NC Made: Raleigh's Videri Chocolate Factory serves sweet success with bean-to-bar treats

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- When it comes to talking chocolate, no one loves it more than Sam Ratto. He's the co-owner of Videri Chocolate Factory right here in downtown Raleigh.

"I want to keep making chocolate for as long as I possibly can," he told ABC11.

Originally from California, Ratto attended NC State and discovered his passion for chocolate-making. He opened Videri Chocolate in 2011.

"I'm not a pastry chef. I'm not a cook," Ratto said. "When I roasted it and started smelling it, it smelled like freshly baked brownies. That's your marker of success, And then I just kept doing it, and here I am."

Videri Chocolate is one of the few bean-to-bar chocolate factories in the country, sourcing beans mainly from Central and South America. Visitors can take self-guided tours of the factory to see the process in action, including Ratto and his team sorting the beans.

"Cocoa beans are a fruit. They grow on trees, so each bean has a unique flavor," Ratto said.

The beans are roasted and cracked using a machine with two metal wheels. A blower separates the lighter husks from the cocoa nibs, which fall into a bucket. The nibs are then ground in a spinning drum, where heat and pressure expel cocoa butter, eventually forming Videri's signature chocolate bars.

"Our number one seller is a 70% classic dark chocolate with sea salt," Ratto said. "A quick runner-up is milk chocolate with crunchy, salty cocoa nibs."

In 2024, Videri was named the sixth-best independent coffee shop in the U.S. by USA Today and is in the running again for 2025.

The chocolate factory also offers house-made ice cream, coffee, and popcorn. They partner with craft beer makers to create bonbons, including their standard chewy, salted caramel, which is Ratto's favorite. Seasonal flavors include honey caramel, dark chocolate ganache, and milk chocolate ganache.

Ratto credits local support for the company's growth.

Videri Chocolate is available online, at Whole Foods and Weaver Street Market, and in restaurants like Scott Crawford's, Christian's, Andrew at Union Special, Black & White Coffee Roasters, and Jabala.