Help me bling my bonbons!
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Yes, this is different from luster dust. It has a very different surface look - more disco-y. Brighter, blingier.
Forum Activity for @Clay
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Yes, this is different from luster dust. It has a very different surface look - more disco-y. Brighter, blingier.
Help me bling my bonbons!
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
A short bit of research (Google "Edible Disco Sparkles") led me to this page , which leads here .Apparently, they are from the UK and a much greater selection is here .Check out this usage note from another site ... "The glitter flakes are fine, like artist's glitter- if you want a dust simply crush further using a pestle and mortar. "
Chocolate without Soy Products
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Greg:I've been following the company and Alexander Black, its founder, for many years now and will likely seem in at the Fancy Food Show in a couple of weeks. I don't see how any of the company's products are a fit for what Danielle is looking for. FF does not make or sell chocolate - just fudges and sauces.What Danielle is looking for (I interpret from her post) is couverture chocolate without soy that can be used to create ganaches and to enrobe.
Chocolate without Soy Products
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
Michel Cluizel reformulated their chocolates years ago - 2002? - to remove the lecithin. Not just because of allergies but because of concerns in the EU over GMO foods. A great deal of soy is grown from GMO seeds and there are few sources of lecithin from soy grown from seeds that are not GMO.
Box labels
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Yes, they can - if it's part of the design. There are a number of on-line barcode generators. If you need real UPC codes and numbers you have to purchase the UPC codes. One you have them (they are supplied digitally), any printer can print them.
Box labels
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Although the up-front costs can be higher than getting someone else to print labels for you, consider a label printing machine.You can get label stock that fits your boxes and literally print only exactly the quantity you need. Zero waste.You can create a basic template that you use over and over again, and then make variations for specific boxes.In the end, you can save a lot of money this way and even open up corporate/gifting options with custom labels with your customers' logos. Most machines are not too much larger than a multi-function printer/copier/fax machine.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Justin -
This is a very good idea and one I never thought of before. It's a way to give customers a reason to remember you by giving them something they can reuse. Prices are a little high for many items until you get into the thousands of pieces, but when you consider the cost (and no recyclability) of polystyrene foam inserts I think that things really balance out.
:: Clay
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Colin:
Thanks for the link. Helpful tips many people can learn from and use.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Clear == clarify?
When I was working with the US distributor for Cluizel, everything was kept in a cold storage facility at about 34F (1C). The packing was done in the same room the chocolate was stored in. Once the box was taped and foam peanuts were poured in, the chocolate to be shipped was wrapped in one or more plastic bags before being put into the boxes. Gel packs (if needed) were added to the box and the empty space was filled with more peanuts.
The plastic bags prevented any condensation that formed from wetting the boxes the chocolate was in.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Devika -
I would be happy to, except I don't ship chocolate any more and I don't have the supplies to build up a box. I should be able to do something in the next couple of weeks as I am getting a roll of insulation that I can use.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
A 6x6x6 box might be large enough, if you were shipping something very, very small and it was well insulated. "Empty" space in a box is insulation and so it's always better to go larger than smaller when there is any question of it making it through.
As for how many gel packs it depends on how big they are. One 4- or 8-ounce pack is not nearly enough for 2-day delivery in hot weather from Atlanta to California, especially if there is no insulation in the box. Try it yourself, put a gel pack in an empty box and leave it outside when it's hot and time how long it takes to melt. A couple of hours, maybe, even for big ones.
Insulation serves two purposes: keep heat out, keep cold in. There are many forms of insulation: the insulated bubble wrap is one I happen to use and like. I also recycle polystyrene sheets from shipments I receive.
Tape up the seams of the box to keep hot air out (and cold air in).
Line the box with the insulating bubble wrap. Make sure it covers all six sides completely. Use cornstarch peanuts (or similar) to fill the empty space in the box - bottom and top as well as sides. I like the cornstarch because they will absorb some humidity.
I'd recommend at least two gel packs, taking care to make sure they weren't all on the same side of the box (i.e., one on top and one the bottom, front/back, left/right).
