our LUNAR NEW YEAR COLLECTION has arrived!
to celebrate the Year of the Dragon and the qualities of power, luck, and confidence, we’ve reimagined our favourite Lunar New Year flavours in bold new designs.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON CHOCOLATES:
available by pre-order now and for cafe walk-ins starting on FEB 1, 2024.
YEAR OF THE DRAGON CREAM PUFF PACK:
ONLY available through online pre-order, for pick up on Feb 9-10 or 16-17.
🐉
might we suggest:
- 8pc box of our chocolate Mandarin Oranges, wrapped in a red and gold sleeve making it perfect for gifting.
- bestselling Mandarin Crunch Polygon Bar - $1 from every bar goes to Dragon Boat BC, to support their cultural programming.
- check out our full collection here!
]]>whether you’re hosting a spectacular Christmas party or diligently planning a cozy Christmas dinner, our cream puffs are the perfect dessert to help elevate your Christmas cheer.
from a snowman to an ugly sweater, this year’s Holiday Cream Puffs are a little bit magical...
time stands still when you bite into one of our crispy choux shells and discover luscious layers of deliciousness inside.
our Holiday Cream Puff Collection features five of our bestselling cream puffs, all dressed up for Christmas (available from Dec 12 - 31), and one new feature flavour (available for the whole month of Dec) 🎄
UGLY SWEATER - vietnamese coffee
WREATH - mango milk tea
RUDOLPH - raspberry earl grey
SANTA’S HAT - shanghai fog
FROSTY - coconut pandan
CHRISTMAS TREE - gingerbread
🎄
the rumours are true: sometimes, it can be hard to get your hands on our cream puffs.
we’re a small team of pastry chefs, working hard - day in and day out - to share freshly made cream puffs with locals and visitors to Vancouver.
Christmas is our busiest time of year, and as our loyal customers know, pre-ordering BETA5 cream puffs is an essential step in holiday planning 😉
insider tip #1: don’t wait!
order a box of the most coveted desserts in Vancouver now, and select your preferred pick up date at checkout.
ps: snag some of our holiday chocolates before you check out.
insider tip #2: walk-ins are always welcome!
if all cream puff pre-order spots are sold out, just come by our cafe to pick up a box of cream puffs on the day you want them.
always arrive early for the best selection, and know that it’s first come, first served.
our doors open at 10am, and quantities are limited.
if a holiday chocolate item is sold out online, we will have stock available in our cafe when we open our doors at 10am - it’s first come, first served, and quantities are limited.
we restock our webstore on sunday nights!
Happy Holidays,
xo - BETA5
]]>we’re a small team that makes chocolates and cream puffs by hand, day in and day out. we love what we do, but none of it would be possible without your support.
to say THANK YOU to our legion of loyal dessert fans, we’re including a FREE box of dark chocolate hearts with every order over $60 (before tax + shipping) on FRI NOV 24, while supplies last.
our dark chocolate hearts will captivate your tastebuds and help you forget all about your black friday regrets, aspirations, irritation, and decision-making overload.
for one sweet moment (actually five moments - as there are five hearts in every box), you can experience a little indulgence as our hearts are filled with one of our delicious, coveted fillings.
ONLINE ORDERS:
12am to 11:59pm on FRI NOV 24 only.
you can select your preferred pick-up date at checkout.
IN-STORE:
10am - 6pm on FRI NOV 24 only.
canada-wide shipping is available for all chocolate orders ✈️
]]>this June, our bestselling PENCIL CRAYONS are back!
packaged in a box of 6 pieces, our chocolate pencil crayons are a delicious way to say thank you to your child’s teacher, to celebrate the end of the school year with your kiddos, or to treat yourself to a mouthwatering chocolate experience!
our hand-painted pencil crayons are cast in our custom BETA5 - Valrhona 66% dark chocolate and filled with our legendary chocolate cookie praline, vanilla bean caramel and fresh marshmallow.
limited edition.
first come, first served!
FORE! ⛳️ introducing the tastiest 3-layer golf balls around, just in time for father’s day!
our hand-crafted, 3-layer core is composed of caramel macchiato ganache (made with House of Funk’s technicolour espresso), salted caramel ganache, and a hazelnut praline studded with caramelized puffed wheat. the core is sealed inside a deliciously thin layer of our custom Valrhona 66% dark chocolate.
3 golf balls per package make this father’s day gift a hole in one! (come on, who doesn’t love a good dad joke?!)
order yours online now, or come by our cafe, TUES - SAT!
