The concept of authentic taste in chocolate encompasses not just flavor, but the entire sensory experience and the production process behind each chocolate square. For us, authentic chocolate represents a commitment to quality, ethics, and sustainability, both in terms of ingredients and the production process.
The Foundation
The foundation of chocolate is cocoa; the harvesting of this precious raw material is essential to ensure a quality product, and it is crucial that it is traceable and sustainable, guaranteeing respect for the environment and providing well-being and fair compensation for farmers’ families.
Harvesting
The process begins with the sustainable harvesting of cocoa fruits from the plants, carried out in a way that preserves local ecosystems. Farmers, who are part of local communities, are trained and supported to adopt environmentally and socially responsible agricultural practices.
Seed extraction
The cocoa fruits are opened to extract the seeds, which are then fermented and sun-dried to develop their unique flavors. This stage is the most critical in determining the quality of the cocoa and directly influences the final taste of the chocolate.
In the heart of the tropical forests, where the sun kisses the earth with a golden warmth, precious cocoa beans are harvested by skilled hands. These hands belong to farming families we have had the privilege of meeting personally, intertwining our hearts through invisible threads of respect and gratitude.
These beans, still raw and unexpressed, are set to ferment. It is a transformative process, a journey of discovery where the first aromas of chocolate begin to bloom.
After fermentation, the beans are naturally dried under the sun, and finally, when they are ready, they are wrapped in jute sacks. These sacks embark on a long journey across seas and mountains, carrying with them a piece of the heart of the tropical forest, until they reach our shores in Italy.
Each cocoa bean is a love story, a journey from nature to our workshop. This is our promise, our commitment: to bring you the authentic and pure flavor of cocoa.
Roasting
Subsequently, the cocoa beans are roasted to enhance their flavor and texture. After roasting, the beans are ground into a thick paste known as cocoa liquor, from which cocoa butter and cocoa powder are extracted.
Cocoa Mass
These base ingredients, along with other elements such as powdered milk or vanilla, are carefully selected and blended according to recipes that are sometimes traditional and sometimes innovative to create the wide range of products offered.
Throughout the entire processing journey, a focus on quality and sustainability is paramount.
Sustainability
We are constantly committed to producing authentic chocolate by ensuring that cocoa is sourced from dignified working conditions for farmers, promoting biodiversity, and reducing environmental impact. We maintain our commitment to traceability and sustainability throughout the cocoa and other ingredient supply chains.
Cocoa Horizons
Cocoa Horizons is an impact program focused on the prosperity of cocoa farmers and the development of self-sufficient farming communities that protect nature and children. The Cocoa Horizons Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization supervised by the Federal Foundation Supervisory Authority. It was established in 2015 by Barry Callebaut.
Cocoa Horizons aims to create sustainable improvements in the cocoa supply chain by addressing key issues such as income stability, community welfare, and environmental conservation. Through various initiatives, the program supports farmers in enhancing their livelihoods while promoting responsible farming practices.
Fondazione AIEF
Together to Win and Fondazione AIEF.
Smiles and small big dreams come true, allowing stars to shine even in the darkest nights. Through Insieme per Vincere Onlus, around fifty girls from Boukoumbè (Benin) who are in precarious social and family situations have been welcomed into a community center, giving them the opportunity to attend school and learn a trade for a better future.
For children and adolescents, we support Fondazione AIEF, which implements and supports socio-educational and cultural projects aimed at safeguarding and promoting the rights of children, adolescents, and young people.
Our Certifications for Your Safety
In our chocolate laboratory, we pay the utmost attention to avoiding any type of contamination from cereals, and we are proud to say that all of our chocolate is gluten-free.
We have achieved BRC and IFS certifications, two fundamental international standards that attest to and guarantee to clients and consumers the excellent level of safety and quality of the working environment, processes, and products.
BRC
BRC stands for British Retail Consortium, and it is a quality standard that is based on HACCP principles. It also standardizes the work environment, as well as the controls on products and processes.
IFS
With the IFS certification, it is declared that there is a management system based on the principles of HACCP, compliance with food regulations, personnel management, and quality control of processes and products.
BIO
BIO Certification confirms that products are cultivated according to the principles of organic farming, taking into account the entire agricultural ecosystem. It promotes the biodiversity of the environment in which it operates and limits or excludes the use of synthetic products and genetically modified organisms.