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Craft the bean to bar chocolate you love.

upcoming workshops

If you love chocolate, and want to learn the art of transforming cacao beans into deliciously unique chocolate,

welcome to the Next Batch.

Experience, curiosity, learning: we share everything that being a bean to bar craft chocolate maker is all about.

kudos for our founder

“Mackenzie is one of the most inspiring, kind, fun and knowledgeable persons I've ever known. This course is like no other and I enjoyed every second of it.”

~~Michelle van Schaick, founder Faraway Garden Chocolate

The Next Batch info and lesson-filled newsletter:

A free community hub of chocolate info, lessons, recipes, guidance, and support.

  • "I would probably not still be making chocolate had it not been for Mackenzie and the Next Batch School. Her words of wisdom, patience, humility and willingness to repeat things she has already said make her a real life Yoda in my world."

    Tyler Cagwin, founder Nostalgia Chocolates

  • "The Next Batch class is 100% what kept me going and made me feel better about taking a huge, risky leap forward. This year has taught me so much, and being a part of the Next Batch Community has been a huge part of it all. I learned so much that we just didn't do at _____, thanks to you, and I'm grateful for your time and willingness to help other chocolate makers pave their own way forward in the industry.

    Elizabeth Gentry, founder Harvest Chocolate

  • "I am on record saying that just one of the reasons I like her work is her fearless approach to flavor. Her work is just plain fun to eat--and always meticulously crafted."

    Clay Gordon, Discover Choc and The Chocolate Life

  • “For years I’ve been telling people you are the most artistic chocolate maker I know of!”

    —Lowe Bibby, creator of the Chocofiles worldwide tasting database

  • "By the end of Day one I knew I’d hit the chocolate jackpot.”

    Estelle Tracy, chocolate sommelier, 37 Chocolates

  • "...truly a gamechanger."

    Aaron Sylvester, Tri-Island Chocolate, and Grenada Chocolate Co

slinging chocolate insights on instagram @thenextbatchschool

This week’s post at the Next Batch resource hub: The benefits and how-to’s of drops vs basic product re-stocks 🍫🍫🍫 Link up top ⬆️ #beantobar #smallbusinessowner #craftchocolate #specialitycacao #chocolatebusiness
🍫 Rolling up this week: in this week’s post a bean to bar craft chocolate maker shares details and insights on the success (and joy) in selling chocolate through bar drops. 🍫 Yes, that would be yours truly 😆 and yes, I’m still an act
Today’s post on our Substack page 🤍🫘🤎🍫 A look at what’s not just selling out/already sold out, but ideas on how to deal with it. Link ⬆️ #beantobar #craftchocolate #cacaolove #cocoabutter #chocolatemaking #specialtychocolate
Been working on a 10th anniversary collection for @mapchocolate and decided to put a spin on my 2017 original oat milk chocolate bar. Oat milk I truly 🤎’d you, but there’s a bigger chocolate flavor world to explore 🗺️ #plantbased #m
I love our small batch community! seeing small batch makers willing and excited to welcome new origins is the definition of #cacaolove 🫘🤎🫘 I had the pleasure of seeing this origin at our Roasting Workshop in the @nostalgiachocolates roastery, an
🫘🍫It’s not just cocoa bean prices that are rising, of course: the cost of cocoa butter is rising too 🫘🍫 Over @mapchocolate and here for my classes it’s no surprise I use a lot of cocoa butter. I buy from a few sources, and press my o
Chocolate maker pro-tip! 🫘🍫 Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words, and this one shows why straining after every batch is a must-do. If you’ve been in one of my classes you know I am a fiend 🤣 about scraping down inside the
Inclusioncrafting the garden: crafting chocolate with botanicals 🌻🌿🌺🌱🌼🌵🥀 🌻🍫Workshop details ⬆️ at the NextBatch.com 🌺🌼 Workshop is included with a paid subscription to our Substack ⬆️ #beantobar #plantbased #craftchocolate #botanicalc
Just dropping this here, because every chance small batch chocolate gets to improve our skills, the better ALL of craft chocolate can become 🤎 A zillion thanks and a lifetime of #cacaolove good karma to Nicole @thechocolatepassport for creating th

“I was there and I'll tell you, it was SURREAL to witness your impact at Salon du Chocolat in Paris. I mean, amazing!”

—Estelle Tracy, chocolate sommelier and educator, 37 Chocolates

ethical sourcing practices

ethical sourcing practices

small kitchen scaling

small kitchen scaling

easy tempering

easy tempering

helpful downloads

helpful downloads

understanding single origin

understanding single origin

roasting cacao

roasting cacao

batchcrafting and creating batch formulas

batchcrafting and creating batch formulas

plant-based white and milk chocolate

plant-based white and milk chocolate

plant-based chocolate nut and seed spreads

plant-based chocolate nut and seed spreads

flavor pairing

flavor pairing

sustainable, beautiful packaging

sustainable, beautiful packaging

inclusioncraft

inclusioncraft

one/one mentoring and support

one/one mentoring and support

crafting outside the industrial chocolate box

crafting outside the industrial chocolate box

drinking chocolate

drinking chocolate

seasonal bars

seasonal bars

the B(usiness) side of chocolate

the B(usiness) side of chocolate

the pretty and not so pretty

the pretty and not so pretty

chocolate making for bakers + pastry chefs

chocolate making for bakers + pastry chefs

sourcing, storing, sorting

sourcing, storing, sorting

products beyond bars

products beyond bars