One More Cocoa: Love at First Bite

Written by Abigail Guevara, Senior Content Writer, Freelance

As Valentine’s Day, February 14, fast approaches thoughts, and taste buds will turn toward the decadent delights of chocolate—a welcomed treat that needs no occasion to indulge.

Canadians know this firsthand, as we spend about $100 per household annually on chocolate according to Statista.

Kenesha Lewis, chocolatier and proprietor of One More Cocoa, located in Whitby, has tapped into this tasty market; creating uniquely flavoured, delectable chocolates, bonbons, and hot chocolate that attracts local and celebrity customers alike.

Turning a passion into a profession

Kenesha’s journey into the world of chocolate is rooted in her love for it. "I adore chocolate," she says. "I use Jamaican cocoa for authenticity for our Jamaica collection. Cocoa flavour depends on where it’s grown such as West Africa, the Caribbean, or South America."

Yet, beyond her love for chocolate, Kenesha has always had an entrepreneurial spirit; dabbling in various business opportunities.

So, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her full-time role in the travel insurance industry, she found herself at a crossroads. Grounded from her planned business trip to the Maritimes, she decided to channel her energy into something new, different, and something she already loved.

With chocolate capturing both her imagination and creativity, in 2020, Kenesha launched three festive chocolate bar flavours—eggnog, gingerbread, and candy cane. She also designed the packaging herself, creating everything from scratch on her laptop.

The response from friends and family was overwhelmingly positive. “I have something special here,” she thought. This experience inspired her to take the leap into chocolate-making full-time.

A brand steeped in culture

By May 2021 Kenesha’s business was growing and she decided to invest in and move her operations to an ideal commercial kitchen and retail space in Whitby.

It was a brave move on Kenesha’s part considering COVID-19 restrictions were imposed at the time. “We still had mask mandates and six-foot distancing rules in place,” she remembers.

After a full summer of renovations to her kitchen and retail space, Kenesha opened the doors to One More Cocoa, gourmet chocolate.

“The business name, One More Cocoa, stems from a Jamaican proverb my Dad would say to me: 'One, one cocoa, full basket’ which means small, steady steps lead to success,” explains Kenesha. “It’s a perfect reflection of my entrepreneurial journey taking one step at a time, a nod to my Jamaican culture and acknowledgment of my parents' support.”

Kenesha now had the perfect place for One More Cocoa and a clear vision to build the business, she was embracing new opportunities but could never imagine one of the biggest would come from an out-of-the-blue email.

Landing “One of Oprah’s Favorite Things” list

Do wonderful surprises come in unlikely packages? They certainly do, as Kenesha can attest.

"In 2021 I received a random email asking if I wanted to pitch for Oprah’s Favorite Things, I was intrigued. But honestly, the email looked sketchy—like old chain letters from the ’90s. I really thought it was a scam, but my friend said, ‘Just click the link.’ I hesitated but finally did,” says Kenesha.

While all weblinks should be verified before clicking, for Kenesha, the email was legitimate. That year she pitched One More Cocoa’s chocolates to Oprah’s team for the first time and made it to the final round, but the spot was awarded to a major chocolate retailer. In 2023, she wasn’t planning to pitch again, but remembered she had read that Oprah’s friend Gail, loves hot chocolate. So, Kenesha submitted her fancy Hot Chocolate Trio box. This strategic move worked.

“One More Cocoa was chosen as one of Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2023! It was wild. My little shop was swamped with orders as a result, but we made it through—and it was so worth it!" says Kenesha.

One More Cocoa was the only Canadian brand chosen that year. The store started getting a lot of orders from the U.S. almost immediately with American media CNN, New York Post, and USA Today sharing Oprah’s list.

Oprah Daily encouraged sales saying, “Gayle loves a good hot chocolate—so I trust her opinion that this rich, creamy trio of milk chocolate, white chocolate, and Jamaican hot chocolate [from One More Cocoa] isn’t to be missed.”

Canadian media picked up the story later featuring One More Cocoa on CBC Radio, Breakfast Television, CTV News, City News, and other outlets. Products were constantly selling out and it was a mad dash to keep up.

“People would try my products and say, ‘You deserve to be on that list.’ It was very affirming,” says Kenesha with a smile.

Still a Durham favourite  

Even with all of Kenesha’s national and cross-border success, she holds tight to the ongoing support that she receives from customers in Durham Region.

“The community in Durham has rallied behind me in every way possible. I couldn’t have asked for better customers who love my products and actively promote my business,” notes Kenesha.

Whitby’s local government officials and councillors have visited One More Cocoa. This year Kenesha intends to bring back a short-run project called the “Whitby Box”—and named one of the bonbons in the box, “The Roy,” in honour of Whitby’s Mayor Elizabeth Roy.

The plan for Valentines

One More Cocoa’s special surprise for Valentine’s this year will be a beautifully designed gift box that will include roses on one side and chocolates on the other.

“It’s the perfect gift box for loved ones,” shares Kenesha. “You can select delicious chocolate bonbons with fillings such as peanut butter and jelly, lemon meringue, cookies & cream, crème brulee, strawberry cheesecake, s’mores, coconut dream, hazelnut and so much more,” says Kenesha.

All of the unique flavours are developed by Kenesha, who thinks about what she would like to eat and then creates it.

Kenesha is always looking ahead though as she prepares for Easter chocolate sales too, with a charming Pete the Rabbit box inspired by childhood stories of Peter Rabbit.

As the year progresses, she will continue developing new products; with whom she is grateful to share with friends as her taste testers and who give her honest feedback.