]]>To kick off our participation in the Vancouver Ice Cream Festival, we’re including a FREE ICE CREAM SANDWICH with every purchase over $50, this weekend only (while supplies last)!
Come shopping at our cafe on FRI JUNE 16 - SAT JUNE 17 and receive a complimentary ice cream sandwich on orders over $50 (before tax)!
Or, shop online starting right now!
Place an online order over $50 (before tax) between THURS JUNE 15 @8PM - SUN JUNE 18 @11:59PM and you’ll be eligible to add a FREE ice cream sandwich to your cart.
Whether you want to stock up on chocolate golf balls for father’s day, or fill your freezer with a stash of ice cream sandwiches, this is one sweet deal that’s only available this weekend*.
(*unfortunately, purchases made prior to or after the dates above are not eligible for this promotion / limited quantities available, promotion active while supplies last)
]]>We’ve teamed up with our friends at L’Abattoir - one of Canada’s best restaurants - to create a stunning box of chocolates for Mother's Day, inspired by some of their beloved flavour combinations.
L’Abattoir Chef and Owner, Lee Cooper, is known for his elevated French-inspired West Coast fare. Dining inside Cooper’s heritage brick and beam restaurant is a magical experience where understated elegance and exemplary service combine to create a special evening.
Working in collaboration with Chef Cooper and L’Abattoir Pastry Chef, Oliver Bernardino, we created six new chocolates inspired by their savoury and dessert menus. The result is a decadent and refined box of chocolates that we’ve called the CHEF’S MENU. Each chocolate showcases a flavour profile from one of their much-loved dishes:
beet / red berries / shiso
beet caramel / red berry + shiso ganache
quince / white wine
quince jelly / pinot gris ganache
pineapple / rum raisin / tonka bean
pineapple jelly / rum-soaked golden raisin / brown sugar + tonka bean ganache
riz au lait
passionfruit - vanilla caramel / coconut - pandan meltaway / caramelized puffed rice
marjolaine
coffee-infused caramelized white chocolate ganache, finished with a splash of brandy
millionaire's shortbread
salted caramel ganache / caramelized shortbread praline
The dishes at L’Abattoir are not only delicious, but beautifully composed. To match their quiet complexity and visual refinement, we took inspiration from some of our favourite orchids and built a colour palette and patterns that referenced the elegance found in these wonders of the natural world.
Taking it one step further, we drew inspiration from Botanical Gardens for our additional Mother’s Day treats, which will be released over the coming weeks. Each item pays homage to the beauty found within intriguing species in botanical gardens, and we’re excited to share these creations with you.
Mother’s Day is quickly approaching (May 14th). 'CHEF'S MENU' is a limited edition box of chocolate, and we suggest you order early. You can also stop by our cafe starting on Thursday, April 27th, to pick up a box.
If you’re looking to make this Mother’s Day extra special, then make a reservation for L'Abattoir's Mother’s Day Chef's Menu on Sunday, May 14th. Indulge in their Chef’s Menu, and receive a box of our collaborative chocolates as a take-away gift.
TUE - FRI 10am-6pm
SAT 10am - 5pm
(SUN - MON: CLOSED)
--
MAY 28, 2023
After nearly two months of reduced hours, we are excited to announce that we’re returning to our regular opening days of TUESDAYS - SATURDAYS!
And thanks to customer feedback, we’ve expanded our cafe opening hours:
TUES - FRI, 10am - 6pm
SAT, 10am - 5pm
In April, we reduced our cafe hours to help support our team, who were feeling the impact of long-term labour shortages. As we were struggling to meet the continued demand for our creations, we knew we needed to re-group and make some changes to our workflow to ensure our team’s well-being.
We’re happy to report that we’ve since added a couple more members to our team of skilled cooks, and we have added some new equipment in our kitchen so that we can produce enough cream puffs, chocolates, and ice cream sandwiches to keep our display cases full!
As an industry, we are faced with a variety of challenges - some of which we can impact through changes to how we work, and others that are outside of our control. Labour shortages, the continued rising costs due to inflation, and supply chain issues have become our new reality over the past year. We knew we needed to guide BETA5 into a new reality that promotes a better work-life balance, while finding ways to nourish the creative energy of our team - which is the key ingredient to making the unique, handmade treats that you love.
After talking with our team, we’re introducing a 4-day work week for our cooks, helping to ensure that they have more time to rest and recover after a busy week of dessert-making.
