Why Le Cocoa?

Cocoa is more than just cocoa – the consumer is often uncritical of their selection of chocolate and simply eats it without giving it a second thought. Our chocolate is the product of a special variety of cocoa combined with specialist processes tailored to produce an experience of ultimate chocolate pleasure.

Cocoa is more than just cocoa. The same way how a fine wine depends on the variety of grapes used in combination with skilled processing, chocolate is no different.

Our Cocoa is Sun-dried

What does this mean? After the cocoa beans have been fermented, they still contain approximately 60% water. This level must be reduced to less than 7%. Slow, careful drying is important for producing high quality cocoa and this can take up to 7 days.

Very few estates still maintain the process of sun-drying since it can be time consuming and rather laborious, but the result is well worth the patience and hard work.

With sun-drying, the beans are spread out onto the beds of the cocoa houses. It is easy to turn the beans and they are closely monitored throughout this process. However, much manpower is needed and the lengthy drying time is weather-dependent.

Most places these days use artificial heat. In this process the beans are heated in long, deep trays by blowing air that has been heated artificially through a perforated base. There are also other systems for transferring heat. Large quantities can be dried quickly. However, drying is uneven, often forced and, in the worst-case scenario, the beans can be contaminated with smoke from the combustion facilities. The quality results in poor to satisfactory.