When it comes to indulging in high-quality chocolate, most of us assume we‘ll have to shell out big bucks at a fancy candy shop or specialty store. But what if I told you that you could find premium, gourmet-level chocolate bars and truffles at your local Aldi supermarket, often for less than half the price of comparable products elsewhere?
It may sound too good to be true, but Aldi‘s private label chocolate brands like Moser Roth and Choceur have been quietly winning over chocolate connoisseurs and everyday candy lovers alike with their surprisingly sophisticated offerings. As a chocolate aficionado and longtime Aldi shopper myself, I‘ve become a big fan of these bars and have made it my mission to spread the word about Aldi‘s best-kept chocolate secrets.
In this in-depth guide, I‘ll be sharing my expert insights on what makes Aldi chocolate so special, from the quality of the ingredients to the incredible value for the price. We‘ll dive into the different brands and varieties Aldi has to offer, share some professional tasting notes, and explore how Aldi is able to maintain such high standards while keeping costs low.
Whether you‘re a dark chocolate purist, a milk chocolate fan, or a lover of more unusual flavor combinations, Aldi has something to satisfy every taste. Let‘s unwrap the delicious details and see why Aldi chocolate deserves a place on every chocoholic‘s radar.
Aldi‘s Core Chocolate Brands: A Primer
Before we go any further, let‘s break down the three core chocolate brands you‘ll find at Aldi stores:
Moser Roth
Moser Roth is Aldi‘s premium private label chocolate brand, produced exclusively for the grocer by German chocolate maker Storck. The Moser Roth line focuses primarily on dark chocolate, with bars ranging from 70% to 85% cocoa content, though you will find some milk chocolate options as well. Flavors tend to be on the more gourmet end, with options like Dark Chili, Sea Salt, and Orange Almond.
Price: $1.99 for a 4.4oz (125g) bar
Choceur
The Choceur brand encompasses Aldi‘s more basic and affordable chocolate options, including standard dark and milk chocolate bars, chocolate bars with nuts or fillings, and peanut butter cups. While not quite as upscale as Moser Roth, the Choceur chocolates tend to be of a higher quality than most American mass market brands.
Price: $1.39 for a 5.29oz bar, $2.99 for a 12oz bag of peanut butter cups
Specially Selected
Specially Selected is Aldi‘s premium house brand covering everything from meats and cheeses to snacks and sweets. The chocolate offerings under this label tend to be more unique and seasonal, such as cocoa dusted truffles, chocolate covered nuts, and dark chocolate sea salt caramels. Selection varies throughout the year.
Price: Varies, but typically around $2.99-$3.99 for a 7-12oz package
Putting Aldi Chocolate to the Test: Quality, Flavor & Value
Of course, none of the branding matters if the chocolate itself doesn‘t live up to the hype. As someone who takes my chocolate very seriously, I‘ve personally taste-tested every variety I could get my hands on to assess the quality, flavor, texture, ingredients, and overall value. Here are my findings:
Moser Roth 70% Dark Chocolate
Tasting Notes: This is an exceptionally smooth and creamy dark chocolate, especially for a 70% bar. It has a deep, rich cocoa flavor with subtle fruity notes and a pleasant sweetness that balances out the slight bitterness. The melt-in-your-mouth texture is comparable to much pricier craft chocolate bars.
Quality: Excellent. Rivals more expensive premium brands. Uses sustainably sourced single origin cocoa beans and contains no artificial flavors or preservatives.
Value: Outstanding. At $1.99 for 4.4oz (125g), it‘s around 45 cents per ounce. A comparable 70% dark bar from Ghirardelli or Lindt would cost around $2.50-$3.50 for a 3.5oz bar, or 71-84 cents per ounce.
Choceur Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Tasting Notes: If you‘re a fan of Reese‘s peanut butter cups, you‘ll love these. The milk chocolate coating is smooth and creamy, with a higher cocoa content than the classic cups, giving it a richer flavor. The peanut butter filling is slightly smoother and less dry than Reese‘s.
Quality: Very good, arguably better than the name brand. Simple, recognizable ingredients and rich milk chocolate elevate these above your standard PB cup.
Value: Excellent. A 12oz bag is just $2.99, or about 25 cents per ounce. The cheapest price I‘ve seen for Reese‘s is around 33 cents per ounce when they go on sale.
Specially Selected Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels
Tasting Notes: These are one of my all-time favorite Aldi chocolates. The caramel is soft and buttery, with a pronounced burnt sugar flavor and a generous sprinkle of crunchy sea salt flakes. Enrobed in a thick shell of smooth dark chocolate, they‘re the perfect blend of sweet and salty, gooey and crunchy.
