Chocolate comes from a tree.

All cocoa comes from the species Theobroma cacao and for a long time it was believed that there were only three varieties – Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario. More recently, however, more than ten varieties have been identified and more than 50,000 varieties are said to exist. Cocoa is similar to wine and the taste depends on, among other things, variety, soil and weather during the year.

The cacao fruits grow directly on the stem and before harvest are about 20-40 cm in diameter and are shaped like rugby balls. Depending on the variety, it takes between 4-8 months for the fruit to ripen. The cacao fruits open up and inside the thick, hard shell are the cacao beans embedded in a white, sweet pulp. All cocoa is harvested and opened by hand, which is incredibly demanding work.

The beans and pulp are placed in wooden boxes and fermented for five to seven days. The fermentation is a natural process that is very important for the taste. When the desired character is reached, fermentation is stopped and the beans are dried, often with the help of the sun. The cocoa is then sorted and packed in sacks.

You know you can taste the cocoa pulp right? In a unique collaboration, we can present cocoa moisture puree in a tube in our webshop.