About

A hand picked cacao pod from Bolivia.

A coconut from the Philippines.

Cold pressed cacao butter from Peru, Indonesian coconut nectar and Mexican dark agave.

Wild carob from Spain, organic cinnamon from Sri Lanka.

Chocolate that's smooth, rich, and silky, and something a little unexpected.

Chocolate that's full of antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

Chocolate without preservatives, that's vegan, gluten free, dairy free and soy free.

Chocolate for everyone.

The story

Pana Barbounis founded Pana Chocolate in Melbourne, Australia with the intention of creating a rich, luxurious chocolate the whole world could enjoy.

A chocolate that made people stop, if only for a moment, to enjoy a myriad sensations: cacao melting on the tongue, surprising bursts of citrus or herb, natural sweetness, the character of coconut; a sophisticated chocolate that is at once smooth and textured, sweet and spicy.

Made from vegan, organic ingredients with no refined sugar, and produced using minimal heat (raw). Chocolate that loves what’s within, as well as the earth it came from.

From making, packing and riding around on his scooter delivering each bar, to growing his team to deliver thousands of packages of love around Australia, and now – the world.

This is the story of Pana Chocolate, and it continues with you.

Ingredients

Click on the ingredients to find out more.

cacao powder

X cacao powder Need to know: Certified organic and fairtrade. Cold pressed, unrefined, chemical free.

Origin: Bolivia and the Dominican Republic.

Flavour Notes: Rich & bitter.

Health Benefits: Dense in antioxidants, it plays a powerful role in the prevention of degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular health. It is also high source of magnesium, vital for muscle and nerve function, regulating heart rhythm, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

dark agave nectar

X dark agave nectar Need to know: Certified organic, fair trade, chemical free and raw.

Origin: Mexico.

Flavour notes: Honey, fruity.

Health benefits: A sweetener with a low GI, full of beneficial fibre and inulin to aid digestion. It also contains trace nutrients, calcium, iron, Vitamin B and C. Moderation is key for this natural, concentrated food source.

himalayan pink salt

X himalayan pink salt Need to know: Pure, mineral rich salt.

Origin: Himalayas.

Flavour notes: We’ll let you guess.

Health benefits: Supplying and assisting in the cellular absorption of minerals, balancing the body’s pH and supporting the respiratory, circulatory and nervous systems.

virgin coconut oil

X virgin coconut oil Need to know: Extra virgin, certified organic and cold pressed.

Origin: Philippines.

Flavour notes: Subtle sweetness.

Health benefits: The medium-chain fatty acids reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) levels and increase HDL (good cholesterol) levels, as well as lowering the risk of heart disease. Coconut oil also contains Lauric acid, which is antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal.

coconut nectar

X coconut nectar Need to know: Organic and certified fair trade.

Origin: Indonesia.

Flavour notes: Rich, complex and smooth.

Health benefits: Naturally sweet, nutritionally rich and very low GI. High in potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron and great source of vitamin B1, B2, B3 and B6.

wild carob

X wild carob Need to know: Certified organic and fair trade.

Origin: Spain.

Flavour notes: Deep, smooth and a natural sweetness.

Health benefits: High in antioxidants, protein, fibre, Vitamins A, B, B3, B6
and minerals magnesium, calcium, manganese and potassium.

cinnamon

X cinnamon Need to know: Certified organic.

Origin: Sri Lanka.

Flavour notes: Sweet with subtle spice.

Health benefits: Aids blood sugar regulation, indigestion, cramps, colds and improves energy levels.

virgin cacao butter

X virgin cacao butter Need to know: Certified organic, fair trade and cold pressed.

Origin: Peru.

Flavour notes: Smooth with a rich chocolatey aroma.

Health benefits: Rich in antioxidants to lower blood pressure, improve insulin sensitivity and decrease inflammation. A good source of vitamin E, which has anti-inflammatory properties as well as supporting immune function, and Vitamin K, which is crucial for bone development, calcium metabolism and has been linked to a reduction in cardiovascular disease. Cacao butter also contains high levels of stearic acid which protects the heart.