Quality: Superb. On par with sea salt caramels I‘ve had from artisanal chocolate shops. Uses real cream, butter, and sea salt.
Value: Incredible. A 10oz tub is just $2.89, which works out to around $4.62 per pound. Most specialty chocolatiers charge $18-$25 per pound for similar caramels!
I could go on, but suffice to say, the vast majority of Aldi‘s chocolate products deliver outstanding quality and value across the board. In blind taste tests conducted by various publications, the Moser Roth dark chocolate bars in particular have consistently rated very highly, even beating out more expensive name brands on occasion.
The Secret to Aldi‘s Unbeatable Prices
By now, you‘re probably wondering how Aldi manages to sell such premium chocolate at such low prices. As with most of their products, it really comes down to their unique and hyper-efficient business model:
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Streamlined selection: Aldi stores typically stock only about 1,400 core products, compared to 40,000+ at a traditional supermarket. Fewer products mean they can buy much larger quantities and secure bigger discounts from suppliers.
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Private label focus: Over 90% of the products at Aldi are private label, including the chocolate. By cutting out the middleman and buying direct from suppliers, they eliminate many of the markups that inflate prices on name brand goods.
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No frills stores: Ever notice that Aldi stores are smaller, plainer, and more minimally staffed than a big supermarket? Selling straight from boxes, minimal decor, and a lean workforce all help keep overhead costs down.
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Limited advertising: You won‘t see many Aldi TV commercials or newspaper circulars. They keep advertising costs low and pass the savings on to customers.
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Long-term supplier relationships: Many of Aldi‘s supplier partnerships go back decades. Consistent high-volume orders = better pricing, plain and simple.
In the case of the chocolate specifically, Aldi is able to leverage its close relationship with the German confectionery company Storck to secure an exclusive supply of the premium Moser Roth brand at an affordable price point. With over a century in business, Storck has perfected its production processes to create top-notch chocolate with efficiency.
Thinking Outside the Bar: Cooking, Baking & Pairing with Aldi Chocolate
As much as I love savoring a square (or three) of Aldi chocolate on its own, I also love using it in baking and cooking. The high quality of Aldi‘s offerings really shines through in homemade treats. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use Aldi chocolate in the kitchen:
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Finely chop a Moser Roth 70% Dark Chocolate bar and use in place of semi-sweet chips in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe for a richer, more intense chocolate flavor.
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Melt Choceur milk chocolate and use it to coat homemade truffles, chocolate-covered strawberries, or pretzels for an easy DIY candy treat.
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Stir a few roughly chopped squares of Moser Roth 85% Dark Chocolate into a brownie batter for extra nuggets of deep, fudgy flavor throughout.
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Whisk together warm milk and chopped Choceur milk chocolate for a decadent European-style sipping chocolate.
Aldi chocolate also lends itself exceptionally well to pairing with other flavors. For an unforgettable after-dinner tasting experience, try serving a variety of Moser Roth bars alongside complementary items like:
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Red wine: The fruit notes in many red wines are a natural match for the deep flavors of dark chocolate. Try a Moser Roth 70% bar with a fruity Zinfandel or Malbec.
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Whiskey: The smoky, caramel notes in whiskey are delicious with chocolate. Pair a Moser Roth 85% bar with a smooth Irish whiskey or a peaty Scotch.
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Fruit and cheese: Dark chocolate is wonderful with tangy fruits like oranges, cherries, or pomegranates, and the creaminess of certain cheeses like Brie or goat cheese. Set out an assortment and let people mix and match.
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Nuts: The crunch of toasted nuts is a great textural contrast to smooth chocolate. Pair a Moser Roth Toffee Crunch bar with toasted pecans or the Dark Sea Salt with roasted almonds.
The Final Verdict
Whether you‘re a certified chocoholic or an occasional indulger, Aldi‘s store brand chocolate is definitely worth your attention. By bringing the same commitment to quality and value to their chocolate as they do to all of their private label products, Aldi has managed to make premium chocolate accessible to everyone.
With a core selection that includes world-class dark chocolate bars, luxurious truffles, and even a peanut butter cup that beats the name brand, Aldi is a surprising one-stop shop for satisfying your chocolate cravings on a budget. And for those times when you want to get a little fancy, their rotating seasonal and Specially Selected offerings give you even more options for treating yourself or creating memorable desserts.
So next time you‘re at Aldi, be sure to toss a few of their chocolates in your cart along with your staple groceries. But be warned: once you‘ve tasted how good chocolate can be without the sticker shock, you may find yourself filling up a whole basket!
One thing is for sure – with Aldi chocolate, you won‘t have to break the bank to indulge your inner chocolate connoisseur. And that is a very sweet deal indeed.
