Our Story

In 2018, I had my first real experience with depression. It was so real and much bigger than any feelings of sadness or overwhelm I had experienced before. This depression was a physical, all-consuming darkness that paralyzed me and left me feeling hopeless and helpless.  Everyone I spoke to (family, friends, doctors, WebMD…) told me I should find a hobby to help me manage my mental health. I found myself on YouTube literally searching "unique hobbies" and found a video of John Nance, the at-home chocolate godfather, telling me how to make chocolate from bean to bar. Before I knew it, I'd watched most of his videos, ordered a batch of beans, a refiner, and Tuga was born. 

I spent two years of my life living in Portugal as a missionary for my church. I fell in love with the people, the country, and the pastries. Portugal has imprinted itself on my core and when I started making chocolate, I started naming my bars after people and places that changed my life. Each bar I have is named after a person I knew, a place I lived, or an icon of Portugal that made up the magic of my experience there. So, yeah, Tuga started as a way to help me deal with depression, but it has since morphed into a never-ending love letter to the people and places of Portugal. 

And, no, the depression hasn't gone away; and honestly, I don't know if it ever will. But on hard days, I lock myself in my chocolate room, blast RUSH and start creating. Chocolate has allowed me to leave the world behind while I measure and mix and make. I hope that each bar you enjoy allows you to experience a bit of the peace I felt while making it. 

Força Portugal! Força Tuga!