Make sure the packs don't actually touch the container with the chocolate in it.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Take a l ook at these nice replacements for styrofoam inserts.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
There are many sources for ice/gel packs. One approach is to consolidate all your shipping/packing supplies from one vendor (where possible) to be able to take advantage of shipping breaks. I purchase most of my supplies from ULine, mainly because I get overnight shipping for the price of ground (UPS) because of how close I am to one of their warehouses.
These temperature indicators are pretty cool (pun intended) - they let you know what temp the package reached during shipping. This company (Cold Ice) also sells gel packs.
Dry gel sheets are a VERY interesting (might seem slightly pricy up front but see the end of this paragraph for the savings potential) alternative, especially when you are space-constrained. You buy them dry, cut them to size (they look a lot like raviolis), soak them in water, then freeze them. One advantage of these is that they can bend to conform to the product - or the box - being shipped. You can also mix/match as you need. The alternative would be to buy a mix of sizes of already hydrated gel packs and inventory them - as well as have freezer space for them.
On closer examination buying the gel packs dry could save a lot of money on shipping AND reduce carbon footprint through reduced shipping weight to you. A roll of nearly 8000 cells (the equivalent of nearly 1400 pounds of wet gel packs) weighs 32 pounds dry. So while a roll costs nearly $300 (ouch), you are not paying to ship nearly 3/4 ton of water. Not paying to ship 3/4 ton water has to save you a lot of money while reducing the carbon footprint associated with shipping that 3/4 ton of water to you.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 05/25/18 10:25:12
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
If I get the time over the next few days I will take some pictures of my shipping area plus shots of how boxes are lined and add them.
Summer shipping tips & tricks?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Malena -
All of the all-in-one options I have seen are either very bulky, expensive, or both.
Elsewhere I have posted that I use USPS and am quite happy with most aspects of using them except for the printing of labels - getting data out of the shopping cart into the label printing program. Free boxes and supplies help reduce cost to customers and the flat rate shipping options can be great bargains.
I leave it up to the customer - if they want tracking, guaranteed overnight or two-day delivery, then I give them the option of Fedex or UPS. I've seen all carriers fail, though none have failed me like UPS. My answer to the problem is set out below.
I purchase packing supplies in bulk and "prep" them and set up a packing mise en place just like I would prep for cooking. Making sure that everything is cut to the right size and in a convenient place before I begin packing is key to efficiency. And - you should always be looking for ways to increase efficiency. If it takes you an average of 5 minutes to pack a box, then the max number of packages one person can ship is 96 in eight hours. Cutting the time to four minutes means that one person can ship 120 boxes in eight hours. This might not seem important now, but the night before the last shipping day at Christmas time it can be crucial.
I have had great success shipping in all weather using the following techniques - even to Phoenix, AZ in August.
1) Make sure to tape all the seams of the box. All of them. This helps keep hot air out and cool air in. Not just the top and bottom center/long seams. You'll be taping the 4 edges and the two center seams.
2) Line the box with bubble wrap that is covered in mylar on both sides. This is what I use .Use one long piece across one dimension of the box, cutting it long enough to make sure it overlaps at the top. Use two shorter pieces across the other two sides of the box, cut long enough so that they tuck under the long piece.If you are going to be putting a gel pack (or two) inside the box, I wrap what I am shipping in the mylar bubble wrap. What this does is add an extra layer of insulation. It keep what's inside cool and protects it from potential condensation from the gel pack.
3) Make sure to use a box that is large enough you don't have to stuff it. Dead air space is an excellent insulator - you don't want your items to be touching the insulation lining the inside of the box. I use cornstarch peanuts to maintain separation between what I am shipping and the insides of the box.
4) I also use one square of kraft paper padding (sometimes split in two) inside the bubble wrap for extra cushioning and to absorb any moisture.
5) Make sure the product itself is cool. If it's stored at 54F it will take longer to get to melt point than if you ship it from 68-72F. When I was working with Vintage and selling Cluizel, we were shipping from 34F - it gave us an extra day; instead of 2-day we could do 3 and save the customer a lot of money. We also shipped in oversize boxes filled with peanuts with the product in the center of the box, and the product being shipped was wrapped in plastic bags to protect it from condensation.
