Valerie Beck

Chocolate expert Valerie Beck is a pioneering entrepreneur in chocolate and hospitality. Creator of the original Chicago Chocolate Tours, which she expanded to cities across the US, Valerie’s business also distributes chocolate made by craft artisan chocolate makers, and provides consulting services to cacao growers and chocolate makers, always with a focus on ethical chocolate and sustainability.

A Chicago native, Valerie graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. After practicing law in Europe and the US, she founded the chocolate tours and Chocolate Uplift, and is also a popular speaker, chocolate show judge, and media personality.

She started the Chocolate Freedom Project to end child slave labor on the cacao farms that produce cocoa beans for big chocolate brands, and supports formerly trafficked kids at a West African rescue center.

Valerie is currently writing her legal memoirs, Diary of My Disastrous Law Career: From Harvard to Heaven Help Me, in generally weekly blog installments.

Valerie’s mission is Uplift Through Chocolate, because chocolate can improve our mood and the world!