Snack Foods

Ross Chocolates Milk Chocolate with Quinoa

CATEGORY: Snack Foods

COMPANY NAME: Ross Chocolates

PRODUCT: Milk Chocolate with Quinoa

Chocolates are a guilty pleasure the world over. But what if there was an option that was still tasty, but didn’t make you feel quite as bad for indulging in one? Enter Ross Chocolates.

The mission of the Coquitlam-based business is to create premium no-sugaradded chocolate for people with diabetes or striving to eliminate sugars from their lives.

Products such as Ross’ Stevia Milk with Quinoa Milk Chocolate Bar are nonGMO, gluten-free and made with the natural plant-derived sweetener stevia. There’s up to 17 per cent less calories than comparable conventional treats, and won’t spike blood glucose levels making it suitable for both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

Don’t be mistaken — this is not intended as a sub-par substitute for the real thing. Take a bite and savour the smooth, rich flavours of cocoa, coffee and vanilla. The creaminess is offset by the crunchiness from the bits of quinoa sprinkled in.

Bob Ross, a chocolate lover diagnosed with diabetes, founded Ross Chocolates in 1995. He spent three years in the kitchen of his Scotch Creek, B.C. home perfecting the recipe before bringing his bars to market. Selling millions over the next 17 years, a new management took over and relocated the production facility to the Lower Mainland in 2015, and since has continued to innovate and grow the brand to this day.

In addition to stevia, the company also uses maltitol, a sugar alcohol, in certain items like its Maltitol Dark Almond Chocolate Bar and Maltitol Milk.

PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Look for the Stevia Milk with Quinoa Milk Chocolate Bar in stores like PriceSmart Foods, Save-On Foods, Whole Foods (B.C.), Shoppers Drug Mart and many other independent grocers, health food stores and specialty chocolate retailers. They’re also available online on Amazon.ca. More info at: www.rosschocolates.ca. ◆