Sebastian

Sebastion,

Curious if you could share info on finding sources to purchase sacks of cacao. I am in particular looking for a really nice arriba bean from Ecuador and the Hacienda Tranquilidad bean that grows wild in Bolivia and is processed at that farm. I am a relatively new craft chocolate maker and I can't figure out how to find these beans..

Hi Steve - there's a number of small groups that ferment and are willing to ship. The cocoa of excellence awards generate a nice list that's broken out by geography. Identifying one of the farmers who can arrange export, to be sure, is one of the challenges. If you're just starting out, i'd suggest going with John Nanci at chocolate alchemy as he's already done a fair bit of the legwork in making those connections.

Sorry chocofiles - i never really check this page, and there doesn't seem to be a notification feature to tell me that someone's posted something here. For the past few decades, i've run the r/d for companies who you'd recognize. no, i don't sell any of the chocolate i make for myself i'm afraid. at least, not yet - perhaps some day 8-)

Sebastian, do you sell the chocolate that you make? If so, what it is the name of your chocolate?

T - sorry, have been traveling, didn't see this until now. I'm afraid i don't have a friend request from you, and your profile's set to private so i can neither comment back on your question below, nor post an answer to your board i'm afraid...

hi sebastian--re your comment, you were not at all out of line. you are obviously supremely knowledgeable about cacao and genetics. what do you do?

brian

Hi Sebastian,

I,ll check with DHL if there will be no restrictions in sending them from the Philippines. I'll not charge you anything but we will be most interested in

your assessment on the quality of our beans.

Thanks for the offer.

Ernesto