DURHAM, NC. — Birmingham Chocolate, Birmingham, Mich., has acquired Macalat, Durham, NC. Macalat manufactures sweet dark chocolate that is organic, sugar-free and is plant-based. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

“Macalat has created a truly new category in chocolate: certified organic, sugar-free, sweet dark chocolate,” said Doug Cale, chief executive officer of Birmingham Chocolate. “This innovative 70% cacao bar blends flavorful superfoods like lucuma and Madagascar vanilla, and is completely sugar-free and remarkably bitter-free — thanks in part to a groundbreaking application of mushroom mycelium from MycoTechnology, which helps eliminate bitterness. The result is a smooth, rich chocolate experience that lets the superfood cacao shine, without the harsh aftertaste common in traditional dark chocolate. In my view, this is the most exciting innovation in chocolate since Hershey introduced milk chocolate. With the strong support of loyal grassroots consumers, we’re ready to take this category to the next level.”

Through the acquisition, Birmingham said in June it will add new product line extensions in bar formats using Macalat’s original “couverture chocolate.”

Products include covered almonds, quinoa crisps, mango, dates, bark thins, raspberry and original.

“Each new treat is crafted with just one standout organic ingredient — no sub-ingredients, no preservatives, no artificial color or flavor,” Cale said. “We use Macalat’s sweet dark couverture chocolate to enrobe each bite. The idea is to keep the ingredient list clean and simple: just Macalat and one delicious organic ingredient that complements it and adds a bit of fun.”

Macalat was founded in 2015 by John Troy. Prior to founding Macalat, Troy founded The Wizard’s Cauldron, an organic salad dressing and sauce manufacturing facility in Yanceyville, NC.

Troy and his son worked together to find “better-for-you” options for the confectionery category and thus Macalat was born.

The company formulates its chocolate with 70% Peruvian cacao and plant-based ingredients, including maca, lucuma, vanilla, monk fruit and cinnamon.

Macalat also formulates its chocolate with a mushroom extract, which acts on the palate to neutralize bitterness and creates a smooth, caramel-like finish, according to the company.

The fermented mushroom mycelium extract was developed by mushroom ingredient supplier MycoTechnology, according to the company.

Troy and his wife Carol manufactured the product in their “guest house-turned-chocolate lab” for eight years.

 In 2022 Carol’s daughter, Lisa Ellis, purchased the company from “incubator status” and joined as its president and “seed capital investor.”

Ellis helped scale the company from artisanal to a co-manufacturer and later expanded both direct-to-consumer and retail distribution.