6) Make sure whoever receives the shipment has a place where it can be received that is out of the sun.
7) Make sure to get "Perishable" stickers and it doesn't hurt to add "This End Up" and/or "Fragile" stickers, too. These are simple and effective ways to get the attention of whoever is handling your box that it deserves special handling.
This may all seem like a lot of work. It is if you don't do it right. The key (as I said) is prep and organization. Spend a few moments to cut everything to size before you begin.
Make sure that the packing supplies are organized so that there is the minimum amount of moving to get to everything. These two simple things can make the whole difference. During peak holidays, I have been able to pack and ship (including USPS Click-and-Ship labels) 100 boxes a day all by myself . What I also did to make it work for me was to calculate how long it took to pack an order, start to finish and pay myself at least $15 hour to do this work.
I also calculated what the packing material costs were. I made this total the "handling" charge and added it to the cost shipping (which I passed through at cost). That way I was paying my labor to ship and make sure that the cost of packing materials was covered. It worked out to $3.50 per order to pay me (or someone else) to pack and deliver the boxes to the post office and cover the cost of packing supplies. I discounted this if/when it seemed appropriate.
Also - if you do use USPS, get to know your letter carrier and make sure to get to know the people on the loading dock at the post office you will use. They will tell you when the last truck out each night is. In my PO, the counter closes at 5:00 but the last Priority Mail truck leaves no earlier than 6:00 - and the Express Mail truck is slightly later. That extra time can make all the difference in the busy season.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 05/25/18 10:29:51
Where can I purchase wholesale chocolate in Florida?
Posted in: Classifieds F/S or Wanted
Assuming that you wish to purchase couverture for using to make confections (and not bars to sell) you will want to talk with either the importer or the local distributor.So - think of the brands you want to use, look them up on the web site, contact them and find out who the local distributor is. In many cases working with the local distributor is going to be easier for you. For example, you might get better prices by going direct to Guittard but they have a 500 lb minimum order. You might get your local distributor to match that price by giving them the business - they may qualify for larger discounts based on bigger order volume.The importer for Felchlin is Swiss Chalet Fine Foods ( www.scff.com ) down in Miami. They have an 800# so give them a call and ask for the name of the rep who handles your area. Keep in mind that Felchlin makes more than just its Grand Cru line. There are other, less expensive, lines that you can consider.I know the name of the national sales manager for Guittard, but again you want a local rep. Go to the Guittard web site ( www.guittard.com ) for the 800# and ask for the name of the rep in your area.There's been some success lately with TCHO's PRO line. They mostly sell direct but call them and ask.Another reason to consider going with an American-made chocolate is that you don't have to worry about fluctuations in the exchange rate. Right now the Pound and the Euro are down from their heights six months ago, but prices have really not fallen as companies are trying to retain their margins.Cluizel's US organization is at www.noble-ingredients.com .Barry Callebaut is in Pensauken, NJ and the phone number can be found on this page at www.barry-callebaut.com . B-C has not only the Callebaut line but Cacao Barry and Carma, and others.Qzina is a multi-line distributor - they carry Callebaut, Valrhona, and others. Th Qzina website is very badly designed and hard to navigate, so it may be best to give them a call. However, they do have a national footprint.I would recommend contacting Matt Caputo if you haven't already ... I always recommend giving business to ChocolateLife members wherever possible - plus we've been having some fascinating offline conversations and he's a great guy and I think you'd enjoy doing business with him.Finally, at this point, and with all due respect to Christopher Taylor, I don't think that making your own chocolate is where you should be thinking. It takes an entirely different skill set to make a couverture-quality chocolate (where consistent technical workability as well as flavor is important) from that required to make confections. Given some of the other questions you've been asking, my counsel would be to concentrate on what you're doing, make money, and decide later on if making your own chocolate is in your future. If it is - we'll be here to help. It will take no less time, money, and research to find a good chocolate distributor than it will to find sources of cocoa beans.
Just curious...
