Brigadeiros have an interesting history. They were invented by Brazilian women in the mid-1940s as a product to sell to raise funds for the women’s rights-conscious presidential candidate—Brigadier Eduardo Gomes. Brigadier Gomes didn’t win the election, but “brigadeiros” became a national tradition and are still made across Brazil to this day.
TinyB chocolates are made by Sao Paolo native Renata Stoica, now residing in San Francisco. Using flavors inspired by her home, like passion fruit, coffee, pineapple, and cayenne pepper, she creates handcrafted, rich chocolates that are a delight to eat.
I had a chance to interview her to learn more.
Why did you decide to create tinyB Chocolate?
Brigadeiros are my favorite chocolate and I’ve been making them ever since I was a little girl in Sao Paolo. Even in college, I would make them for friends and love how my friends reacted to them. When I moved to San Francisco, I would make them whenever I had guests over. People would always say “you should start a business.” And that’s how it all got started!
What sets it apart from other chocolates?
To start, brigadeiros look different. They’re round and the come in all colors and flavors. Secondly, the ingredients are different—brigadeiros are made with condensed milk. That gives them a different flavor profile. Lastly, our brigadeiros are always made fresh, which is not something you’ll find in store-bought chocolate.
How do you find inspiration for your flavors?
There’s tons of inspiration everywhere! Some of my inspiration comes from Brazil and I offer brigadeiros in the flavors I remember from my childhood there, like passionfruit and coffee. But I’m also very inspired by America its foods. I’m now thinking of producing some with my favorite American cereals. It’s going to take some time to get the recipes just right, but I’m having lots of fun experimenting.
What has surprised you the most about creating your own brand?
The amount of competition. San Francisco is a great chocolate city with lots of small chocolate businesses, but that makes it a very crowded market for a new business like mine. It’s difficult to get attention, even if you’re offering something completely different. But the other surprise is much happier—to see how excited people get about brigadeiros once they try them. They usually become very engaged and want to hear all about where brigadeiros come from and how they’re made. It’s always a pleasant surprise to such positive reactions in people.
Right now you can get 25% off your first box. These chocolates might be a little pricy, but they are absolutely delicious and sometimes it's worth paying more for good quality!
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