a piece of the Choceur first, then try the Hershey's. That kind of taste test is the best way to truly see the difference, and you can thank me later — especially considering that at the time of this writing, a Choceur bar costs just $2.55. For European chocolate, that's a steal.

The work the brand is doing to ensure chocolate is produced ethically and sustainability is another reason Aldi's Choceur line is worthy of buying. You've probably heard accusations about the use of child labor in cocoa production, along with child trafficking and a lifetime of physical abuses. Here's some food for thought: Exposés into the industry have found children as young as 10 forced to harvest cocoa pods. 

That brings us to Choceur's Choco Changer, which is only a bit more expensive than the standard bar. There are flavors like Brownie & Salted Caramel and Nougat Honeycomb & Sea Salt, and they're delicious. They're also 100% sustainably sourced. These are made in a partnership with Tony's Open Chain and there are a number of rules put in place here. Cocoa beans are traceable and come from farmer co-ops instead of forced labor farms. Farmers are paid more, given contracts for years, and have access to training and other types of support. Not bad, right? At the time of this writing, a five-ounce bar of that Nougat Honeycomb chocolate is just $3.29. Now, compare that to some of the most fancy bars produced by a luxury chocolatier such as La Maison de Chocolat. A 4-ounce bar will set you back $22, and I'll put a Choceur bar up against that dude any day of the week.