Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker
Product brand
UnclaimedAn American bean-to-bar chocolate brand associated with small-batch production and high-cocoa dark chocolate.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker is an American chocolate brand founded in Berkeley, California, in 1996 by winemaker and businessman John Scharffenberger and physician Robert Steinberg. The company emerged during the modern American craft-chocolate revival and was notable for making chocolate from cocoa beans rather than purchasing finished chocolate from another manufacturer. Its early identity centered on small-batch processing, detailed attention to cacao origins, and dark chocolate with clearly stated cocoa percentages. The business grew out of Steinberg's career change following a cancer diagnosis in 1989. After leaving medical practice, he developed an interest in chocolate making, studied the subject extensively, traveled to Europe, and completed a short internship at Bernachon in Lyon, France, in 1993. He subsequently reconnected with Scharffenberger, a former patient and neighbor who was selling his winery and considering another business venture. The pair began testing chocolate recipes in Steinberg's home kitchen with more than 30 varieties of cacao beans. Their improvised equipment included a mortar and pestle, a coffee grinder, and a hair dryer used to keep chocolate fluid during experimentation. The founders selected the Scharffen Berger name partly because Scharffenberger already had recognition from his winemaking activities. By 1997, the company was producing its first commercial batches in a small South San Francisco factory using vintage German equipment. Early ingredients included Venezuelan Criollo cacao and Tahitian vanilla. Within several years, the company moved to a facility in a historic factory complex in Berkeley. Scharffen Berger's production model covered the principal stages of chocolate making internally: selecting cacao from specific growers, roasting and grinding the beans, refining and conching the chocolate, tempering it, and molding it into bars. This bean-to-bar approach distinguished the company from many confectionery businesses that bought couverture or finished chocolate from outside suppliers. The brand primarily emphasized dark chocolate varieties, often with relatively high cocoa-solid content and a flavor profile intended to communicate differences among cacao origins. The company also helped make cocoa-percentage labeling more prominent in the American chocolate market. Its packaging presented the cocoa content of a bar as an important product characteristic, with higher percentages generally corresponding to darker and more bitter chocolate. That labeling convention later became common across premium and mainstream dark-chocolate categories. The brand's reputation was reinforced by favorable attention from chefs and food writers; Julia Child was reported to have considered Scharffen Berger the best chocolate she had tasted in the United States. In 2005, The Hershey Company acquired Scharffen Berger. Hershey combined it with Joseph Schmidt Confections in the wholly owned Artisan Confections Company subsidiary. Production was later moved from the Bay Area to Hershey's facility in Robinson, Illinois. In 2009, Hershey announced plans to close the two Bay Area factories and transfer remaining production to Illinois, affecting approximately 150 local employees. Steinberg died in San Francisco in September 2008. The brand subsequently became part of debates concerning cocoa sourcing, child labor, and fair-trade practices associated with Hershey's premium chocolate portfolio. In 2010, advocacy organizations launched the Raise the Bar, Hershey! campaign, which pressed Hershey to improve labor protections and increase certified cocoa sourcing. Whole Foods Market stopped carrying the Hershey-produced Scharffen Berger line in 2012 amid those concerns. Hershey responded by announcing a goal of sourcing certified cocoa for its global chocolate product lines by 2020 and expanding programs intended to address child labor in West African cocoa regions. Around 2020, Hershey divested several businesses, including Scharffen Berger, as part of a broader portfolio focus. The brand became privately held again in June 2021. Harry & David purchased the company in 2024. Its current public profile remains tied to American craft-chocolate history, bean-to-bar production, cacao-origin emphasis, and dark-chocolate products, although detailed current operating information is limited in the supplied reference material. The brand subsequently became part of debates over cocoa sourcing, child labor, and fair-trade practices connected to Hershey's premium chocolate portfolio. In 2010, advocacy organizations launched the "Raise the Bar, Hershey!" campaign urging Hershey to improve labor protections and increase certified cocoa sourcing. Whole Foods Market stopped selling the Hershey-produced Scharffen Berger line in 2012 because of those concerns. Hershey responded that it aimed to source certified cocoa for its global chocolate lines by 2020 and to expand programs addressing child labor in West African cocoa-growing regions. Around 2020, Hershey divested Scharffen Berger as part of a portfolio shift toward salty snacks and nutrition bars. The brand became privately held again in June 2021 and was purchased by Harry & David in 2024. The available reference material does not establish a detailed current manufacturing footprint or product catalog, but the brand's historical significance remains its early American bean-to-bar model, origin-focused cacao selection, dark-chocolate specialization, and role in the premium chocolate movement.