As a business, we also face the significant pressure of increasing costs in all areas. We’re incredibly sensitive to the idea of raising prices, and look at this solution as a last resort, as we want to ensure that we are offering you the highest quality creations at a reasonable price. In evaluating the prices of our current offerings, we’ve made the decision to adjust how we price our cream puffs, to better reflect the current cost of ingredients and the complexity of the creations. When ordering cream puffs, they are now priced individually and no longer by the box.
After 12 years in business, we are excited to see what these changes can bring and we look forward to focusing on creativity as we explore new ideas that push the dessert world forward.
We want to thank you for your patience and continued support as without you, we wouldn’t be able to do the work that we all love so much. We can’t wait to see you at our cafe, enjoying our new creations!
Sweet dreams!
Adam, Jess and the BETA5 team
THURS - SAT
10am - 6pm
We love dessert, and we know we're not alone.
Sweet treats have the power to bring people together, to create joy, and provide an escape from the day-to-day grind.
Over the past 12 years in business, we've met legions of dessert lovers who have supported us on our dessert-making journey. BETA5 started out as more of a creative project than a business, and it has evolved into something much bigger than we ever expected with the help of a dedicated team and your continued support.
We've experimented with a variety of different creations - from our conceptual Chocolate Union subscription packs to weekly ice cream socials, from croissants to cream puff wreaths, from dessert jars to chocolate sculptures. Our tiny shop has also grown from being open one day a week into a full-on cafe that opened just a few months before COVID-19 turned the world upside down.
Now, after a couple of years of seemingly endless change and upheaval, things feel a little harder and cost a lot more, and the way many of us spend our time and energy has changed. Like other small businesses in the food industry, the massive shifts in the labour market and the economy are having a very real impact on how we operate.
We need to make adjustments to how we do things, so that we can continue to create next level desserts that reflect our commitment to quality, innovation, and deliciousness. While demand for our product has never been greater, our reality is that it takes a very talented and dedicated team to carefully craft the treats we make in small batches. We have been short-staffed in our kitchens and cafe for the past year, and our very small team has worked incredibly hard to keep up with demand. We are beyond grateful for our team, but the tempo at which we've been working is not sustainable…
So, it's time to adjust how we operate so we can support our team, while maintaining our commitment to providing all of Vancouver’s dessert lovers with the best possible experience.
Starting the week of April 10, we will be open from 10am - 6pm, THURSDAYS thru SATURDAYS.
Only opening three days a week, with a wider operating window (10am - 6pm), will allow us more time for production to keep up with demand, while also providing our team with a better balance in their work schedule. As a small business, the decision to reduce our hours of operation is a scary and difficult one, but it is necessary for the long-term stability of our business.
With this shift comes a renewed emphasis on CREATIVITY!
We’re exploring a number of exciting ideas this summer, including the return of our favourite past products and creating new items that aim to push dessert forward. We’re excited for you to join us for the ride - it's going to be delicious!
And, we'll still be making your favourite chocolates, polygon bars, and cream puffs. This operational change will allow us to explore our creativity through a more dynamic menu, the addition of new products and the launch of new ideas.
Sweet dreams!
Adam, Jess and the BETA5 team
]]>FREE DELIVERY on orders over $100 // $5 DELIVERY on orders over $35.
we're delivering our holiday treats to most neighbourhoods in Vancouver, Tuesdays - Saturdays, though Dec 23, 2022.
delivery windows:
10:30am-1:30pm
2:30pm-5:30pm
orders can be booked up to two weeks in advance.
our delivery zone is detailed below.
*please note that a recipient must be present to receive cream puff orders due to their perishable nature.
if you'd like to have an order delivered to an area outside of our delivery zone, send us an email ( info (at) beta5chocolates.com ) and we can see if it is possible to accommodate your special request. additional fees apply.
LOCAL DELIVERY AREA
the areas that we deliver to (tuesdays - saturdays) are outlined in blue, in the map above. this includes areas with postal codes starting with:
V5C | V5K | V5L | V5M | V5N |
V5P | V5R | V5S | V5T | V5V |
V5W | V5X | V5Y | V5Z | V6A |
V6B | V6H | V6J | V6M | V6P |
V6Z |
]]>
for one day only, we're offering a free gift with any purchase over $60!
]]>Friday, November 25, 2022
12am to 11:59pm (PST)
purchases over $60 (before tax, delivery / shipping fees) will receive
a free gift (valued at $18)
this offer applies to in-store purchases and online orders*.
we will have a limited quantity of free gifts available,
so don't delay!
]]>*the fine print:
1. this is a one-day flash sale, and this offer is not applicable to orders placed prior to, or after, November 25, 2022.
