Independent consumer research
Doing the deep dives for you.
Small businesses run ads every day with no reviews and no track record. I buy their products, research who’s actually behind them, and tell you if they’re worth your money.
Latest Deep Dives
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Dave’s Sweet Tooth Toffee: A Michigan Success Story Worth Rooting For
Dave’s Sweet Tooth Toffee didn’t launch with a PR firm, a seed round, or a Shopify influencer deal. It started with a retired Detroit firefighter making almond toffee in his kitchen, packing it into mason jars, and handing it out to guys at the engine house. That’s it. That’s the whole origin story, and it’s…
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Cacao Laboratory: A Small Brand Doing Supply Chain Differently
The Deep Dive Verdict Proven Sustainable Company Owners put great emphasis on regenerative agroforesty Verifiable Claims Openly discloses lab tests and debunks many myths in ceremonial cacao Transparent Details every part of the supply chain and cacao processing methods Quality Cacao farms contain natural biodiversity instead of monoculture cacao trees Cacao Laboratory: The Small Brand…
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PERC Coffee: A Vibrant Atlanta Coffee Roaster
The Deep Dive Verdict Founder Led Company Owner actively involved Ethical Business Inclusive team and fair sourcing Transparent Sourcing is detailed Quality Solid for the price Perc Coffee is a colorful, small business coffee roasting company located in Atlanta, Georgia. Perc started as a grassroots company founded in 2010 by Phillip Brown. The owner started…
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Mushroom Coffee: Benefits or a Fad?
As a coffee enthusiast, I have avoided the mushroom coffee trend for a plethora of reasons. Questionable sourcing, fad companies cropping up, and misleading advertising were all reasons I did not partake in beverage. After a deep dive, I’ve changed my mind.
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Health Benefits of Drinking Brewing Cacao
Health Benefits of Drinking Brewed Cacao Brewing cacao is blowing up in popularity and for good reason. It’s exceptionally healthy, it’s delicious, and it’s a great alternative to coffee. Let’s look into some reasons as why brewing cacao is making a lot of headway in the hot beverage drinking community. Brewing cacao is emerging as…
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Best Quality Chocolate to Buy (Updated 2025)
Read about companies I’ve spent countless hours researching so you don’t have to. Many of them will be family owned or small businesses that lack the resources to rapidly grow. If you want good quality, ethical chocolate, start here.
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“Healthiest Chocolate” on Google is a Scam
Trust Issues with Top Google Results One of the driving motivators for creating this blog was this very example I’m about to delve into. I did a simple Google search and typed in, “best healthy chocolate” and clicked the first result. I landed on a blog post for a website called Everyday Health that recommends…
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Hydrangea Coffee Roasters
Hydrangea Coffee Roasters Hydrangea Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee roaster out of Berkeley, California. Their artwork is unique and memorable and their mission is to provide you with the highest quality, experimental coffee possible; all the while remaining ethically sourced and sustainable. Their slogan, “Light, Fruit-forward, Experimental Coffees” accurately encapsulates their brand. If you’re…
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Buying High Quality Cocoa Powder is Challenging
Looking at the top listings for “organic cacao powder” in Amazon, do you have any idea which are good? There’s lots of buzzwords and lots of healthy looking packaging. The results are going to surprise you. Click to find out which I have vetted to be a good purchase.
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Best Cocoa Powders to Buy in 2026
A highly curated and consistently updated list of recommended cocoa powders that I have personally researched and meet my rigorous standards.