Posted in: Opinion
Jeff:You know for sure that they use *Felchlin* truffle shells? I know that Felchlin produces the chocolate Vosges sells for their 74% Dominican origin bars. Maybe they're using a one-shot machine?:: Clay
How to transport chocolates?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Click the link in my reply. OR, look at the list of forum discussions on the home page of the site ... they are right next to each other.
How to transport chocolates?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
From the other question with the same title. That question has been closed to further discussion. Please answer either/both questions here.Hi all. I've been wondering how people transport large numbers of chocolates to customers (in this case a cafe). This assuming that they will be put out on trays in a case and sold by the piece. How do you pack them so they don't get marred or broken? I'm just a beginner in this business so please forgive me if this seems like a simple question.
How to transport chocolates?
Posted in: Uncategorized
I added this question to the other discussion by the same name.This discussion is now closed.
Colored Cocoa Butters from ChefRubber
Posted in: Opinion
Kerry:Thanks for pointing out this eGullet forum - a number of VERY useful tips here.Lynn - all the basic information regarding how to make the colors you are looking for is in this post. What you will need to do is locate a source of oil-soluble food-safe colors approved by the Australian equivalent of the FDA.:: Clay
chocolate shop name
Posted in: Opinion
In case you didn't know, cabosse is the French word for pod, as in cacao pod.
chocolate shop name
Posted in: Opinion
Waleed -I took the time to look it up. I was looking to see if the name meant anything specific that might suggest a name for your shop.Not too many things are more intimate, sensual, or mysterious than a newborn, eh?:: Clay
chocolate shop name
Posted in: Opinion
Waleed:Naming is always a big issue. Just FYI, I took a few seconds to research chocolate in the KSA and here's one article I found that might be relevant to you.The KSA does not have a long tradition of chocolate in sweets so is similar to its neighbors in the region where the ingredient focus has long been on pastries, honey, nuts, fruits, and floral flavors, and so on.Because of this lack of tradition, and the fact that Europe is generally held in higher esteem (rightly or wrongly) than the US when it comes to chocolate, the preference for a European-sounding name over an English name or even something rooted in Saudi tradition makes a good deal of sense to me.With that said, it's very hard to even think of where to begin with the naming process without knowing a great deal more about how you want your brand to be perceived by the market, what you perceive its strengths are going to be, and more.Always an intriguing process, but at the moment, I don't have enough information to even know where to begin to point you in the right direction.:: ClayWaleed (also Walid) is Arabic for newborn. The Italian for newborn is "Neonato" which has a nice resonance to it. It's vaguely European but unless you know Italian it might be hard to know exactly where from ... and to my American ears it also has a vaguely mid-eastern ring to it. The meaning is sort of nice for a brand new company as well.
Chocolate Trends Research Study - Your Help is Requested
Posted in: Opinion
ChocolateLife member Curtis Vreeland is one of the key authors of one of the most authoritative market research studies in the chocolate industry.
His company,Vreeland & Associates, is currently researching new chocolate trends for upcoming publication by the national market research firm Packaged Facts. Curtis has asked me to make a short survey available to ChocolateLife members who wish to contribute their opinions.
Should you decide to contribute, your answers will be aggregated with all responses to protect your companys confidentiality.
Every ChocolateLife member who participates and submits a completed survey will receive a complimentary copy of the finished reports highlights.
Please note that your responses should relate only to your companys chocolate products.
Please also note that the deadline to submit complete surveys is May 7, 2010.
Thanks for helping out. I have found this research report to be an extremely valuable resource.
updated by @Clay Gordon: 04/20/15 04:47:23
2010 Chocolate Category SOFI Award Finalists Announced
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
The National Association of Specialty Food Trades (NASFT) is the industry organization that organizes the Fancy Food Shows. For the past 30 years the NASFT has handed out SOFI awards to products that exemplify the best of the best of the specialty foods industry. (Note: Only those products entered by their manufacturers or a rep/importer are considered.)
There are two levels of awards, Silver and Gold.
There are 31 categories for Silver awards, and they are given to individual products (as opposed to product lines) that may or may not have been introduced in the year since the preceding Summer Fancy Food Show.
There are 2 categories in the Gold awards: Outstanding Product Line and Outstanding New Product.
