Is Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Vegan? (April 2024 Update)

Figuring out whether Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is vegan can be challenging.

Chocolate brands often hide their ingredients behind vague terms such as “natural and artificial flavors,” and even when they do provide a full list of ingredients, it can be tough to determine whether those ingredients are vegan.

To make sure that you’re only eating food that aligns with your vegan diet and ethics, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate.

Here’s what I found out.

Table of Contents

Is Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Vegan?

No. Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is not vegan.

Ghirardelli is a sought-after brand of chocolate. It is popular for its intense flavor and smooth texture. Unfortunately, Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is not appropriate for vegans.

Most Ghirardelli Dark Chocolates contain milk and sugar, while some flavors contain butter and milk products such as nonfat milk and sweetened condensed milk.

Cane sugar is technically vegan, but the sugar industry often processes it with bone char. Bone char is a type of charcoal made from the bones of cattle and other slaughtered animals, and is used in cane sugar to remove impurities.

Unless the sugar is labeled as “organic,” “unrefined,” or “raw,” it’s likely that it was processed with bone char and is not vegan.

Is Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Cruelty Free?

Yes! Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is cruelty free.

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is not tested on animals at any point during production. Nor does it contain artificial colors, which are routinely tested on animals.

Animal testing is an outdated and gruesome practice that is thankfully being phased out by more and more companies. Innocent animals should not have to suffer or die for the sake of human consumption.

There are alternative methods of testing that do not use animals and are more reliable anyway. So there is no excuse for companies to still test on animals. Fortunately, the Ghirardelli chocolate company does not contribute to this inhumane practice.

What Is Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao:

Unsweetened chocolate
Cane sugar
Cocoa butter
Vanilla extract
Soy lecithin

Let’s break down each ingredient of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate:

Unsweetened chocolate

Unsweetened chocolate is a type of chocolate that contains no sugar. It is used in baking and chocolate making. Unsweetened chocolate is a vegan ingredient.

Cane sugar

Cane sugar is a type of sugar that is made from the juice of sugarcane. Cane sugar is often processed with bone char, which makes it not vegan. However, if the cane sugar is labeled as “organic,” “unrefined,” or “raw,” it has not been processed with bone char and is vegan. In Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate’s case, the cane sugar is probably not vegan.

Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter is a type of fat that is extracted from cocoa beans. It is used in chocolate bars to give them a smooth texture. Cocoa butter is a vegan ingredient.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract is a type of flavoring that is made from vanilla beans. It is used to flavor food and drinks. Vanilla extract is a vegan ingredient.

Soy lecithin

Soy lecithin is a type of emulsifier that is made from soybeans. It is used to keep fats and water from separating. Soy lecithin is a vegan ingredient.

Why Isn’t Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Vegan?

Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate is not vegan because it contains a questionable ingredient, refined cane sugar. Some vegans may be fine with eating cane sugar that has been processed with bone char, but most vegans prefer to avoid it.