The Eating Chambers Tours Xocolatl Chocolate

What is up, my Eaters! I hope you’re all doing well. I’m grateful to be back with you this week. How are you all handling these colder days? They’re not my preference, but I can tolerate them—as long as the ice and snow stay away.

This week, I want to introduce you to Matt Weyandt and Elaine Read, a husband-and-wife power couple who founded and own Xocolatl Chocolate—pronounced chock-oh-LAH-tl—a craft chocolate company based in Atlanta.

A few weeks ago, while at the Morningside Farmers Market, the market manager, Hunter, introduced me to Matt. Once I learned about his chocolate company, I immediately asked if I could come by for a visit and a tour. He agreed without hesitation, and I was genuinely excited. I mean, I’ve done a lot of things in my career, but this would be the first time I’d ever get to experience a real-life “Willy Wonka.”

So this week, I made the drive up to Atlanta to tour his factory. It wasn’t a bad drive at all—less than an hour. Matt greeted me at the door with a smile, and the moment I stepped inside, the smell of cocoa completely consumed me. It was glorious. Instantly, I was transported back to a cocoa plantation tour Gwen and I took a few years ago during a trip to Peru.

We jumped right into the tour. We talked about a lot—process, philosophy, and craft—and Matt’s unpretentious wealth of knowledge was genuinely impressive. But before we get into all of that, I want to address the elephant in the room: the name.

Xocolatl is the original word for chocolate, derived from Nahuatl, the ancient language spoken by the Mayans and Aztecs of Central and South America. It literally translates to “bitter water,” because at the time of its origin, chocolate was not the sweet treat we know and love today. Matt shared that he and Elaine are fully aware the name can stump people and comes with a bit of a learning curve. Still, the literal meaning—and the fact that the letters ATL anchor the name—have firmly cemented it for them.

Names like this aren’t chosen lightly. They usually come at the end of a much longer process—of learning, experimenting, and committing. With that in mind, I asked Matt to walk me through how Xocolatl Chocolate came to be.

After deciding to leave their careers in politics and international relief in 2012, Matt and Elaine boarded a plane with their two small children and headed to rural Costa Rica for a season of respite. They planned to stay for a year. The goal, at least initially, was simple: rest and clarity. But while there, their passion for chocolate began to take root. They spent that year learning, studying, and educating themselves on the science and processes behind chocolate production. Matt even worked on cocoa plantations, immersing himself fully in the realities of commercial chocolate manufacturing.

In 2013, with babies in tow, Matt and Elaine returned to Atlanta. With less than a year of hands-on chocolate-making experience, they opened their first retail space at Krog Street Market—one of Atlanta’s premier food halls. As Matt told me this, I was honestly in awe. That level of persistence and devotion is uncommon. As both a foodie and an entrepreneur, I found it deeply inspiring and motivating.

As Matt walked me through the facility, the depth and breadth of his knowledge felt unending. I met his wife, Elaine, and the rest of their team—each person clearly as committed to their role in the process as the next. Matt explained that much of their more sophisticated equipment came later. Early on, they self-engineered several pieces to get the factory running while keeping costs down.

One of those pieces was a winnowing box—a simple wooden device used to separate the cocoa nib from the husk. It looked like something an old Amish farmer might build to get the job done. Set against their beautiful, modern factory, that humble wooden box felt almost sacred—an artifact of their early days and a testament to the sheer amount of work these two have poured into building this company.

As I walked with Matt and learned more about him and his business, a few things stood out. I’ll mention two.

First was Xocolatl’s commitment to sustainability and giving back to producers. Matt spoke at length about the farmers of Central and South America and Africa, sharing stories from his time working alongside them and describing the relationships they continue to maintain. It’s clear that he and Elaine are as committed to the people behind their chocolate as they are to the chocolate itself.

The second was resilience—absolute persistence in the face of challenge. We talked about funding and inflation. We talked about COVID and tariffs. We talked about burnout and fatigue. Time and again, Matt shared stories of how they’ve pushed through and adapted. As an entrepreneur myself, I found it both encouraging and deeply inspiring.

Matt also shared that the business is currently doing well—it’s growing and expanding. They are still producing out of their flagship Krog Street Market stall, while their warehouse factory continues to steadily increase production. Growth has reached the point where conversations about what’s next are beginning to surface, even if the idea of moving feels daunting. Matt also mentioned new retail expansion opportunities on the table. It’s undeniable that the future of Xocolatl Chocolate looks promising, and I’m excited to watch what comes next.

So, Eaters, it’s no coincidence that you’re learning about this wonderful company this week—Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. If you want to give that special someone (or those special people) in your life something new and exciting, I encourage you to let Matt and his team help you out. They offer chocolate bars, bonbons, gift boxes, and so much more.

One thing you should know: this isn’t your regular, mass-produced retail chocolate. Their cocoa is sourced and shipped in from around the world. This is small-batch, sustainably produced craft chocolate. Most of their offerings are gluten-, dairy-, and soy-free for those with sensitivities—the only exception being their Georgia Boy Bar, which is not gluten-free. All that to say, Xocolatl Chocolate does come at a premium, but it is absolutely worth it.

Give them a try and let us know what you think. And as always, you can come see me or my team every Saturday at the Peachtree City Farmers Market.