Lowdown on the Lava Bar
SOURCE: ThatsFit.com
Jacki Donaldson

I wrote in November about the world's first liquid chocolate bar, officially named the Lava Bar and much to my surprise, the post generated 122 comments and a flurry of passionate discussion about a tie that binds us all: chocolate.

Among the spirited discourse sparked by this chocolate in a pouch was a general sense of misunderstanding about the product that is not a chocolate syrup but so much more. I don't know this because I've tried it -- although my husband did and reports that it's absolutely magnificent. I know this because Ken Berke, Lava Bar President and CEO, tells me so. He also tells me that while the Lava Bar currently is not suitable for those searching for the ultimate in health foods, it may one day appear in a sugar-free variety. For now, though, this treat is strictly an indulgence -- best used in moderation, of course.

Berke has a lot more to say about his product, born from an idea that struck him in 2005, and he's here to share it all with you, the readers who proved via wild and crazy comments that the Lava Bar is one hot topic. Read on.

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So you're the man who created the sweet treat called "Lava Bar." Why such a creation?

Because I love chocolate. Period!

How ever did your idea come to fruition?

In November of 2005, I was selling jars of a premium hot fudge at my son's school's holiday boutique. The hot fudge, which I marketed under the name Slow Fudge, came from a recipe I used to make with my father when I was 5 and 6 years old. At the school's holiday boutique, tons of students were pooling their money, buying jars of Slow Fudge and then eating the chocolate right out of the jar. That night while lying in bed trying to fall asleep, I bolted upright at exactly 12:30 a.m. The idea hit me . . . modify the Slow Fudge formula a bit, put the chocolate in a squeezable pouch, and market it as the worlds first liquid chocolate bar or first pre-melted chocolate bar. I was so excited and so many ideas were going off like popcorn in my head that I could not fall asleep for another 3 hours. The Lava Bar was born.

How exactly does one eat chocolate packaged not in a wrapper, but in a pouch?

First, you've got to remember that the Lava Bar is not a thin, runny liquid like chocolate syrup. It does not leak out of the pouch, but must be squeezed out because the Lava Bar is really thick at room temperature, just like honey or molasses. So, I strongly suggest you warm the Lava Bar first. You can warm it in a mug of hot water, let it sit on the dashboard of your car or just let it sit in the sun for a few minutes. Then, there is a "Tear Here" perforation at the top of the Lava Bar pouch. You just tear it open and squeeze the Lava Chocolate right into your mouth.

What's the trick for quickly getting that chocolate out of the pouch and into the mouth?

There really is no trick to it. Warming the Lava Bar helps, but even at room temperature, you just squeeze the pouch and a little chocolate comes out at the top. Then, you put the top of the Lava Bar pouch into your mouth, and let you lips do the rest. Trust me . . . your lips will instinctively know what to do!

There are two servings in one Lava Bar. How do you recommend storing the second serving if not eaten immediately?

That's easy. Because the Lava Chocolate inside the Lava Bar is so thick, it won't leak out even if you lay the Lava Bar on its side or drop it on the ground. And after a minute, the chocolate in the neck of the pouch hardens a bit and seals the pouch even more. However, if you are going to put the Lava Bar pouch in your purse, hip pocket or backpack, then I suggest you fold over the neck of the Lava Bar and secure it with a paper clip. That's all it takes.

What are the merits of the world's first liquid chocolate bar?

First and foremost, taste and versatility. The Lava Bar tastes like the hot fudge you loved as a kid. I promise it will be one of the best hot fudges you've ever had. And, there are a thousand and one uses for it. Just think of how many ways you can use a really good chocolate sauce. You can pour it over ice cream, fruit, brownies or cookies. Use it as a fondue. Or, make hot chocolate and milk shakes with it.