History
Scharffen Berger's history began with Robert Steinberg, a physician whose diagnosis of cancer in 1989 prompted him to sell his medical practice and reconsider his career. Encouraged by a friend, Steinberg read a substantial chocolate-making cookbook and became interested in learning the technical craft behind chocolate production. He traveled to study the subject and in 1993 arranged a short internship at Bernachon, a respected chocolate company in Lyon, France. After returning to California, Steinberg reconnected with John Scharffenberger, a former patient and neighbor. Scharffenberger had been a winemaker and businessman and was selling Scharffenberger Cellars while exploring a new venture. A conversation about a piece of French chocolate helped lead to their partnership. The two founders began making experimental batches in Steinberg's home kitchen, testing more than 30 cacao varieties with rudimentary equipment including a mortar and pestle, coffee grinder, and hair dryer. The partners chose the Scharffen Berger name because Scharffenberger already had recognition from his wine business. In 1997, the company produced its first batch in a small South San Francisco factory. It used vintage German machinery and ingredients such as Venezuelan Criollo cacao and Tahitian vanilla. The company later moved to a historic factory complex in Berkeley, where it developed its public identity as an American craft chocolate maker. Unlike manufacturers that purchase finished chocolate or couverture, Scharffen Berger performed the major stages of production itself. It selected beans from particular growers and regions, roasted and ground them, refined and conched the chocolate, then tempered and molded the finished product. The company concentrated especially on dark chocolate and communicated cocoa intensity through percentage labeling. By placing cocoa content prominently on its packaging, it helped make that information more visible to American consumers and competitors. The brand's growth coincided with increased interest in premium, origin-specific, and artisanal chocolate in the United States. Its small-batch positioning and emphasis on bean selection differentiated it from mass-market confectionery. The company mainly sold chocolate bars, with high-cocoa dark varieties forming the core of its range. It also gained recognition among culinary professionals; Julia Child was reported to have praised it as the best chocolate she had tasted in the United States. In July 2005, Scharffen Berger announced its sale to The Hershey Company, and the acquisition was completed the following month. Hershey also acquired Joseph Schmidt Confections in 2005 and combined the two businesses under Artisan Confections Company. Production was eventually consolidated at Hershey's Robinson, Illinois, facility. In early 2009, Hershey announced that the Bay Area factories would close and that production would move to Illinois, with roughly 150 local jobs affected. Co-founder Robert Steinberg died in San Francisco on September 17, 2008. Under Hershey ownership, the brand became connected to public criticism of cocoa-supply-chain practices. Advocacy groups argued that Hershey had not done enough to address child labor and fair-trade concerns. The Raise the Bar, Hershey! campaign began in 2010 and called for stronger safeguards against forced and child labor as well as increased certified-cocoa sourcing. Whole Foods Market announced in 2012 that it would no longer carry Hershey's Scharffen Berger line. Hershey answered with a commitment to source certified cocoa across its global chocolate lines by 2020 and to accelerate related programs in West Africa. Hershey later divested Scharffen Berger as part of a portfolio shift announced around 2020. The brand became privately held again in June 2021 and was purchased by Harry & David in 2024. The available reference material does not establish a detailed current manufacturing footprint or product catalog, but the brand's historical significance remains its early American bean-to-bar model, origin-focused cacao selection, dark-chocolate specialization, and role in the premium chocolate movement.
- 2024
Purchased by Harry & David
[1]Harry & David acquired the privately held chocolate brand.
- 2021
Returns to private ownership
[1]The brand again became privately held in June.
- 2020
Hershey divests the brand
[1]Scharffen Berger was among the businesses Hershey divested during a portfolio refocusing.
- 2010
Raise the Bar, Hershey! campaign begins
[1]Advocacy groups launched a campaign focused on child labor, forced labor, and certified cocoa in Hershey's supply chain.
- 2009
Bay Area factories scheduled for closure
[1]Hershey announced production consolidation in Robinson, Illinois, and the closure of the Bay Area facilities.
- 2005
Acquired by The Hershey Company
[1]Hershey announced and completed its acquisition of Scharffen Berger, later placing it in Artisan Confections Company.
- 2001
Operations move to a Berkeley factory complex
[1]Within four years of its first factory production, the company relocated to a historic factory complex in Berkeley.
- 1997
First commercial batch is produced
[1]The company made its first batch at a small South San Francisco factory using vintage German equipment.
