Cocoa remains one of Ghana’s most important commodities, with the West African country ranking the second largest global Cocoa producer after neighbouring Côte d’Ivoire. The country’s Cocoa economy focuses on the export of Cocoa beans for global use in chocolate products. Koa, a Swiss-Ghanaian food upcycling start-up, has just received approximately US$10 million in funding […]
UPCYLING COCOA COMPANY, KOA GETS NEW FUNDING Read More »
Chocolate has been around for millennia in various forms, and people have experimented with different methods of processing it for nearly as long. Even today, researchers at the American Chemical Society have discovered a new Cocoa post-harvest treatment that could serve as an alternative to traditional fermentation. The new method, called ‘moist incubation’, reportedly produces
A SWEETER ALTERNATIVE TO FERMENTING COCOA? Read More »
When it comes to talking about Cocoa, a lot of focus goes into the processes behind chocolate production – from growing and fermentation to roasting and processing. Still, one key element rarely makes it into the discussion: pollination of the Cocoa trees. With Cocoa being such an important global commodity, it may seem surprising that
THE MYSTERY OF PERU’S COCOA TREE POLLINATION Read More »
In recent years, athletes have widely used Cocoa for its health benefits, in particular concerning its widely reported positive cardiovascular effects. There had also been speculation that it could reduce the stomach cramps that athletes can experience during exercise. However, a study into the use of Cocoa as a supplement to reduce exercise-related digestive distress
STUDY SHOWS NO LINK BETWEEN COCOA AND ABDOMINAL RELIEF DURING EXERCISE Read More »
The Cocoa of Excellence awards are an opportunity to gain insights into what contributes to the great chocolate we enjoy. I love the spotlight on the farmers from all over the world, the sounds of the farm in the background as each explains what it means to them to participate. I appreciate the amount of
COCOA OF EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS – FULL LIST Read More »
This article was provided to Bartalks by Perry Stevens of Anarchy Chocolate In this article, I’m going to give three reasons why cocoa nibs are better than chocolate. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking chocolate, but I do believe cocoa nibs have certain qualities that give them an edge over chocolate as you’ll discover
THREE REASONS WHY COCOA NIBS ARE BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE Read More »
So you’ve started your own chocolate company and have found some loyal customers and gotten a few great pieces of press published. Congratulations! Now you’re looking to scale. But it’s easier said than done to move from a home business to a more professional environment. After 10 years in business, Fruition Chocolate Works knows this
SCALING TIPS FROM FRUITION CHOCOLATE WORKS Read More »
QOA company wants to contribute new thinking to how chocolate companies use bulk cocoa. They think that some of those bulk cocoa products can be created artificially through upcycled waste and using local cheaper ingredients that are better for the environment. Some chocolate lovers may be horrified, but Sara and her mission deserve to be
INTERVIEW WITH SARA MARQUART – THE ‘NO COCOA’ QOA COMPANY Read More »
The Portuguese capuchin monk António da Madalena pulled with a firm yank the cord of his brown robe that had got caught behind a thick branch. Sweat poured from his forehead, but he kept going. He wanted to know if the stories of the locals were true. Through the thick vegetation of the Cambodian jungle,
DOES COCOA HAVE A CHANCE IN CAMBODIA? Read More »
By Erik Sanner This article is part of our FCIA Raising the Bar Column, produced by members of the FCIA exclusively for Bartalks. You can learn more about the. benefits of FCIA membership on their website. Working in developing countries brings with it a seemingly endless slew of challenges. So why bother? In the case
SOCIAL CHANGE FROM ETHICAL COCOA AND COFFEE: MOKA’S STORY IN CAMEROON Read More »
