Rouge River Chocolate is a micro-processor licensed by Health Canada to make chocolate edibles for the recreational and medical markets in Canada under the brand Balcony.

The company is majority owned and operated by Robert Biro and Guy Russel.

In 2008, after a challenging illness resulted in nerve damage and chronic pain, cannabis was prescribed as the “medicine of last resort” when all other conventional (and much more harmful) therapies failed. At the time there wasn’t much choice for well made edibles and so, not wanting to smoke dried flower, the journey to making cannabis infused chocolate began.

The initial infused chocolates were good but not shelf stable, however, the process of making them was really enjoyable. At some point someone said, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great to make edibles for a living?” And that’s when the adventure began.

In 2013, betting that the legal medical cannabis regime would give way to full legalization, Guy and Bobby had an opportunity to buy Canadian Calibre, a family run chocolate business that had been established in 1989, and made chocolate for companies such as Via Rail, Delta Hotels, The Toronto Club, The York Club and The National Club to name a few.

The idea was to earn while they learned how to make great chocolate and on January 1, 2014 the two took the reins of the company and began their adventure to become chocolatiers. A year later the name of the business was changed to Rouge River Chocolate.

The business had the ability to design and manufacture chocolate moulds and packaging in-house. This was a great advantage as they worked to expand the company’s capabilities and offerings to the Canadian corporate events and trade show industry. Soon the company welcomed more hotels, airlines and food service customers to its roster including The Governor General for the Order of Canada, RBC, Scotiabank, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sodexo and later Langdon Hall Country Inn and Spa, a Relais & Chateau property in Cambridge, Ontario.

The research and development of cannabis products continued. In 2015 Bobby and Guy bought a table-top CO2 machine to extract THC and CBD from dried flower. Now they were able to make chocolate bars that were both shelf stable and properly medicated. In 2016 they won the Lift Cup for Best Edibles in Canada for their infused milk and dark chocolate bars.

In 2020 the world stopped going to hotels and conventions, restaurants closed and in March the company shipped its last order for what would be almost two years.

The decision was made to apply for a micro licence for the existing chocolate factory. On April 1, 2021, after checking the Health Canada website to make sure it wasn’t someone’s idea of an April Fools joke, the company received a licence to produce. A year later the company received its full licence to sell into the Canadian medical and recreational markets in Canada.

The road to now has been long, 9 years at the last count, and fraught with many dangers and close calls. The industry as a whole is in a constant state of struggle and upheaval which has made the development of a business in the heavily regulated environment a difficult job to be sure.

Along the way there have been many people who have helped by giving their time, money and encouragement. Julie, Calvin, Steve and Lew have invested and helped build the enterprise along with Guy and Bobby. Julie for the financial oversight and guidance; Calvin for the amazing recipes and flavours, Steve for the Balcony branding and professional approach to marketing; and Lew for the engineering.

Running a cannabis company is a big job and we wouldn’t be here without these people and many others who continue to work with us.

We hope you enjoy our chocolate as much as we love making it for you.