Emma’s interest in human rights started when she was about 5- she can vividly remember planning out a “Dream Village” that she would build in impoverished areas of the world (and somewhere has the sketch book to prove it!). As she learned about how our consumption patterns are so critical to how others are treated, she came upon an entirely new area of ethics: animal rights. Since learning at age 11 about animal testing, Emma began experimenting with a vegetarian lifestyle (not so easy for a kid growing up in a traditional German household…). This pressure from family was tough to deal with, but, at age seventeen, Emma decided that enough was enough- it was time to go vegan! However uncomfortable she felt at family dinners certainly paled in comparison to what the animals experience. She has been vegan for over seven years now and still feels it is the best decision she has ever made- the sense of peace is really priceless.

Veganism is fun, but Emma quickly learned that vegan does not necessarily equal healthy! Baked goods galore and other processed foods started to lose their appeal, and Emma started to refine her eating habits- green smoothies began. She remembers packing them along to bring to university and to this day, just looking at them makes her feel more vibrant! This was really the beginning of Emma’s journey into incorporating more raw foods into a whole foods, plant based diet. In the fall of 2009, Emma met Janice Skoreyko and tried her first raw chocolate from this incredible woman.

This encounter certainly left a mark on Emma. In the spring of 2010, she set out to travel Europe after having finished her courses at the university she was attending there. And what kept coming up along her path? Raw chocolate! This delicious treat was already in Europe- and proving to be much loved- for good reason. Emma was hooked.

Back in Canada, Emma worked to finish her final year at the UBC Sauder School of Business. But finishing up at school meant starting up real life- and what would that look like? Emma had always wanted to start her own business and now seemed like a great time- no kids to be responsible for, no mortgage… sounds like a plan! Now, to figure out a business to start. Well, might as well make it raw chocolate- Europe seems to love it and it certainly backs Emma’s beliefs.

So it was time to start experimenting- Emma isn’t the best in the kitchen, and chocolate is not an easy feat to master! But, with a lot of practice (and a lot of taste testing), recipes were formulated and the business side of things were addressed as well. Slowly but surely, Zimt was taking shape.

Now, Zimt is enjoyed by many around the world- and counting. Emma is looking forward to turning more people onto the world of a whole foods, plant based lifestyle- and knows that chocolate is a great way to make that happen.