- 1996
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker is established
[1]John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg founded the company in Berkeley, California.
- 1993
Steinberg completes a short internship at Bernachon
[1]He studied chocolate production at Bernachon in Lyon, France, gaining practical exposure to professional chocolate making.
Products and positioning
Premium American craft chocolate emphasizing bean-to-bar manufacturing, small-batch processing, cacao origins, and dark chocolate with pronounced cocoa character.
Chocolate bars
Dark chocolate bars
Dark chocolate bars formed the central product category associated with Scharffen Berger. The brand emphasized small-batch processing, high cocoa-solid content, and flavor differences associated with cacao origin. Its packaging prominently communicated cocoa percentage, helping consumers compare the relative intensity and bitterness of different bars.
Premium chocolate
Single-origin chocolate
The company selected cacao beans from specific growers and regions and used those beans in its own production process. This origin-focused approach was intended to preserve and communicate distinctions in flavor, making single-origin chocolate an important part of the brand's craft positioning.
Dark chocolate
High-cocoa-content chocolate
Scharffen Berger primarily produced dark chocolate with substantial cocoa content. Percentage labeling was treated as a key product attribute: generally, a higher percentage indicated a darker, more bitter bar with less emphasis on sweetness.
Controversies
2012
Whole Foods delists Scharffen Berger products
Whole Foods Market said it would stop carrying the Hershey-produced Scharffen Berger line amid concerns about cocoa labor and fair-trade practices. The action followed public criticism from natural-food retailers and cooperatives.
2010
Cocoa supply-chain labor and fair-trade criticism
Advocacy organizations criticized Hershey for insufficiently addressing child labor and ethical cocoa sourcing. The criticism affected the company's premium brands, including Scharffen Berger, and led to the Raise the Bar, Hershey! campaign.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010Raise the Bar, Hershey!
United States
Global Exchange, Green America, the Oasis Trust, and the International Labor Rights Forum organized a campaign pressing Hershey to address forced and child labor in its cocoa supply and expand certified fair-trade sourcing. Scharffen Berger was among the premium Hershey brands affected by the campaign's retailer and consumer pressure. Whole Foods Market announced in 2012 that it would stop carrying the Hershey-produced Scharffen Berger line. Hershey subsequently announced a goal of sourcing certified cocoa for its global chocolate lines by 2020 and expanding child-labor programs.
Outcome. Whole Foods Market announced in 2012 that it would stop carrying the Hershey-produced Scharffen Berger line. Hershey subsequently announced a goal of sourcing certified cocoa for its global chocolate lines by 2020 and expanding child-labor programs.
Brand decisions
2024
Purchase by Harry & DavidM&ABackground
After returning to private ownership, the brand changed hands again.
Action taken
Harry & David purchased Scharffen Berger.
Aftermath
The acquisition made Harry & David the brand's reported owner; detailed post-acquisition operating information is not provided in the supplied material.
2020
Divest the Scharffen Berger brandM&ABackground
Hershey began refocusing its portfolio toward salty snacks and nutrition bars.
Action taken
The company divested Scharffen Berger along with other businesses.
Aftermath
Scharffen Berger became privately held again in June 2021.
2009
Consolidate manufacturing in IllinoisStrategyBackground
Hershey operated Scharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt as part of its Artisan Confections portfolio.
Action taken
Hershey announced the closure of the Bay Area factories and planned to move remaining production to its Robinson, Illinois, facility.
Aftermath
The plan affected approximately 150 local employees and ended the brand's Bay Area factory presence described in the reference material.
2005
Sell the company to The Hershey CompanyM&ABackground
Scharffen Berger had developed a recognized premium chocolate position but was still a relatively small manufacturer.
Action taken
The founders sold the company to The Hershey Company, which completed the acquisition in August 2005.
Aftermath
The brand was combined with Joseph Schmidt Confections under Artisan Confections Company, and production was later transferred from California to Illinois.
Approximate acquisition valuation relative to annual revenue. Approximately $10 million annual revenue at the time of acquisition → Acquisition price described as approximately twice annual revenue (2005)
1996
Adopt a bean-to-bar manufacturing modelStrategyBackground
The founders entered chocolate manufacturing at a time when many companies purchased finished chocolate or couverture from other producers.
Action taken
Scharffen Berger selected cacao beans and carried out roasting, grinding, conching, tempering, and molding itself.
Aftermath
The approach established the brand's craft identity and made it one of the early modern American companies associated with bean-to-bar chocolate.
Sources2 sources
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