Taza founder and CEO Alex Whitmore took his first bite of stone ground chocolate while traveling in Oaxaca, Mexico. He was so inspired by the rustic intensity that he decided to create a chocolate factory back home in Somerville, MA. He learned to hand-carve granite mill stones to make chocolate that is less processed, and in 2005, he officially launched Taza with his wife, Kathleen. Taza is a pioneer in ethical cacao sourcing. They were the first U.S. chocolate maker to establish a third-party certified Direct Trade Cacao Certification program, and they maintain direct relationships with their cacao farmers, paying a premium above the Fair Trade price for their cacao. They only partner with cacao producers who respect the rights of workers and the environment.