It all started in a 5th grade spelling bee when our founder, Carolyn Owens, known as Music Carolyn, was eliminated after misspelling the word chocolate. That bittersweet moment sparked an obsession—fueled by two o’s and a lifelong passion for getting the details just right. That’s why Carolyn has gone beyond just the correct spelling of the word, and immersed herself in the world of chocolate. During each tour, her knowledge and passion are clear. From its origins, current practices, and people around the world making the best of it, Carolyn knows her chocolate.

Chocolate Wasted Experiences is a luxury chocolate-themed travel and food experience brand founded by Carolyn Owens. At its core, the business is about transforming chocolate from a simple indulgence into a deeply immersive cultural, sensory, and storytelling experience. Through curated tours, travel itineraries, and digital content, Chocolate Wasted connects chocolate lovers to the people, places, and histories behind the world’s finest chocolate—one bite at a time.

The flagship experience, the Beverly Hills Chocolate Crawl, offers guests an intimate, guided tasting journey through iconic and hidden gem chocolate boutiques across the city. Limited to small groups, the tour emphasizes exclusivity, education, and elevated fun. Carolyn personally leads each experience, infusing it with her passion for chocolate, deep knowledge of the area, and warm hospitality.

Chocolate Wasted’s core values are rooted in community, celebration, and storytelling. The brand champions artisan and independent chocolate makers while celebrating diversity and cultural richness in every curated stop. Carolyn believes that food, especially chocolate, has the power to bring people together—across backgrounds, generations, and borders—and she uses her platform to elevate those shared connections. Inclusivity, curiosity, and excellence guide every decision.

Beyond in-person tours, Chocolate Wasted is expanding into digital travel products like The Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Lake Como, which provides a 5-day itinerary of indulgent and locally inspired experiences. These guides are crafted for modern, discerning travelers who want culturally rich, food-focused journeys they can trust and replicate.

The goals of the business are threefold:

1. Scale immersive food tours to cities like Chicago, New York, and international destinations with rich chocolate legacies.

2. Grow a product and media arm, offering digital guides, affiliate partnerships, branded merchandise, and potentially a podcast or video series exploring chocolate and travel.

3. Build a loyal, engaged community of chocolate lovers around the world through storytelling, education, and content that centers craft chocolate and the people behind it.

Ultimately, Chocolate Wasted Experiences is about inspiring people to indulge deeply—not just in chocolate, but in joy, connection, and culture. Whether it’s through a guided tasting in Beverly Hills or a digital itinerary abroad, Carolyn’s mission is to help people get “chocolate wasted” in the most meaningful, memorable, and luxurious way possible.