Process

Click on the numbers to find out more.

1

X It begins in nature and ends with you, we just help along the way. Cacao is grown in an organic, sustainable environment.

2

X Cacao pods are harvested and the beans sun dried.

3

X Cacao is cold pressed (so it is never heated above 42 degrees to remain raw) to produce cacao solids.

4

X The key components (cacao butter, cacao powder) for Pana Chocolate are now ready.

5

X Raw ingredients are sent by ship to Australia…

6

X …where they arrive at the Pana Chocolate kitchen.

7

X Dry ingredients are prepared.

8

X Wet ingredients are slowly melted, never going above 42 degrees to maintain high nutrient levels.

9

X Natural flavours like Goji berries or peppermint essential oil are added before all ingredients are mixed together by hand.

10

X The rich, smooth mixture is then poured in to moulds.

11

X Your Pana Chocolate is set in the refrigerator. Delicious, raw, organic, vegan Pana Chocolate.

12

X Then handwrapped and packaged with love before making its way to you.

Who We Support

At Pana Chocolate we live by "Love Your Insides. Love The Earth." We want our chocolate to be good for you, but we also want to be kind to our earth. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of the following individuals and organisations and are proud supporters in helping them continue to achieve their goals. Click on the links below.

Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority

Landcare Australia

Wetland Care Australia

Sea Shepherd Australia

Peter Singer

Tribe

Each year we also dedicate support to a variety of vegan and vegetarian groups, animal welfare programs, community groups, health organisations, charities and like-minded businesses.

Thank You

Many amazing people have supported Pana Chocolate over the years and we thank each and every one of you. You are the reason we have been able to develop such a unique product the whole world can enjoy. We would like to make special mention of the following people and organisations:

Rani So & Mark Shephard.

Our stockists. Health food stores, fresh produce stores, independent supermarkets, cafes, boutiques and independent retailers.

Our first 10 stockists. Thank you for taking the chance on this Aussie chocolate.
Passionfoods (South Melbourne), Replenish (Williamstown), Eastfield Organic Foods (Croydon), Servery and Spoon (Malvern), Sherbrooke Health Foods (Belgrave), Health Food Thyme (Croydon), Elwood General Store (Elwood), Organic 2 Go (Melbourne), Ecologie Organics (Mt Gambier) and Reiki Tree of Life (Malvern).

Certifications

We are proud to be Australian Certified Organic which means our ingredients comply to the strict organic standards of the ACO. Our ingredients are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers, or GMOs with a focus on environmentally sustainable practices.

Pana Chocolate is a proud member of the Vegan Society. Our products carry their international trademark symbol which means Pana Chocolate is free of all animal ingredients and animal tested ingredients.

We are Vegetarian Society approved and carry the Seeding Symbol, the only legally registered trademark for vegetarian accreditation.

The EU organic logo indicates that Pana Chocolate is in full conformity with the conditions and regulations of the organic farming sector established by the European Union. Next to the new EU organic logo, a code number of the control body is displayed as well as the place where the agricultural raw materials composing the product have been farmed.

Pana Chocolate bars are Kosher products and are permitted to carry the authorised symbol of Kosher Australia. This means that our preparation methods and ingredients have been checked and approved according to the requirements of Jewish law.

Pana Chocolate bars are Halal certified and permitted to carry the symbol of recognised authority Al Iman Islamic Society Inc. This means that our chocolate is allowed to be eaten according to Islamic Sharia law.

Pana Chocolate Raw Cacao is certified Fairtrade, meeting internationally-agreed Fairtrade Standards about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. We are proud to carry the recognised symbol

Pana Chocolate products and processes adhere to HACCP Australia Food Safety programs, to reduce the risk of food contamination events and enforce measurable standards of cleanliness, food handling and storage.