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About YandMi — a craft bean-to-bar chocolate workshop

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We work with cocoa that makes up only ~8–12% of the world's harvest

These beans are officially recognized by the International Cocoa Association (ICCO) in a separate category — Fino de Aroma (Aromatic Cocoa) for their deep aroma, complex flavor profile, and distinct terroir

This is not just a rare raw material — it is a sign of the highest quality and benefits

This cocoa preserves all the natural antioxidants, minerals, and depth of flavor that are lost in mass production

Only from this cocoa do we create chocolate from scratch — bean to bar

YandMi is not a factory, but a workshop where every flavor has its own story

It all started in 2019, in Kharkiv. We were looking for chocolate without excess - with a simple and honest composition

Allergies forced us not to accept the fact that then, and still, on most shelves

It was from 6 square meters and 8,000 hryvnias that the first YandMi bar appeared

We took everything out of Kharkiv during a full-scale invasion. We didn’t know if we would be able to resume production again. But we didn’t stop. We started from scratch. And with the belief that it was worth it

Our first workshop was in Saltivka. 40 square meters is a place that we still remember with warmth and respect

Today we make chocolate in Zhytomyr, but the main thing remains the same: our values

Our values

Honesty

We show how it all happens — openly and without embellishment

We work primarily with whole ingredients: nuts, not ready-made pastes; bourbon vanilla, not vanillin. We track the origin, processing, and quality of each ingredient

Taste

Each of our products has its own story, its own meaning

Inspired by an emotion, a memory, a mood — or something that is important to you. It has an atmosphere

We don't just create flavors. We share stories — and listen to what really touches

Origin matters

The taste of chocolate is not just a recipe

It's the genetics of the cocoa beans, the climate, the soil, the fermentation, the drying, the roasting. That's why we work only with Fino de Aroma aromatic cocoa and prefer farm-raised and organic raw materials

Only such cocoa gives depth, aroma and benefits

Quality over quantity

We take our time

96 hours — that's how long it takes to achieve a taste that's truly worth the wait. We grind the beans with stone millstones for three days, conch, temper, and package with attention to every detail

All processes are under our supervision. So that your chocolate is not just delicious, but unforgettable

The path of chocolate to your hands. The ideal version of non-mass raw materials

1. Terroir

The variety and place of cultivation determine the taste and aroma. Aromatic cocoa “Fino de Aroma” from historical regions, without aggressive human intervention — a sign of the highest quality

2. Masorki (fruits)

The cocoa tree begins to bear fruit 3–5 years after planting. And the fruit takes another 5–6 months to ripen after pollination

3. Fruit picking

Cut by hand, inside is sweet pulp and beans that do not yet have a cocoa taste

4. Fermentation

This is 3–7 days in wooden boxes (often with banana leaves) with regular mixing. This is where the character is born: fruity, tobacco, floral notes that are not at all like flavorings

5. Drying

Sun and air slowly stabilize the beans: 5-10 days with constant stirring to keep the cocoa safe until roasting

6. Roasting

Considering the flavor profile where time and temperature are selected like a code to a safe to enhance the positive cocoa notes embedded in the terroir

7. Grinding

We separate the cocoa nibs from the cocoa shells. The shells are hard, contain no cocoa butter, and can add bitterness and spoil the silky texture of the chocolate. Therefore, we use only cleaned cocoa nibs

8. Melange

Long grinding of beans with ingredients 72–96 hours to ~15 microns. To obtain silky and homogeneous chocolate

9. Exposure

The time when the flavor and aroma are fully revealed. The patterns on the surface are a natural movement of the cocoa butter, not a sign of spoilage. This “web” appears as the chocolate matures and the flavor becomes deeper

10. Tempering

This is the controlled crystallization of cocoa butter for stability and shine in chocolate

And here it is — in your hands

Months of work and dozens of delicate processes, care and benefit that nourishes not only the body, but also the soul

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Our mission

YandMi creates chocolate that evokes emotions, changes the perception of sweets and inspires to live beautifully, with taste

We want the whole world to see: chocolate art is born in Ukraine