On rare occasions (time permitting) I love to visit my local library and leisurely flick through the pages of ‘Men’s Health Magazine’. Even though this publication does have articles about bodybuilding it also enough diverse content to satisfy a broader demographic. For example, they have a strong focus on general nutrition and in particularly healthy food. To a large extent I mainly eat a non-processed diet and at a ripe old age of 50 feel better than ever. However, this doesn’t stop me from drinking alcohol (in moderation) and succumbing to indulgences like dark chocolate. In fact, the latter was the subject of my last book, which hopefully will be released in early 2019.
Whilst doing research on the dark chocolate book I became exposed to many different aspects of the industry. It also made me appreciate that concerning ingredients less is definitely more. In a high-quality bar, you would expect the grade of cocoa/cacao to be very high. Certainly the brand Pico adheres to these standards and as a result, produces an exceptionally high-quality product.
I originally became aware of Pico Chocolate on the shelves of a high class independent South Australian based supermarket. This prompted me to discover more about the product and the origins of the company. Interestingly by doing research, I discovered that Pico is part of a much larger group called Soulfresh, which is owned by Melbourne based entrepreneur Didi Lo. Impressively, this self-made man has worked as a fruit picker, a dishwasher, cook, chef, waiter, and barman, before becoming the CEO of a global organisation.
Soulfresh has a pretty diverse portfolio of high-quality products like almond milk, Bone Broth, Kombucha, Kefir, coconut water, and Kimchi. However, for the purpose of this article, I wanted to concentrate on their magnificent Pico chocolate range. Even though they do not manufacture the product in-house it is crafted by a by master chocolatiers in Switzerland. Unlike many other commercial brands they Conch for up to three days, which eliminates the need to include emulsifiers and other additives. Ultimately, this gives the product a superior taste and texture.
Within the range, there are several delectable flavours to choose from including Super Dark, Coconut, Mint, Caramelised Almond, Milk, Butter Caramel and (my personal favourite) Sea salt. All varieties are certified organic, Fairtrade and also contain a low GI coconut nectar to give the chocolate an added sweetness. As a final touch, the packaging design has been well considered and the graphic aesthetic is designed to attract attention.
For more information about Soulfresh and Pico, chocolate follow this link
