From bean to bar: An inside look at Oodaalolly Chocolate's sweet creations

Oodaalolly Chocolate co-founder Hernan Lauber spreads tempered chocolate into molds on June 3, 2024. Photo: Andre Canta

On a sunny afternoon in Richmond, California, chocolate maker Hernan Lauber carefully pours warm dark chocolate from the tempering machine into intricately designed bar molds, paying close attention to every detail needed to achieve the perfect Oodaalolly Chocolate confection.

Hernan founded Oodaalolly with a desire to blend his Filipino culture with Swiss chocolate traditions. He named the business after a song from his son’s favorite Disney movie, Robin Hood.

“I have young kids, and we would watch Robin Hood where the song goes ‘having such a good time, Oo-de-lally, Oo-de-lally, golly, what a day.’ From then, it was ingrained,” Hernan said.

An ode to various places and ingredients in the Philippines, each Oodaalolly chocolate bar is made exclusively of organic Philippine cacao and wrapped in packaging featuring Indigenous weaving patterns of the Yakan people. 

Among Oodaalolly’s signature treats is a unique blend of velvety dark chocolate with a refreshing burst of tangy calamansi, pineapple, or sweet mango. For milk chocolate lovers, the Vizcaya Lemon bar melds creamy oat milk chocolate with zesty lemon oil and Ilocano sea salt, paying homage to Nueva Vizcaya, the citrus capital of the Philippines. Those who prefer a little heat can enjoy Oodaalolly’s Mayon Spicy Coconut Milk Chocolate, which features siling labuyo, a small but powerful chili pepper known as the “bird’s eye chili.”

Oodaalolly also offers limited-edition chocolate bars as part of its monthly subscription services. Their 2024 bars feature experimental and seasonal flavors, including dark chocolate adobo, coconut takipsilim, and banana ube smoothie.

“We want people to feel joy when they taste our chocolate and experience flavors that they have never experienced before, bringing them happiness not only because it tastes good but also because it makes them proud,” Hernan said. 

The business reflects not only Hernan’s passion for chocolate but also his family roots.

Hernan was born in Tapaz, Philippines. He never met his birth father, who died before he was born. When Hernan was two years old, his mother remarried to Albert Lauber, a fifth-generation baker and pastry chef from Achesten, Switzerland. The new family of three moved to Switzerland, where Hernan spent his childhood years. 

“I always understood that my parents were a multiracial couple—the Swiss and Filipino parts are very much who I am,” Hernan said. “I grew up with more Swiss culture, and so in many ways, this company has given me the opportunity to explore and return to my Filipino roots.”

As Hernan got older, he began working alongside his father and honing his skills in the art of chocolate making. Despite their shared love for the world of chocolate, Hernan’s father encouraged him to pursue his own path in life. Hernan went on to study mechanical engineering, earn a master’s degree in business administration, and work as a technology consultant. But in the end, what gave him joy and purpose in life was chocolate.

“At some point in my career, I realized I was helping a lot of other companies become more effective. Why can’t I apply those skills to something I’m more passionate about?” Hernan said. “I have the chocolate background, the manufacturing background. Oodaalolly represents everything I am and believe in, so I have a very personal and close attachment to what I’m doing.” 

Since 2018, Hernan has manufactured Oodaalolly sweets at his father’s Neuchatel Chocolates facility in Oxford, Pennsylvania. The business showed promising growth until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“We couldn’t do shows, we couldn’t meet with people, we couldn’t even do production because I was unable to travel to my dad’s chocolate facility,” Hernan said. 

After a two-year hiatus, Oodaalolly resumed operations with a new addition to the team. Jeremy Burnich, now a co-founder of Oodaalolly, developed an interest in creating Filipino and Swiss chocolates. While sheltering in place during the pandemic, he dedicated himself to mastering the art of chocolate making and experimenting with different flavors.

“The chocolate we make is about not only making good chocolate but it’s also fun, and you want to enjoy and savor, but it’s also something you can share with a friend and say ‘you got to try this very interesting flavor,’” Burnich said. 

One of Oodaalolly’s biggest challenges is securing and transporting a steady supply of locally sourced ingredients from the Philippines to the United States. They recently partnered with H&G Chocolate, a distributor of organic cacao products from the Davao De Oro province of the Philippines. With an Organic Certification from the Philippine Department of Agriculture, H&G Chocolate aims to ensure the sustainability and quality of the cacao while supporting farmers in the process.

“It’s a very intimate industry," said David Dô, Chief Operating Officer of H&G Chocolate. "That's why we are really promoting organic ways and educating people that there is good money to be made with consistent efforts to learn about the industry and understand what's acceptable to do."

Dedicated to preserving the history of cacao cultivation in the Philippines for future generations, Hernan wants to educate consumers about the intricate bean-to-bar process of chocolate making.

The journey begins on the cacao plantations in Davao, where cacao beans are carefully cultivated, dried, and fermented. Once in Hernan's hands, the beans are winnowed into nibs and ground into a smooth paste with added flavors. After being broken into chunks and tempered, the chocolate is molded and cooled before emerging with a shiny finish and satisfying snap.

“Through this partnership, we now have visibility of the entire process, from harvest to fermentation to all of the things that impact the flavor and quality of the cacao,” Hernan said.

Hernan’s goal over the next few years is to source all its raw ingredients from the Philippines and broaden the business’s presence to multiple retail locations nationwide. Above all, this chocolatier aspires for Oodaalolly to delight the senses and add a sprinkle of joy to everyone's day.

Hernan Lauber stands in his new chocolate factory in Richmond, CA, on June 3, 2024. Photo: Andre Canta