1. What types of chocolates do you offer?
We have a wide selection of items in dark, milk, and white chocolate varieties to meet every taste. We are most well known for our bonbon chocolates with are filled with fresh ganache, salted caramel, fruit purees, or roasted nuts. The bonbons exteriors are hand painted in coloured cocoa butter with striking visual designs sure to impress.
We also have a wide selection of chocolate bars, confections, items dipped in chocolate, and in-store baked items such as decadent Belgian chocolate cookies and brownies.
2. Are your chocolates gluten-free, nut-free, or dairy-free?
We have many products that are gluten-free, nut-free, and/or dairy-free. We can provide guidance on which items contain allergens if you speak with one of our staff members. We also list our ingredients on our website.
However, it is important to note that our kitchen does have gluten, nut, and dairy items present, and while we strive to minimize contact between products, a small risk of cross contamination is still present. If the allergy is severe, we recommend staying on the side of caution and refrain from consuming our products.
3. Do you offer vegan options?
We are pleased to offer several products that cater to those with vegan diets. Firstly, our dark chocolate is dairy-free and therefore most of our dark chocolate bars are considered vegan. Some of our dark chocolate dipped confections are also dairy free. Our staff can provide a list of these items upon request.
We also offer vegan milk chocolate bars that are made from milk substitutes such as chufa or finely ground almonds.
Lastly, we carry a selection of Screamy’s sorbet bars that are dairy free and are dipped in dairy free dark chocolate.
4. Where do you source your ingredients from?
We use the highest quality European chocolate, specifically Valrhona brand from France and Callebaut from Belgium. Both manufacturers have long histories of perfecting the chocolate tasting experience as well as maintaining the highest standards for cacao farming sustainability with regards to fair pricing, traceability, zero deforestation, and child labour.
Wherever possible we source other ingredients locally withing Muskoka such as our local Bala cranberry from Muskoka Lakes Farm Winery, strawberries from Taylor Farms, local Muskoka maple syrup.
5. How should I store my bonbons to keep them fresh?
Our bonbons are best kept refrigerated, or at a temperature less than 18C with low humidity and consumed within 4 weeks of purchase for optimal freshness. We do not use preservatives in our freshly made ganaches (a creamy layer in the bonbons of chocolate with heavy cream) and therefore should not be kept at room temperature for more than a few days. If you do keep them in the refrigerator, you may wish to seal them in an airtight bag or container to prevent absorption of any strong odors that may also be present in the fridge.
Bonbons are fine in-transit for a few days as long as they can be kept air-conditioned and away from sunlight or heat sources. They will melt over 26C, for example in a parked car with the windows up on a sunny day.
6. Do you offer custom chocolate orders or special gift boxes?
Our bonbon boxes are typically customized as everyone has very different tastes. We offer boxes of 6, 9, 12, 16, and 24 which you can include any combination of our 20 signature flavours or any seasonal flavours we have in stock.
If you are interested in getting any higher-grade luxury packaging for special occasions, please contact us and we can provide options based on our supplier has in their catalogue.
7. Can I purchase your chocolates in bulk for events or weddings?
Yes, we do have smaller packaging options available for special events such as 1, 2, 3, or 4 pc boxes. However, we typically do not carry these packages onsite as they must be ordered in advance. There are a wide range of colours and styles to choose from to compliment your special event. Please speak with us to learn more about the options available.
8. Can I order chocolates online for delivery?
Yes, you can order online at cacaoboys.com for shipping any in Canada. We charge a flat rate of $15.00. However, shipping is only available during cooler months (October to April) due to the risk of melting in summer heat.
9. How long will it take for my order to arrive?
Typical shipment times by courier are 1-2 days within Ontario and 3-5 days to other provinces. We will provide a tracking number for you to monitor the shipment progress. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee shipment times since it is out of our control.
10. Do you ship internationally?
At this time, we can only ship within Canada. International shipping is not available.
11. Do you have any other locations or can your product be found in other
stores?
We are a one-of-a-kind shop and Bala is our only location. For those that can’t make it to our store you can purchase online at cacaoboys.com for shipping anywhere in Canada. We also have a few partnering stores in the Muskoka region that carry a small selection of our products such as Hiram St Market or Simply Cottage in Bracebridge, The Shipyards in Gravenhurst, Port Sandfield Marina, and Field of Greens in Port Carling. Outside of Muskoka you'll find our items at Em's Cafe in Coldwater, Castle Antiques & Cafe in Haliburton, and Terre Bleu in Elora.
12. What is your return or exchange policy?
All sales are final as we are unable to restock items that have left our store. However, if there are any concerns with the quality, freshness, or safety of the product, please do not hesitate to speak to our staff and we will gladly replace or refund any item that did not meet your expectations or our own quality standards.
13. Are your chocolates handmade?
Yes, we strive to maintain all chocolate related products in store are made on-site at our store in Bala, Muskoka. We do our best to use locally sourced ingredients wherever possible.
14. Do you offer any seasonal or limited-edition flavours?
Chocolate and holidays go very well together! You’ll find special items throughout the year during seasonal periods such as Valentine’s, Easter, Mother’s Day, Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. We’ve also been known to showcase a “flavour of the month”. Follow us on social media or check-out our website to watch out for these special items!
15. Do you offer chocolate tasting events or classes?
We are open to having a private tasting event at our store or at another venue in the Muskoka region. We also have the ability to customize a chocolate-making class for up to 4 people within our kitchen. To learn more or discuss options, please contact us.