Forum Activity for @Tom Neuhaus

Organic Cocoa Beans

Posted in: Opinion

I sincerely doubt that methyl bromide can be used on organically-certified cocoa beans. If so, the integrity of the organic system is called into question. A food microbiologist colleague told me recently that CO2 is used in fumigation; it takes longer, however. Producing semi-finished product in the country of origin is a fairly low-cost way of getting rid of pests, as beans are roasted around 280 degrees F. Problem with semi-finished product is the import duties. The EU slaps a 9.7 % import duty on semi-finished product.

Fair Trade vs Direct Trade

Posted in: Opinion

I run a FT/Org chocolate business ( Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates ) using a chocolate that incorporates Trinitario beans from Dominican Republic and Criollo beans from Peru. Not believing that FT is enough, I also take people on tours of cocoa villages in Ghana and Ivory Coast, the heart of the cocoa-growing for the lowest quality American chocolate, believing that somehow there must be a way to help cocoa farmers make more money.I am also interested in the concept of Direct Trade, where the buyer pays for quality directly to the farmer. I would love to learn from others in this business about their experiences. Apparently there's a cooperative in Grenada that is doing a world of good for the farmers AND producing the chocolate right on the island! I would like to talk to other professionals about how we producers can make cocoa-growing an honorable and remunerative profession.
updated by @Tom Neuhaus: 04/13/15 05:27:25