The finalists for the 2010 Silver SOFIs in the Chocolate category are:
- Askinosie Chocolate- White Chocolate Nibble Bar
- Eclat Chocolate- Assorted Caramels Box
- Knipschildt Chocolatier- Hannah Mini Signature
- Poco Dolce- Sesame Toffee Tiles
- Franois Pralus -Barre Infernale Lait (this is one of my personal all-time favorites)
- Sweet Marguerites- 12-piece Assorted Chocolates
updated by @Clay Gordon: 12/13/24 12:16:07
Shows
Posted in: Opinion
I think it's fair to say that the two chocolate industry-specific shows that best meet your description areThe annual Retail Confectioners International convention (this year in Lexington, KY in late June)andThe Philadelphia Candy Show (the next one is in mid-September).I personally can not help you decide which one is better for your needs.:: ClayPS. It's hard to take a confectionery industry show seriously when they misspell confectionery as confectionary.
How long do I have before chocolate sets?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
That depends on the yogurt maker - temps can be imprecise. It's why I mentioned the buffet warmer or electric blanket - they have adjustable heat settings.
How long do I have before chocolate sets?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Lisa:A funnel is good for filling the bottles, a confectionery funnel is overkill for this application but could be useful if you decide to use something more liquid than fondant for centers.You can also improvise something to keep the chocolate in the bottles warm when you're not using them. Some people like to use yogurt makers. I might be tempted to put a silpat on a buffet warmer or electric blanket and then use some sort of short tube that I could insert the bottle into to trap the warmth without making it so hot the chocolate comes out of temper. Also, you can put the funnel on this and keep it warm so that it doesn't clog up. Using the silpat makes cleanup very easy.
How long do I have before chocolate sets?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Lisa:Normally, the shell molding process is done in three distinct steps. From your description it sounds like you might not be waiting between steps. You should not have to transfer the chocolate from the temperer to the mold by piping. The chocolate is crystallizing in the bag and quickly becoming unusable. Instead, leave the chocolate in the temperer and use a ladle to transfer the chocolate to the mold. Use a bench scraper or offset spatula to scrape the excess chocolate off the bottom of the molds.The first step is to completely fill the mold cavities with chocolate to form the shell, vibrating to remove air bubbles. The chocolate is left in the mold for a short while (depends on several factors - room temp, mold temp, specific chocolate) and then the mold is inverted over the temperer allowing extra chocolate to drip back into the temperer. Scrape the surface of the mold to remove excess chocolate (back into the temperer.The molds are set aside to let the chocolate crystallize (set up). Again, how long depends on the chocolate and the temps involved.Once the shell is done, the center is added - how depends on what the center is. In the case of fondant just drop it in. Then fill all the mold cavities with chocolate (again using the ladle to transfer the chocolate), vibrate to remove air bubbles, and scrape the excess chocolate off.Set aside to let the chocolate set up. When that's done, invert the molds to release the chocolate.:: Clay
2010 Fancy Food Show
Posted in: Chocolate Education
I will be there all three days.It's at the Javits center in NYC June 27, 28, and 29.
