Recently Rated:
Every year it's getting better and better!
I tasted amazing new stuff in 2014!
My favourite new-coming chocolate makers:
- Pump Street Bakery (especially: Grenada 70% and Ecuador 75%)
- It’s Chocolate (especially: Chuao and Belize). New name: Brasstown Chocolate.
- Cacao Hunters (everything!)
Other new ones that I like: Metiisto, Doble & Bignall, Erithaj, Solstice and Cacaosuyo.
New bars from existing chocolate makers that are really awesome:
- Idilio: Trinchera 74%
- Soma: La Dalia, Blend 82%, Peru Nacional, Little Big Man, Dancing in your head, Old School Nicaragua
- Tibor Szántó: Carenero Superior, Ben Tre, Ambolikapiky, Cuba
- Bar au Chocolat: Maranon
- Marou: Dak Lak
- French Broad: Matagalpa
- Ritual: Belize and Maranon
My most memorable experience was the production of the new Original Beans bars at Felchlin in July. I will never forget that. It was very exciting to create new recipes together with Felchlin and the Original Beans team. I’m so happy with the results! And I heard I’m not the only one 
May I say that these bars are my 2014’s favourites? Or will I be disqualified? Although it’s not weird to be in love with your own babies, right? 
Other chocolate highlights:
- Chocoa Trade Fair and Festival, March in Amsterdam
- Origin Chocolate Event, October in Amsterdam
What will happen in 2015? I’m looking forward to:
- The bean (or tree?) -to-bars by Alexandre!
- The start of a Chocolate Academy in The Netherlands!
- Chocoa Trade Fair, Conferences and Festival 5-9th March in Amsterdam. Be there!
- Georg Bernardini’s new chocolate book September 2015
- And maybe some gorgeous new Original Beans products?
Wish you all a delicious new chocolate year!
Dear Andre,
Thanks for your sharing your story. It sounds lovely! I will send you an e-mail.
Chocolove, Vera
Hope all is well with you.
I and my daugther Luisa Abram just started our bean to bar chocolate venture here in Sao Paulo Brazil. Unlike many fine chocolate Brazilian producers, we do not use cacao from the South of Bahia. We went to the Amazon rainforest in the Northwest of Brazil to seek out our cocoa. There, we met a cooperative of locals that collect native cacau from the Forest, that is to say, no organised plantation. The cacau grows in trees in the forest and they collect them to ferment, dry sell it.
We liked this business model. It helps to preserve the Forest and at the same time, give financial support to those that live in the riverbanks of the Forest. We are not aiming to be a large producer. We think this could put pressure to overcollect cacau. Our growth strategy, should we manage to increase our business, will be based on replicating the coop model we found in other parts of the rainforest. I think it is one of those rare combinations of economic interest aligned with social and environmental responsability.
So far, the feedbacks we got positively surprised us!! This made me a bit confident to send the chocolate to a connoisseur as respect as yourself! I wonder if I could send you some samples for you to try out and give us your opinion. I dont not know if you do this kind of service, but if you do, I would be more than happy to send you the samples.
Please contact us at andrerch@gmail.com if you are willing to give us a try!
Best wishes,
Andre