Flavor cocoa or fine cocoa are cocoa beans that are sold at a premium, contrasted with bulk cocoa.
Flavor cocoa or fine cocoa are cocoa beans that are sold at a premium, contrasted with bulk cocoa.
They are not traded as commodities, and may be from specific geographical regions, crops or varieties, or may be harvested or fermented using specific techniques. [1] If a crop does not meet standards regarding drying, fermentation or the flavor is unacceptable, they are sold as bulk. [2]
Prices for flavor cocoa generally begin at a 20% premium, rising to up to treble the price. [2]
It was defined by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development: [3]
Fine flavour cocoa is cocoa characterized by a complex sensory profile, composed of well-balanced basic attributes with aromatic and flavour notes; the complementary attributes can be clearly perceived and identified in the expression of its aromas and flavours; it results from the interaction between (a) a particular genetic composition, (b) favourable growing conditions in a given environment/terroir, (c) specific plantation management techniques, (d) specific harvesting and post-harvest practices and (e) stable chemical and physical composition, and integrity of the bean.
— United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, International Cocoa Agreement, 2010 as amended, 2022, Article 2.2
Most flavor cocoa is used for high-quality dark chocolate. [4]
In Aztec markets, cocoa was categorized by its place of origin. This identification continued after Europeans began consuming chocolate, [5] and in the 18th century, cocoa was advertised by its port of origin. [6] For example, physician R. Brookes reported in 1730: [7]
The Kernels that come to us from the Coast of Caraqua, are more oily, and less bitter, than those of the French Islands, and in France and Spain they prefer them to these latter: But in Germany, and the North they have a quite opposite Taste. Several People mix that of Caraqua with that of the Islands, half in half, and pretend by this Mixture to make Chocolate better. I believe in the bottom, the difference of Chocolates is not considerable, since they are only obliged to increase or diminish the Proportion of Sugar, according as the Bitterness of the Kernels require it.
With the mass consumption of chocolate brought about by the Industrial Revolution, the place of origin of cocoa stopped being referenced. As producers emphasized a consistent flavor to create a brand identity, the natural variety in cocoa was de-emphasized, through blending beans of different origins and types. [5] The International Cocoa Organization has estimated that in the early 20th century, flavor beans constituted 40–50% of all beans. [8]
Flavor beans are assessed according to various criteria, including genetic material, acidity, fermentation and drying levels, color, harm from disease and pests, mold and flavor. [9] Assessments are objective and subjective; while a bean can be assessed as having, for example, floral tasting notes, whether this is desirable is determined by the taster. [9]
In 2015, the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) recommended that all cocoa exports from Bolivia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Grenada, Madagascar, Mexico, Nicaragua and Saint Lucia be classified as flavor beans. 90–95% of cocoa exports from Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica and Papua New Guinea were recommended to be classified as flavor. The influence of large chocolate makers and cocoa traders, such as Nestlé and Valrhona, and Olam and Daarnhouwer, and the absence of West African countries was criticized by academic Kristy Leissle. [9] Leissle characterized the process as favoring origins that already had industry support, rather than solely using objective and subjective assessments. [10]
Single origin chocolate uses beans from one location, which can be as large as a country or as small as a plantation. It often refers to a geographical feature, such as a river or a valley. This chocolate does not necessarily use cocoa beans of one type. The first contemporary single origin chocolate was made from cocoa beans from the Chuao Valley in Venezuela. This was popularized by Italian chocolate makers Amedei Chocolate, who had gained temporary exclusive use of beans from the region. Beans from the Chuao valley are particularly prized because of the limited crop, [11] and because mineral deposits from the local river system give the beans a unique flavor, which is considered an example of terroir in chocolate. [11]
Other locations prized for single location chocolate are Madagascar, which produces Criollo beans with bright, citrus notes, and Papua New Guinea, which produces beans with complex flavor. Nacional beans from Ecuador, which contain floral notes, were gaining popularity as of 2018. [11]
Leissle argues that variable stock availability of single origin beans when there is conflict, for instance in Venezuela, remind consumers of the people involved in chocolate production. [12]
In the US, chocolate makers prefer cocoa beans that have been centrally fermented, rather than at each cocoa plantation, which necessarily generates variable product. [13]
Historically flavor beans were used by chocolatiers in Western Europe, Japan and parts of Latin America. As of 2018, they were increasingly used in the United States. [9] Ecuador as of 2017 was the largest exporter of fine cocoa, constituting 75% of cocoa exports. [1] [8] Flavor cocoa producers are primarily considered Central and South America and the Caribbean. [10]
Markets for flavor cocoa as of 2017 had experienced strong growth for two decades. [1]
As of 2017, an estimated 9% of the world crop, around 263 000 tons of fine cocoa were produced. [2]
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans that can be a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring in other foods. The cacao tree has been used as a source of food for at least 5,300 years, starting with the Mayo-Chinchipe culture in what is present-day Ecuador. Later, Mesoamerican civilizations consumed cacao beverages, of which one, chocolate, was introduced to Europe in the 16th century.