2. due to popular demand, cream puff ordering is currently limited to a week-by-week basis. ordering for the week of November 29 - December 3, 2022 will open on November 27. our featured holiday cream puffs will be released on December 1 at 8.30pm, at which time we will open weekly pre-orders through December 24, 2022.
3. the free gift is valued at $18, and is only available for orders of $60 or more, before tax, delivery fees, or shipping fees.
4. no substitutions, no returns or exchanges of the free gift. we are unable to combine discounts (including credits earned with loyalty points), for orders containing the free gift.
5. there are a limited number of free gifts available, and should the stock be depleted before 5pm in-store, or before 11:59pm online, then the promotion is sold out and no longer applicable. no rain cheques or credit notes will be issued. our advice - act quickly and early to avoid disappointment.
6. online orders: only carts that are valued at $60 or more will be able to access the free gift option. customers must select their free gift during the checkout process.
7. while online orders must be placed on November 25, 2022, customers may select order pick-up, delivery, or shipping to take place anytime between Nov 26 - Dec 24, 2022.
8. in-store: customers with qualifying purchases will receive their free gift at the time of purchase. no substitutions or alternative products will be given in the event that we run out of free gifts with purchase, or in cases where customers are not interested in the available option.
for all the grown ups:
⚠️ beware!
these are highly delicious house-made caramels.
they are coated in a layer of our custom 66% dark chocolate - a chocolate we created with Valrhona.
they are finished with sea salt from Vancouver Island.
should you end up ordering your own box, beware!
THESE CARAMELS WILL PUT A SPELL ON YOU.
to celebrate our 11th birthday, we're launching a new polygon bar that's the life of the party!
and, since it's our birthday...
there are 5 GOLD BARS hidden in the first batch we're releasing.
if you're one of the lucky ones who opens up a box to find a GOLD DESSERT NERD bar, you WIN a $100 BETA5 GIFT CARD!!!!!
DESSERT NERDS, UNITE!
//
DESSERT NERD POLYGON BAR
white chocolate.
freeze-dried strawberries.
rainbow nerds.
pop rocks.
]]>
WE ARE OPEN BUT ARE SERVING CUSTOMERS FROM OUR BAY DOOR ONLY.
PRE-ORDERS ARE ENCOURAGED!
we strongly suggest placing a pre-order in advance if you’re looking for treats this FRIDAY or SATURDAY. our hope is that we’ll be back to normal service next tuesday… we thank you in advance for your patience if it takes a bit longer to serve you over the next couple of days!
NEED HELP WITH A SAME-DAY PRE-ORDER?
email us: info (at) beta5chocolates.com
or, fill out our contact form here.
this is the best way to reach us while we operate with our modified service for the next two days.
✌️
]]>(photo credit: michelle sproule, scout magazine)
BETA5 Chocolates
way back in 2011, we opened BETA5.
we had a teeny, tiny take-out shop attached to our chocolate kitchen.
there was a big window so customers could see how we made things, but there was no where for them to sit down and enjoy a sweet treat.
our loyal customers could often be found in the parking lot devouring a cream puff or taking a bite of a polygon bar.
fast forward to november 2019, when we expanded next door and opened a new cafe.
we added coffee to our line up, brought in seating so our customers could sit down and enjoy their sweet treats inside, installed display cases for our chocolates and cream puffs, and had art on the walls by acclaimed artist, Scott Sueme.
it was exciting.
and then, COVID hit our community.
less than five months after opening our new cafe, we pivoted back to take-out only.
we tucked our stools away and shut down our coffee program, while we enhanced our online ordering system and even added a delivery van to help us get through pandemic and stay connected to our loyal customers.
we served customers from our bay door, and then slowly over time, allowed everyone back inside.
and now, 105 weeks later (!!!), after working through COVID restrictions and staffing shortages experienced across our industry, we are happy to announce that as of march 23, 2022, indoor seating is back!
we couldn't be happier!
we invite you to join us for a coffee (roasted by House of Funk), a cream puff and some chocolate... inside!
thank you to everyone for sticking with us and hanging in there over the last two years of upheaval.
we are so grateful for your support, and we're excited to share all sorts of fun creations with you over the next few months!!
we can't wait to see you soon.
xo,
the BETA5 team
]]>we will now be serving walk-in customers from our garage door, and not inside our cafe, out of an abundance of caution given rising covid numbers in our health region.
