FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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Beginning August 1, 2025, Videri Chocolate Factory will start producing chocolate products that include tree nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts and pecans. With this change, Videri will no longer operate as a nut, gluten, soy or egg-free facility.
Please note: we are holding off on introducing peanuts for the time being and will clearly communicate that change if we make it.
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First, we want to acknowledge how meaningful it has been to have customers rely on us since 2011 for allergen-safe chocolate. We understand that this will be disappointing news for these loyal customers. For that reason, this was not an easy decision.
However, the rising cost of ingredients has put significant pressure on our operations. Last year brought record-setting cocoa bean prices, and this spring, we saw prices jump nearly 50% in just two months. For example, cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic cost $5,500 per metric ton in 2023. Those same beans cost $13,700 per metric ton in March 2025 and then surged to $20,300 by May 2025 due to the recent tariffs.
To keep the business viable—and to safeguard the jobs of our 25 team members—we carefully considered every option. Incorporating tree nuts into our product line allows us to develop new offerings, reach a broader customer base, boost sales, and reduce ingredient costs. For example, maintaining a tree nut-free facility required sourcing ingredients like apricots exclusively from allergen-free processors, which significantly increased expenses.
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Starting on Aug. 1, 2025.
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Videri also will no longer operate as a gluten, soy or egg-free facility. This is largely due to other ingredients no longer being procured from allergen-free processing facilities.
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Yes. We encourage customers with tree nut allergies to place orders before July 29, 2025 to ensure delivery before the change takes effect. We’re offering two discounted stock up options:
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The team has been testing recipes at their homes and other commercial kitchens to preserve the allergen-free nature of the Videri Chocolate Factory as long as possible.
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We are aiming to start offering those chocolate bars and confections by early September.
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No, not all products will contain tree nuts, but all products will be produced in the same facility, which means we can no longer ensure they are free from cross-contamination.
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This is a decision for now and not a decision forever.
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No. Videri remains committed to making extraordinary, ethically sourced chocolate using the finest organic and local ingredients. Our values and craftsmanship will continue to guide everything we do.
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Please email us at sales@viderichocolatefactory.com or call 919-755-5053. We’re here to help and want to ensure you feel informed and supported.
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Please ensure that you use a cell phone to pay if you’d like us to validate your parking fees. We CANNOT validate if you have paid for your parking at the kiosk in the parking lot.
To pay on your cell phone: gather your payment information and license plate number for the vehicle present. Then, text P14 to this number: 25023. That number will automatically reply with a link, click that to facilitate payment. Once completed, we give you a code for validation & the authorization charge on your card be reversed.
Videri Chocolate Factory does not manage the Depot parking lot, ticketing or towing.
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Absolutely! You can take a self-guided tour during our regular hours, or purchase a spot in our weekly guided tour HERE.
If you’d like to request a guided tour outside our regularly scheduled weekly tour, please reach out to sales@viderichocoaltefactory.com with time, date and party size to coordinate!
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To ensure your chocolatey shipments get delivered to your door unmelted and in temper, we use 2-day shipping along with insulators and ice packs. This does increase the weight of your shipment, but it's the only way we can guarantee the quality of your chocolate upon arrival.
Once your shipment is on the way, we send you the tracking number so you can meet your package at the door for the best possible experience.
Sadly we cannot control variables like temperature, shipping delays or carrier handling once orders leave the factory. If you have any problems, always reach out to hello@viderichocolatefactory.com !
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The short answer: this chocolate is made by humans! While chocolate making is a very involved process, we let our machinery do the work at night and on the weekends so our small but mighty production team can recharge. (And no, they’re not oompa loompas!)
We do provide QR codes at every step of the self-guided tour, so you can get a behind the scenes look at the full chocolate making process anytime we’re open.
Peak production times are usually 9am-3pm Monday through Friday. Thursdays are the best option to see enrobing in the tempering room.
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Chocolate is happiest at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. If you were to refrigerate your bonbons or bars, the chocolate will be affected by temperature! Caramel can crystallize and become gritty and chocolate can go out of temper – losing its signature shine and snap. Please do NOT refrigerate or freeze your chocolate.
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We source our soft serve mix from Howling Cow right here in Raleigh, North Carolina! Our vanilla comes straight from the creamery.
For chocolate, our Production Manager, Jazzi, uses a proprietary blend to create the most complex and delicious chocolate soft serve we’ve ever tasted.
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“Bonbon” is a general term for a confection with a chocolate coating or shell. Our bonbons have a 70% Videri dark chocolate shell and a sweet filling of ganache, caramel, buttercream or marshmallow. The term is derived from the French word “bon,” meaning “good.” Double good indeed!
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The flavors of Single Origin chocolates begin with the terroir, and are finished by our distinct roasting process. Many of us are familiar with this concept from wine making! Terroir is a French term that describes the environmental factors that affect a crop's characteristics, including growth habitat and farming practices. Essentially, this is the combination of elevation, soil, precipitation and sunlight that the beans grow in!
Once the bean is harvested, fermented, and dried, they are shipped to Videri. After sorting, we roast the cocoa beans to dial in our ideal flavor notes. The flavor development is a result of the Maillard reaction– a complex chain of chemical reactions that create all the flavors we love in food– a crisped potato chip, fresh baked bread, and the aroma of coffee and chocolate.
In cocoa beans, the Malliard reaction works on the proteins present in the chocolate and the sugar resulting from fermentation. The art of roasting results in particular tasting notes too. For example, higher temps produce more caramelized, coffee and nutty flavors. Lower temperatures produce fruity or floral notes.
Each unique combination of terroir and roast produce extraordinary flavor profiles in each of our Single Origin chocolate bars. We suggest a Single Origin Bundle to compare them all.
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Cocoa mulch is a byproduct of our winnowing process and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please call the factory to see if mulch is available that day, as we do not place any holds or reservations for mulch.
As a courtesy to our canine friends, please DO NOT use it in indoor or areas that are near dogs. This cocoa husk product still contains theobromine, which is toxic to canines.
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Follow this link, or send an email directly to our Wholesale Manager, Rachel, at orders@viderichocolatefactory.com
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Yes please! We would love to be part of your wedding, holiday party or end of year gifting.
Check out this link and then send an email to our Sales Manager, Rachel, at sales@viderichocolatefactory.com.
Some good information to include: preferred pickup date, party/group size, any allergen concerns, and budget.
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Videri Chocolate Factory utilizes laboratory services from our distributors UnCommon Cacao and Meridian to check for lead and cadmium. Upon testing, we are happy to report that we test below Proposition 65 (CA) limits.
You can learn more here, with our friend Greg from Dandelion Chocolate.
Continued reading is available here from Uncommon Cacao and a full report of cadmium and lead levels in commodity-level chocolate is available from AsYouSow.org for free download.