Limbe 55% is a vegan milk chocolate made with creamed coconut rather than milk powder. Most dairy-free milk chocolate substitutes rice or oat powder for milk solids, which produces a chalky or grainy texture. Creamed coconut brings its own fat and body, so Limbe melts the way dairy milk chocolate melts rather than approximating it. At 55% cacao it also carries considerably more chocolate flavour and less sugar than conventional milk chocolate, which typically sits between 25% and 35%.
Does it taste of coconut?
Only faintly. The coconut is doing textural work rather than flavour work, so what arrives first is chocolate, rich, smooth, rounded, with a gentle coconut warmth underneath. People who dislike coconut as a flavour usually still enjoy Limbe. If you want no coconut at all, Noire 73% is the bar.
Is vegan milk chocolate healthier?
Not automatically, and we would be cautious of any brand claiming otherwise. Limbe is dairy-free and lactose-free, which matters if you are intolerant or avoiding animal products. It contains no soy lecithin, no palm oil and no artificial additives, which is unusual in the category. But it is still chocolate with sugar in it. We would call it a better-built indulgence rather than a health food.
Where the name comes from
Limbe is a coastal city in the South-West Region of Cameroon, at the foot of Mount Cameroon where rich soil meets the Atlantic. Black sand beaches, palm and cacao growing side by side. The bar is named for it because the coconut and the cacao in this recipe come from the same landscape.
Grown, not bought
Harvested, fermented and sun-dried on our family's agroforestry farm in Cameroon. Everyone working it is paid the Anker Living Wage for rural Cameroon: 135,729 CFA a month, about £176 / $180. That works out at the equivalent of £7 a kilo, seven times what most cocoa farmers receive at the farmgate. We don't start from the commodity price and hope a decent income follows. We start from the wage
Only faintly. The coconut is doing textural work rather than flavour work, so what arrives first is chocolate, rich, smooth, rounded, with a gentle coconut warmth underneath. People who dislike coconut as a flavour usually still enjoy Limbe. If you want no coconut at all, Noire 73% is the bar.
Is vegan milk chocolate healthier?
Not automatically, and we would be cautious of any brand claiming otherwise. Limbe is dairy-free and lactose-free, which matters if you are intolerant or avoiding animal products. It contains no soy lecithin, no palm oil and no artificial additives, which is unusual in the category. But it is still chocolate with sugar in it. We would call it a better-built indulgence rather than a health food.
Where the name comes from
Limbe is a coastal city in the South-West Region of Cameroon, at the foot of Mount Cameroon where rich soil meets the Atlantic. Black sand beaches, palm and cacao growing side by side. The bar is named for it because the coconut and the cacao in this recipe come from the same landscape.
Grown, not bought
Harvested, fermented and sun-dried on our family's agroforestry farm in Cameroon. Everyone working it is paid the Anker Living Wage for rural Cameroon: 135,729 CFA a month, about £176 / $180. That works out at the equivalent of £7 a kilo, seven times what most cocoa farmers receive at the farmgate. We don't start from the commodity price and hope a decent income follows. We start from the wage
Creamed coconut, used generously. Most vegan milk chocolate substitutes rice powder or oat powder for milk solids, which produces a chalky or grainy texture. We use creamed coconut, which brings its own fat and body, so the bar melts the way dairy milk chocolate melts rather than approximating it. The coconut is present as texture more than as flavour.
Does Limbe 55% taste of coconut?
Only faintly. The coconut is there for creaminess rather than flavour, so what you notice first is chocolate, rich, smooth and rounded, with a gentle coconut warmth underneath. People who dislike coconut as a flavour usually still enjoy Limbe. If you want a bar with no coconut at all, Noire 73% is the one.
Is vegan milk chocolate healthier than dairy milk chocolate?
Not automatically, and we would be cautious of any brand claiming so. Limbe 55% is dairy-free and lactose-free, which matters for people who are intolerant or avoiding animal products. It contains no soy lecithin, no palm oil and no artificial additives, which is unusual in the category. But it is still chocolate with sugar in it. We would call it a better-made version of an indulgence rather than a health food.
What is the cacao percentage in Limbe 55%?
55%, which is high for a milk-style chocolate. Most dairy milk chocolate sits between 25% and 35% cacao. The higher percentage means more actual chocolate flavour and less sugar than the milk chocolate most people grew up with, while the creamed coconut keeps the texture soft and rounded.
Is Limbe 55% suitable for people with dairy allergies or lactose intolerance?
Limbe contains no dairy, no milk solids and no lactose. It is produced in a facility that handles other allergens including nuts, so trace contamination is possible. If you have a severe dairy allergy, please check the current allergen declaration on the pack before purchase.
What awards has Limbe 55% won?
Bantu Chocolate holds an Academy of Chocolate.
Is Limbe 55% good for children?
Yes, and it is often the bar parents choose for exactly this reason. It is dairy-free, has a lower sugar content than conventional milk chocolate, and contains no artificial colours, flavours or emulsifiers. It does contain caffeine and theobromine naturally from the cacao, though at a lower level than our darker bars given the lower cacao percentage.
Where does the name Limbe come from?
Limbe is a coastal city in the South-West Region of Cameroon, sitting at the foot of Mount Cameroon where the forest meets the Atlantic. It is black-sand beaches, palm and cacao growing side by side. The bar is named for it because the creamed coconut and the cacao in this recipe come from the same landscape.
All Natural
Dairy Free
Gluten Free
No Lecithin
Soy Free
Vegan
A smooth operator
This is honestly the best vegan milk bar I have had!
A happy subscriber
Creamy, light, very tasty and the simple whole ingredients are a game changer. I subscribed to the monthly deliveries.