cacao butter bulk sought
Posted in: News & New Product Press (Read-Only)
ChocolateLife member Patrick Pineda imports beans, powder, and butter from Venezuela through his company East Bluff Trading . I would contact him.Good products - I've sampled the nibs and the butter.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:I've been thinking about this for the past couple of days.I think I understand where you may be coming from when you want to differentiate your chocolate made from unfermented raw nibs from chocolate made from fermented raw nibs - "True RAW" versus "raw."However, there is no single agreed-upon definition for what raw is. The max temp quoted differs by as much as nearly 25% as you stated and there is the very legitimate question raised about whether fermentation == cooking when it comes to other foods.Given that there is no strong consensus about these topics - even within the raw community - it is potentially detrimental to start marketing a position of "mine is raw-er than yours." While that may be good for Sacred Chocolate - it disses not only other raw chocolate makers but lots of other companies who produce raw foods. All of them might start claiming that their process makes their food "raw-er" than their competition: "Truly Raw" implies that other foods are not really raw.Again - I understand why you might want to make this claim from a Sacred Chocolate business perspective, but not why you would pursue it if it has the potential to cause confusion - and harm, in my opinion - to the entire raw foods community.Now, I don't want you to answer this for at least 48 hours. Just accept what I have to say and really think about it. I want you to spend as much time thinking about this as I did.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Sirius:Thanks for the kind words.As I mentioned in the broccoli comment and you responded to, there are tradeoffs to be made in fermentation. While Aox levels may be higher without fermentation (and I am prepared to believe that there is a limit above which there is the potential for toxicity - where antioxidants actually exhibit pro-oxidant effects), the fermentation process may generate compounds (other than potentially psychoactive ones) that are even more beneficial. The fixation on one measure of "healthiness" is not beneficial, IMO. More research (and meta-research) needs to be done.To pun on your dialectic/semantic comment, maybe it's better said, "the way things RAWly are.":: Clay
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
No, I am not trying to belittle you.I am pointing out inconsistencies in your definitions that may confuse people. They confuse me.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Your definition of "raw" in a previous post:Reply by Sacred Steve on November 4, 2009 at 6:43pmFYI...Sacred Chocolate does make a 100% Organic, 100% RAW (Defined as using only UNROASTED CACAO and keeping grinding temperatures below 115 degrees Fahrenheit from start to finish) ...Hearts!SS
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Think of the context of this discussion. We are talking ONLY about your assertions of True Raw and "raw."We are not talking about the cane sugar industry. Don't change the subject and introduce irrelevance.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
It's on the home page and has been for months.I do a lot of work maintaining a forum for you and others to participate in. All I am asking you to help me out a little - it's in your best interests.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Words are important so arguing about semantics is important in many instances.I wasn't objecting to raw in and of itself, I was pointing out that your locution "True Raw" was an expression of a personal opinion, not something that is generally held as being "true" in the raw community in general - at least so far as I know.What you called "True Raw" is what I think most people would agree would be "Fresh."I also disagree with your definition that "raw" categorically means unfermented as it is demonstrably true that it is possible to properly ferment cacao and keep the temp below 118-125F.What you call raw is "unfermented raw cacao" as opposed to "raw fermented cacao."The distinctions are very important.
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:Please make it easy for everyone by posting the link to where you provide great scientific detail. That's a whole lot easier than making everyone search for it on their own.:: Clay
Raw Chocolate
Posted in: Make Mine Raw ... (Read-Only)
Steve:What you call "True Raw" is what I call "Fresh." Because there is no accepted definition (and no research to prove anything) of what raw is, your "slowly dried at low temp" is not scientific - it's personal opinion.That's perfectly okay as long as we all recognize that it's the expression of your personal opinion, not "fact."Can you point me to any research that shows that the nutritional profile of unfermented beans is "better" than the nutritional profile of beans that have been properly fermented yet kept under max raw temp? Or is this just conjecture on your part?As with broccoli (where light steaming makes some of the nutrients more bioavailable), proper fermentation may actually make cacao healthier for you because of some of the changes that occur in the bean during fermentation. Some long-chain polyphenols are converted to short chain version that might (just might) be healthier. I don't know the answer, I am just asking the question.While overall antioxidant levels in fermented cacao may be lower, there is no reason to automatically believe that more necessarily equals better. Fermentation may improve the bioavailability of some components of the cacao and "improve" it in some way. ORAC is one measure, it's not the only measure, and it may not be the best measure as it's not a comprehensive measure of cacao, just antioxidant activity and there may be confounding factors.One of the challenges with raw foodism is that one of the primary tenets of raw foodism -- that enzymes (the source of a mystical life force) in food reduce the need for the pancreas to produce digestive enzymes -- has never been conclusively proved, at least so far as I have been able to find out.That said - there are benefits to be had in the diet/lifestyle without buying into the unprovable "science" behind it. Read Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food. A predominantly raw (it's not necessary or even desirable in most cases, IMO, to be 100% raw) diet is very close to that ideal.Plus - and this is another area where people get confused - raw does not automatically mean vegan. Eating sashimi is a very tasty and way to get necessary macro and micro-nutrients that are hard to get in a 100% raw/vegan diet.