* we encourage everyone to PRE-ORDER *
this will allow us to reduce line-ups and wait times, and it will ensure you can secure the items that you'd like, as stock for walk-ins will be limited. if you're looking to build your own cream puff box - please do so online and set a date for pre-order pick up.
while the next three days are our busiest days of the year, we are choosing to prioritize the health of our staff and customers by shifting our service.
of course this shift is not ideal, but we hope that by returning to garage-door service (from the earlier covid-era) we will be able to offer quick and efficient service for both in-person shoppers from our cafe garage door, and for collecting pre-orders from our pick-up counter. but, should you encounter a line-up please be kind, patient, remember to social distance, and come dressed for the weather ☔ ❄️
our webstore has just been restocked, and it will be restocked every night at 8:30pm up until DEC 24th.
we appreciate your understanding and support. online ordering never tasted so sweet 📱 😋
Dec 20: closed
Dec 21-23: 11am-5pm
Dec 24: 10am-3pm
🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄
Dec 25-27: closed
🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄 ✨ 🎄
Dec 28-30: 11am-5pm
Dec 31: 10am-3pm
🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔
Jan 1 - 12: closed
🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔 ✨ 🔔
]]>
Burnaby: FULLY BOOKED
Coquitlam: FULLY BOOKED
Port Moody: FULLY BOOKED
New Westminster: FULLY BOOKED
North Vancouver: FULLY BOOKED
Richmond: FULLY BOOKED
Tsawwassen: FULLY BOOKED
Vancouver: FULLY BOOKED
West Vancouver: FULLY BOOKED
our 2022 delivery locations and dates will be announced following our annual holiday closure from Jan 1 - 12, 2022. stay tuned!
]]>Friday, November 26, 2021
12am to 11:59pm (PST)
purchases over $50 (before tax, delivery / shipping fees) will receive
a free gift (valued at $11)
this offer applies to in-store purchases and online orders*.
we will have a limited quantity of free gifts available,
and selection is first come, first served,
so don't delay!
]]>*the fine print:
1. this is a one-day flash sale, and this offer is not applicable to orders placed prior to Nov 26, or after Nov 26.
2. the free gift is valued at $11, and is only applicable on orders of $50 or more, before tax, delivery fees, or shipping fees.
3. no substitutions. no returns or exchanges of the free gift.
4. there are a limited number of free gifts available, and should the stock be depleted before 5pm in-store, or before 11:59pm online, then the promotion is sold out and no longer applicable. no rain cheques or credit notes will be issued. our advice - act quickly and early to avoid disappointment.
5. online orders: only carts that are valued at $50 or more will be able to access the free gift option. customers must select their free gift during the checkout process.
5. while online orders must be placed on Nov 26, customers may select order pick-up, delivery, or shipping to take place anytime between Nov 27-Dec 24, 2021. note that we do NOT accommodate same-day online orders.
6. in-store: customers with qualifying purchases will be able to select their free gift with purchase from the set options available at the time of purchase. given the first come, first served nature of this promotion - we recommend customers arrive early to have more variety to choose from. no substitutions or alternative products will be given in the event that we run out of free gifts with purchase, or in cases where customers are not interested in the available flavours / options.
We invite you to check out the collection here, and hope you enjoy this year's creations!
💖
]]>Though seating will not be available for the time being, you will be invited inside and out of the gloomy weather to wait and to place your order. Please, take a moment to review our safety guidelines before visiting.
Our team will do our best to assist everyone as quickly and as safely as possible, however, due to the increased safety measures there may be increased waiting times.
You can avoid the wait by placing a pre order ahead of time and have your order ready and waiting for when you arrive.
We want to thank all of you for your support and patience over the past seven months, and we can’t wait to see you all again soon!
]]>
'BIRTHDAY CAKE' DESSERT JARS
vanilla / strawberry / lime / sprinkles
CELEBRATORY CREAM PUFF PACKS
ube + leche flan / pineapple tart / matcha, matcha, matcha
'BIRTHDAY CAKE' POLYGON BARS
vanilla cake / strawberry / sprinkles
'SALTED CARAMEL' POLYGON BARS
56% milk chocolate / salted caramel
THE BIRTHDAY BUNDLE
one of everything!
thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to celebrating with you!
sweet dreams...
❤️❤️❤️
When the pandemic response began in mid-March, we collectively held our breath and became fearful of situations and spaces that had previously felt safe. Just prior to closing on March 16, we had implemented a number of changes to how we operated within the café in an effort to make everyone feel more comfortable, but it was clear that these changes weren’t enough. Faced with this fear, and a lot of uncertainty around what a pandemic would mean for our business, we made the difficult decision to close our doors, and shift our business online. This sadly meant that we had to make the decision to temporarily lay off the majority of our team, going from 20 down to 4 quicker than we ever could have imagined. Our hope was that by shrinking our operation we could put ourselves in a better position to recover once the coast was clear. The first couple of weeks were a dark, uncertain time for us, and we didn’t know if we’d make it through Easter.