Another key benefit of the Lava Bar is that there's no waste. How many times has this happened to you? You buy a jar of hot fudge, enjoy it that night, and then six months later, throw away a half-empty jar when you find it in the back of your refrigerator. If you are like me, the answer is "a lot." With the Lava Bar, however, you buy a box of 12 Lava Bars, put the box in your pantry, and each time you want a hot fudge sundae, you just pull one Lava Bar pouch out of the box, warm it up and pour it over the ice cream. Ta da! No waste, no hassle, no mess.

Kids really love the Lava Bar too, so you can have a birthday party where each child decorates his/her own cookie or ice cream with a Lava Bar pouch. Plus, the Lava Bar is totally portable. You can take it anywhere... to the movies, the beach, camping, biking, canoeing, or hiking. I actually have eaten them to help stay alert if I start getting tired on a long car drive. Boy, it really works! I know too that college students take Lava Bars to the library and eat them instead of drinking coffee while studying to help stay alert.

Finally, unlike regular candy bars, the Lava Bar is not ruined by heat because it is already melted. So, we've had great success selling Lava Bars in warm climates. We've also had lots of mothers and wives order Lava Bars for direct shipment to their sons and husbands serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Is your own kitchen stocked with Lava Bars?

Are you kidding me? Absolutely yes, plus my car, my office, and my golf bag. We go to the beach a lot during the summer, and I always bring Lava Bars since they get warm in the sun.

What's your favorite Lava Bar indulgence?

Great question! I have two. The first one is over vanilla ice cream and fruit combined. I scoop vanilla ice cream into a bowl, add fresh strawberries, raspberries or bananas, and then squeeze a warmed Lava Bar over the top. Yum. What I like best is that the Lava Chocolate thickens when it hits the ice cream. It gets about as thick as salt water taffy at that point. So, the really neat thing is that when you take a bite of ice cream and Lava Chocolate together, the ice cream dissipates, and you are left with the Lava Chocolate to chew on. No other hot fudge sauce I've ever had does that. My second favorite indulgence is drizzling a warmed Lava Bar over a fresh, buttery, flaky croissant. OMG! It is absolutely heavenly.

Where can the chocolate lovers of the world buy the Lava Bar?

The Lava Bar can be found in about 1,300 stores across the country, including Sam's Club in Washington, California, Texas and Florida, but that's still pretty limited. The most reliable place to get the Lava Bar is on our website at www.lava-bar.com. If you want the Lava Bar in your local store, please, please, please go to the store manager and insist they carry it. If just a few folks do that, most stores will give it a try.

What's the best thing ever said about the Lava Bar?

The best quote about the Lava Bar comes from an executive in the food distribution business. The quote is repeated on our website and it reads, "It should be called the Piggy Bar. I just gobbled it all down like somebody was chasing me with a stick!" I love that one!

What's the worst?

The worst quotes come from folks who've never even tried the Lava Bar. They think the Lava Bar is like chocolate syrup, and express their intent to just squeeze a bottle of chocolate syrup into their mouths instead of trying the Lava Bar. My only response is that all you need to do is hold a Lava Bar, squeeze the pouch to see how thick it is, and you'll know instantly that the Lava Bar is nothing like chocolate syrup.

OK, now you get to say anything. Spit it out.

One of my earliest childhood memories is making hot fudge with my dad when I was 5 and 6 years old. We always made it by sight and taste instead of precise measurement -- it was more fun that way. My parents divorced when I was 7, and I did not make my father's hot fudge again for 25 years, until my son Nicholas was old enough to make it with me. At that point, I was in my early thirties. My father had passed away from leukemia about 10 years earlier, when I was 22 years old. It was my dad's hot fudge recipe, that I actually remembered by sight and taste after 25 years, that led to a product called Slow Fudge. Then, it was Slow Fudge that inspired me to make the Lava Bar. So in essence, the Lava Bar can ultimately be traced back to some of my earliest childhood memories of my father, and that is why I intend to donate a portion of the company's net income to leukemia research.

Thanks, Mr. Berke!

And so if there is a link between the Lava Bar® and health, here it is: invest in the Lava Bar®, and you'll be contributing to the fight against leukemia. And that, my friends, is one healthy cause.