The cocoa bean, also known simply as cocoa or cacao, is the dried and fully fermented seed of Theobroma cacao, the cacao tree, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter can be extracted. Cacao trees are native to the Amazon rainforest. They are the basis of chocolate and Mesoamerican foods including tejate, an indigenous Mexican drink.
Theobroma cacao is a small evergreen tree in the family Malvaceae. Its seeds, cocoa beans, are used to make chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter and chocolate. Although the tree is native to the tropics of the Americas, the largest producer of cocoa beans in 2022 was Ivory Coast. The plant's leaves are alternate, entire, unlobed, 10–50 cm (4–20 in) long and 5–10 cm (2–4 in) broad.
Milk chocolate is a form of solid chocolate containing cocoa, sugar and milk. It is the most consumed type of chocolate, and is used in a wide diversity of bars, tablets and other confectionery products. Milk chocolate contains smaller amounts of cocoa solids than dark chocolates do, and contains milk solids. While its taste has been key to its popularity, milk chocolate was historically promoted as a healthy food, particularly for children.
White chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa butter, sugar and milk. Unlike milk and dark chocolate, it does not contain cocoa solids, which darken the chocolate. White chocolate has an ivory color, and can smell of biscuit, vanilla or caramel, although it can also easily pick up smells from the environment and become rancid with its relatively short shelf life. Like milk and dark chocolate, white chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating in confectionery.
Chuao is a small village located in the northern coastal range mountains of Venezuela, founded in 1660. The village is famous for its cacao plantations, Diablos danzantes and San Juaneras. The village is surrounded by mountains and dense rainforests to the south and the Caribbean Sea to the north. The nearby Henri Pittier National Park is the oldest national park in Venezuela, created in 1937. The village is only accessible by travelling via boat from nearby Choroní, and is approximately 4 kilometers inland.
Michel Cluizel is a bean-to-bar chocolate making company that was founded in the French town of Damville in Normandy in 1948 by Marc Cluizel.
The Santiago Mariño Municipality is one of the 18 municipalities (municipios) that makes up the Venezuelan state of Aragua and, according to the 2011 census by the National Institute of Statistics of Venezuela, the municipality has a population of 211,010. The town of Turmero is the shire town of the Santiago Mariño Municipality and Chuao where some of the finest cocoa beans in the world are produced. The municipality is named for Venezuelan independence hero Santiago Mariño.
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cocoa beans mixed with fat and powdered sugar to produce a solid confectionery. There are several types of chocolate, classified primarily according to the proportion of cocoa and fat content used in a particular formulation.
The history of chocolate dates back over 5,000 years, when the cacao tree was first domesticated in present-day southeast Ecuador. Soon introduced to Mesoamerica, it gained cultural significance as an elite drink among different cultures, including the Mayans and Aztecs. Cacao was extremely important; considered a gift from the gods, it was used as a currency as well as medicinally and ceremonially. Chocolate was often associated with the heart, and was believed to be psychedelic. It is unclear when chocolate was first drunk, and there is evidence of Mesoamerican groups drinking an alcoholic drink made by fermenting the pulp around cacao seeds.
Ivory Coast leads the world in production and export of the cocoa beans used in the manufacture of chocolate, as of 2024 producing 45% of the world’s cocoa.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to chocolate:
Amano Artisan Chocolate is an American bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer based in Orem, Utah.
Dark chocolate is a form of chocolate made of cocoa solids, cocoa butter and sugar. Without added sweetener, dark chocolate is known as bitter chocolate or unsweetened chocolate. Dark chocolate, above white and milk chocolate, is valued for claimed, albeit unsupported health benefits and for being a sophisticated choice of chocolate. Like milk and white chocolate, dark chocolate is used to make chocolate bars and as a coating for confectionery.
The chocolate industry in the Philippines developed after the introduction of the cocoa tree to Philippine agriculture. The growing of cacao or cocoa boasts a long history stretching from the colonial times. Originating from Mesoamerican forests, cacao was first introduced by the Spanish colonizers four centuries ago. Since then the Philippine cocoa industry has been the primary producer of cocoa beans in Southeast Asia. There are many areas of production of cacao in the Philippines, owing to soil and climate. The chocolate industry is currently on a small to medium scale.
Malagos Agri-Ventures Corporation is a Philippine bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer based in Davao City.
Cocoa is the primary cash crop of the African island country of São Tomé and Príncipe, accounting for 54% of its exports in 2021. The cocoa tree was introduced to the islands in 1819, when they were a Portuguese colony, and the first tree to fully grow was on Príncipe in 1824. São Tomé and Príncipe's equatorial climate provides an ideal environment for the growth of cocoa.
Bulk cocoa is a class of cocoa beans. It is contrasted with flavor cocoa. They generally grow in West Africa.
There are different categories of cocoa beans. The traditional varieties of Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario, while still used in marketing materials, are no longer considered to have a botanical basis.
French chocolate is chocolate produced in France. France is considered the "home of dark chocolate", and French chocolate has a smooth texture and is characterised by its dark roast flavour.
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