Your support through all of this has continually amazed us. You ordered our Easter treats for yourself, for friends and for family across the country. You were patient and understanding when shipments were delayed, or when your goodies suffered a bumpier ride than we had planned for. You gave us hope that there was light at the end of this tunnel. In fact, we started to get overwhelmed with orders as Easter approached, and we brought back two of our cooks to help us get through. We started to find a bit of a rhythm through the rest of April, and introduced weekly pickup days so that we could bring back the cream puffs that we all missed so much. As Mother’s Day grew closer, we brought back two more of our cooks, and our team has started to come back together again.
Our top priority has always been the health and safety of our team and our customers. We want to ensure that our workplace is a safe and comfortable space for our team to work in, while making sure our customers feel safe and confident in shopping with us. Now, as we move into the summer and restrictions are being relaxed and lifted, it’s important to us that we have a plan for how we move forward. The idea of ‘social distancing’ has become part of our new normal, and our fears might have eased a bit, but significant uncertainty remains. As a business, we need to establish some sense of certainty around how we move forward, and we think that it’s important for you, our customer, to have the certainty that your trips to shop with us are worthwhile. Over the past few weeks, we have established a system that we feel comfortable with, and until things change significantly, we will continue to offer contactless pickups weekly on Fridays and Saturdays, for orders that have been placed online. We want nothing more than to invite you all back into our still-very-new café, but we wouldn’t want to do it at the expense of the efforts we have all made together over the past 9 weeks.
So for now, here’s what things will look like at BETA5 this summer... we want to keep things fun, interesting, and most importantly safe for everyone and will be offering a rotating menu of cream puffs, ice cream sandwiches, dessert jars, and unique chocolate creations. New products will be released online every week on Monday (Cream Puffs), Tuesday (Ice Cream Sandwiches and Dessert Jars) and Wednesday (all the Chocolate) evening at 8.30pm. We’ll continue to offer Cream Puff Packs with 3 flavours that will rotate on a weekly basis, and we’re working on creating a 3pc box because we know 6 is a lot if you don’t have a few people to share with. Ice Cream Sandwiches and Dessert Jars (back again starting in June) will be available in packs of 4, with flavours rotating every other week, and our Emergency Chocolate Stash Boxes will continue to be available but the contents will rotate monthly instead of weekly starting in June.
We want to make sure that you feel safe and confident in continuing to support us, and that your experience when ordering and picking up you orders is safe and efficient. We’re working to improve our online experience, and trying to find new ways to make the ordering process even easier for you, and we’ve recently integrated our in-store loyalty system into our online store, to make the experience even more seamless. We’ll continue to work to make sure that your pickup experience is quick and easy, and we’re creating additional signage to ensure that the process is clear for everyone. We understand the worry (and frustration) that can come with waiting in line, so we have made the decision to not allow in-store sales in an effort to keep things moving quickly, and we’re proud to say that we have been processing each pickup order in an average of 40 seconds. We’ll continue to be conscious of lineups, and making sure that things don’t get too out of control, and we will make adjustments to our system if we feel anyone’s safety is being put at risk.
We’re so grateful for your patience, understanding and support through all of this. We understand that the experience will feel a bit different than the days before COVID. The choices we’ve made weren’t made lightly, and we feel that they are important to ensuring everyone’s health and safety, along with the long-term health of BETA5 during what is still a time of great uncertainty. Things will feel a lot different this summer, but we’ll continue to do our best in bringing a bit of joy to your life through our tasty creations.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
❤️❤️❤️
- Adam
]]>well, it's been 8 weeks of living under restrictions related to the pandemic, and thanks to all of your love and support we're still here and it's been a lot busier than we had anticipated! so, a BIG 'thank you!' from all of us at BETA5!
