Guittard Chocolate Semi Sweet Chocolate

Guittard Semi-Sweet Chocolate (12 oz) reads like a classic American baking staple with a premium bent. You’ll usually find it in the baking aisle or the specialty chocolate section, shelved near cocoa powder, chocolate chips, baking cocoa, and other baking essentials — sometimes cross-merchandised by holiday displays or near gourmet coffee. It fits shopping trips where buyers plan to bake (holiday cookies, weekend brownies) or make confections, but it’s also pulled for casual rituals like melting a few squares for movie-night hot chocolate or sneaking a piece as an after-dinner treat. Guittard’s brand positioning leans toward heritage and craft: a professional-baker–trusted label that appeals to home bakers who want quality ingredients and to cooks who appreciate provenance (cacao and cocoa butter are Fair Trade Certified). Packaging tends to be straightforward and slightly upscale — foil-wrapped bars or a resealable baking pouch with clear, understated branding rather than cartoonish kid-oriented graphics. Label claims emphasize Fair Trade sourcing and simple ingredients rather than organic or ‘clean label’ buzzwords; there’s no overt “all-natural” health halo or child-focused marketing. In plain terms the product is a processed chocolate made from cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, a small amount of sunflower lecithin (emulsifier), and vanilla — a short ingredient list but industrially manufactured into a stable baking chocolate. Sensory notes: semi-sweet balance with a firm snap, glossy melt, and rich bittersweet cocoa aroma; texture smooth from cocoa butter, easy to chop, melt, or chip into recipes. Rituals include measuring for ganache, stirring into batter, or breaking off a square with a cup of coffee.