❤️
while our government is expected to announce a loosening of restrictions related to social gatherings later today (may 6), we plan to continue operations with a pickup only service from our café for at least the next few weeks. we're excited to welcome people back into our (still new!) space, but want to proceed with an abundance of caution. this being said, we're busy preparing for the impending return of ICE CREAM SANDWICHES starting this weekend (may 8 / 9)!!! our hope is that we'll be able to slowly add additional pickup days, but we expect a complete return to 'normal' is going to take a while, so we thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this crazy period of time.
the one not-so-positive update is related to shipping. unfortunately, the pandemic has hit our primary shipping partner, canada post, quite hard, and they very early on suspended all of their service guarantees until further notice. many of you have probably noticed slower service, whether it's been waiting for an order from us or from another business, and we know how frustrating it has been. the tough part for us, is that as the weather warms up, it becomes a lot more difficult (and expensive!) to ship chocolate! delays in shipping are our worst enemy, as your treats can very quickly go from perfect to destroyed in a matter of hours once the ice packs inside have melted. after consulting with canada post, and learning that xpresspost and priority services are not reliably expediting packages through their network, we have made the decision to suspend all shipping services during the warmer summer months with the final day for shipping services being thursday may 7 (place your orders before midnight on may 6) to get your last minute orders in before service is suspended!
we have been absolutely blown away by your support over the past 8 weeks. it's been great to see everyone on our pick up days, and it's been wonderful hearing (and reading) your kind words of support and encouragement! we're so grateful for all of you, and we look forward to the next steps as we all continue to navigate these uncertain times.
THANK YOU!
❤️
adam, jess, and all of us at BETA5
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if you have placed a pre-order for pickup, our team will be in touch with you to make the appropriate arrangements. cream puff orders will be cancelled and refunded, and we will be checking in with you to confirm a delivery address if you have purchased chocolates. these orders will be shipped at no additional charge to you.
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we will continue to operate our webstore, and will have all of our chocolates available for shipping across canada. for the coming weeks, we will offer free shipping to most addresses across canada on all orders of more than $35 (updated to $75, effective april 13). we apologize to those of you in rural locations, but if the free shipping offer doesn't populate automatically in your cart, we're unable to offer this service to you at this time.
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continue to stay tuned for updates, as the situation is rapidly evolving. we hope that you stay safe and healthy, and that by taking these steps we're able to flatten the curve, and minimize the impact this virus has on our community! we'll look forward to seeing you all again soon, and remember to sing happy birthday (TWICE!) when washing your hands... 🧼🧼🧼
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❤️
adam
]]>Traditionally, a ganache is considered to be a mixture of cream and chocolate, finished with a bit of butter to create a creamy mouthfeel. The idea of substituting the cream and butter go against everything we’ve been taught, with the resulting product seemingly unrecognizable as a ganache. If we taking a deeper look, and breaking each ingredient into its component parts, we quickly realize that a ganache is just an example of an emulsion between fat (cocoa butter) and water (cream).
Building off of this realization, we started experimenting with alternative sources of water - water (obviously!), nut mylks, fruit juices - and found that with the correct balance of fat and water, we were still able to create a rich, creamy emulsion without the use of cream. Butter could then be substituted with a variety of different plant-based oils - coconut, grapeseed, almond - and while the resulting mouthfeel was slightly different, the experience was very similar to that of a traditional dairy-based filling.
One of the problems we faced was the fact that we love playing with white chocolate for it’s neutral flavour profile that really allows the bright flavours of fruits (and vegetables!) to shine. Thanks to some recent innovations from the chocolate wizards at Valrhona, we’ve had a new world of possibilities opened to us. Over the past couple of years, we’ve been able to play with their revolutionary ‘Inspiration’ range of chocolates that are built around fruit powders. Each variety is similar to white chocolate in its composition, with the milk powder replaced entirely by freeze-dried fruit powders. The result is a chocolate that’s packed with fruit flavour and completely plant-based.
Using the newly released Yuzu Inspiration, we’ve been able to transform the Matcha - Yuzu chocolate from our Trademark Collection, into a plant-based version that’s packed with yuzu’s bright, citrusy punch, and paired it with the earthy green flavour of matcha in a matcha and pistachio praline. Also included in this newly released collection is a plant-based reworking of our Tropical Crunch chocolate that pairs a passionfruit and coconut caramel with a macadamia and coconut praline (I even prefer this version to the original, as the tropical flavours really shine brightly without the dairy getting in the way!). The Chocolate Hearts Collection is rounded out with 2 unique single-origin dark chocolates - the first from São Tomé (a small island off the west coast of Africa) and the second a unique chocolate made from the rare Porcelana cocoa bean found in northern Peru - and a rich, fruity raspberry praline that pairs a roasted hazelnut praline with tart freeze-dried raspberries and cocoa nibs.
We hope you enjoy our first experiments into this non-traditional world of plant-based chocolates, and we’re looking forward to diving deeper into the world of plant-based pastry this year, and discovering unique new products that continue to open our minds to new possibilities.
-Adam
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As we mark the end of another successful year, and the beginning of our 8th year (!!!), we wanted to throw a little celebration to honour you, our loyal fans! Whether you've been with us since the beginning, or just recently tasted our creations, if it wasn't for your support we wouldn't have this opportunity to do what we love every day.
To celebrate this special occasion, we have planned a week full of surprises, starting on Tuesday, October 1st when we’ll be bringing back four of our most requested cream puff creations from the past year, including all three of the collaborative cream puffs we created with our friend, Amy Ho (aka @constellationinspiration). If you had a chance to try these creations when they first released, here's your chance to relive that taste memory. And if you missed out last time, you won't want to sleep on these tasty little treats...
In addition to our regular cream puff lineup, each day next week one of these flavours will be making its return. Here's the lineup for the week...
Tuesday, October 1st // Salted Egg Yolk Cream Puff
Wednesday, October 2nd // Mango Coconut Cream Puff
Thursday, October 3rd // Strawberry Matcha Cream Puff
Friday, October 4th // Ube + Milk Tea Cream Puff
You'll want to show up early, as these featured birthday puffs will only be available in-store on a first come, first served basis (no pre-orders for these features, but our other 9 flavours can always be ordered in advance for pickup in-store). There will be a limit of 2 pieces per person, to ensure we can share these special treats with as many of our fans as possible.
If you can't make it out during the week, or want to make sure that you get access to all of this year's birthday treats, then ordering one of our 8th Birthday Packs is your best option. Each pack includes one of each of the 4 Birthday Cream Puffs described above, and one of each of our limited edition Birthday Polygon Bars. Here's a little description of this year's creations...
Lychee Rose // a raspberry - white chocolate shell filled with a rose infused meltaway studded with pieces of freeze-dried lychee
Pineapple Tart // caramelized white chocolate blended with chunks of freeze-dried pineapple and crispy wafers
There are a limited number of packs available, so you'll want to act quickly to make sure you secure yours. Also of note, packs are only available for pickup in-store on Saturday October 5, 2019.
Check out all the details on our website, and order your pack today!
While we count down the days to our big birthday celebration on Saturday October 5, stay tuned to our website and Instagram feed for details on all the fun sur-PRIZES we have planned to show our appreciation for you!
]]>We’ve partnered up with one of our favourite local restaurants to bring you, not one, but TWO collaborations!
We’ve been working closely with our friends at Tacofino over the past few weeks to create two delectable frozen treats. Starting with the launch of the Diablo Ice Cream Sandwich that will be available throughout the summer at all of Tacofino’s Vancouver restaurants starting July 8th!
The Diablo Ice Cream Sandwich is made using a sweet & spicy cookie inspired by Tacofino’s Diablo cookie with BETA5’s house-made horchata ice cream sandwiched between.
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To celebrate the collaboration we’ll be hosting a special ONE NIGHT ONLY event featuring TACOS, SUNDAES and BEER!
The party goes down on Thursday, July 4th from 6 - 9pm at the BETA5 Chocolates shop at 413 Industrial Ave, Vancouver.
Tickets are $29 and includes your choice of taco, a special BETA5 sundae and local beer from Strangefellows Brewing - peep the menu below for a taste of what to expect!
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Event Details
Tickets are exclusively available through the BETA5 web store here.
The evening social runs for 3 hours between 6 - 9pm - you can arrive anytime between to enjoy your taco, sundae & beer!
Last call to pick up your taco & sundae is at 8:45pm.
This event is open to families and children. Must be 19+ to receive beer, ID will be checked at check-in point and throughout the event.
]]>Starting Monday, April 8th, through Friday, April 12th, the BETA5 Bunny will be making it's way through the city, leaving behind a trail of prizes. Each day the Bunny will visit a different neighbourhood, where 10 prize-winning eggs will be left for you to find. Follow along @beta5chocolates to spot the Bunny on the loose, identify the hiding spot, and get out hunting! Prizes include our magical, mini-egg filled Chocolate Bunnies, colourful Polygon Eggs, and Easter Egg Hunt Kits. Can't make it out for the hunt? Play along on Instagram, and guess the daily locations for a second chance to win.
Join us next week, from April 8 - 12, for the #BETA5BunnyHunt!
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In-Person #BETA5BunnyHunt Rules:
Join the #BETA5BunnyHunt by going out to the 5 different locations where we’ll be hiding 10 prize-winning tags each day for you to find. Find a tag and bring it in to claim your treat!
The Digital #BETA5BunnyHunt Rules:
Can’t join the #BETA5BunnyHunt by going out to the secret locations? No problem! Join in the fun, and play along on Instagram!
The Fine Print.