Our Cocoa Origins

EJ Flomo Cocoa Farm

Liberia is a small country on the coast of West Africa. Despite its size, it houses 42% of the entire region’s remaining tropical rainforest, as most of the neighbouring countries have been deforested, often to make way for plantation-style cocoa growing. Liberia’s forest and heavy rainfall make it a perfect place to grow sustainable, high-quality and fine flavour cocoa beans. Though it is not yet known as a source of quality and flavour, E J Flomo Cocoa is working to put Liberia on the specialty cocoa map.

E J Flomo Cocoa Farm is tucked away in the rainforest, nestled in the lush rolling hills of Zorzor District in the middle of Liberia’s cocoa belt. This area was completely devastated by the civil wars in the late 90’s and early 00’s; bullet holes are still visible on the walls of many shops and homes.

Liberia is Wallace Craft Chocolate’s direct trading origin, representing the African region of cocoa production. We have spent years in Liberia working with E J Flomo Cocoa on revitalizing cocoa farming, using responsible organic agricultural practices, and producing flavourful and top-quality cocoa. An important result is that, in an area of conflict recovery and extreme poverty, farmers are paid a high price and are earning a living income.

This special cocoa’s flavour is as unique as its origin, and we know you will love this discovery as much as we do.

www.ejflomococoa.com

Kablon Farms

The Philippines has a long history of cacao farming; the crop was introduced in the 1700s when a Spanish colonist brought seedlings over to the islands from Mexico. Since then, it’s common practice for Filipino communities to consume cacao as drinking chocolate, similar to Maya communities throughout Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala.

Kablon Farms is a 70 hectare bio-diversified, sustainable farm in South Cotabato, in Davao, Philippines. The farm is owned by the Pantua family and the crop production is managed by the eldest sibling, Ernesto Pantua Jr. (who prefers to be called Jun).

With an uncompromising emphasis on the highest quality of specialty cocoa beans, Kablon Farms is leading a change in the low-cost/low quality norm seen throughout the Philippines. Constantly improving and innovating, the farm runs cocoa farming and fermentation trials to perfect the unique flavour profiles of their cacao offerings.

Kablon is a Wallace Craft Chocolate single origin supplier, with their farm representing the Asia-Pacific region of cacao production.

Öko Caribe

Nestled in the heart of the cacao-rich Duarte province in the Dominican Republic, Öko-Caribe (“Eco-Caribbean” in German) is a gem amongst cacao suppliers. With more than 50 years of combined experience in cacao, owners Adriano de Jesus Rodriguez and Gualberto Acebey Torrejon have fine-tuned their systems to ensure consistent, superior quality of their cocoa. Öko Caribe maintains close relationships with its 165 farmers through technical training, in agronomic practices and organic certification. Owners Adriano and Gualberto have personal relationships with all farmers, offering microfinance loans for cacao-related expenses, as well as personal loans for family emergencies or other community needs. The loyalty between Öko Caribe and the farmers they work with is not only evidenced in daily interactions between staff, management and farmers, but also in their best-in-class, award winning cacao beans.

Öko Caribe is a Wallace Craft Chocolate single origin supplier, with their farm representing the Caribbean region of cacao production.

Adioesmac

The Association of Integrated Development “OX EEK” Santa Maria Cahabón (ADIOESMAC), founded in 2004, cultivates and sells cacao, cardamom, cinnamon, and chili peppers.

Perched on a mountaintop overlooking the extensive jungled hills of the Cahabón region, the association processes cacao using cascading wooden fermentation boxes and a combination of greenhouse dryers, raised bamboo decks, and drying patios.

Adioesmac has been exporting fine cacao since the early 2000’s. Their cacao beans are distinctively large compared to nearly any other beans you will ever see, and have been whimsically referred to as ‘potato beans’ as a result (referring to their size, and thankfully not their flavour!).

The association plants more cacao trees every year, most of which are planted to reforest areas that had been cleared for the production of “milpa” (or corn) and bean production.

Adioesmac is a Wallace Craft Chocolate single origin supplier, with these beans representing the Central American region of cacao production.

Itenez

Itenez Wild Harvest Cacao is from the region near Baures, Bolivia, close to the Reserva Forestal Itenez and the Río Blanco.

These beans are very rare, native Beniano cacao from the wild Itenez forests. They are harvested from wild cacao trees growing naturally in the Itenez forests, gathered and processed by local campesinos. According to Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) genetic tests, the cacao is 97.3% Heirloom Beniano Boliviano with 2.7% Upper Amazon Forastero.

An initiative to support collectors of native, wild cacaos was started by Agricultural Economist and General Manager of Rainforest Exquisite Products S.A. (REPSA) Volker Lehmann, who was responsible for pioneering the wild cacao trade starting in 2004, increasing the quality of the harvest process and ensuring economic gains for all involved.

The Itenez wild harvested Bolivian cacao beans are very small beans with big flavour: Deep, rich, robust and floral. We are thrilled to be able to partner with the communities in Bolivia to offer this unique and special cacao.

Itenez is a Wallace Craft Chocolate single origin supplier, with these beans representing the South American region of cacao production.

Beokparblee, Monleh, NyorKwalokwakou, Sebehill, and Vornambeh Farms

Our founder, Mark Wallace, spent years bumping up and down the long dirt tracks crisscrossing the cocoa growing regions in northern Liberia. It is a very remote landscape, rolling jungle hills without a paved road for miles and miles. Electricity is not the norm, and refrigeration non-existent. Within this backdrop, over 30,000 Liberian families diligently tend their cocoa plots, producing fine cocoa beans.

Decades of civil war in Liberia meant that during the 1990’s and 2000’s most women and men who farm cocoa were forced to flee their farms and left them fallow. A generation went by without cocoa farming knowledge being passed on, and as a result much knowledge was lost.

This cocoa is a testament to the strength and resilience of Liberian cocoa farmers. Huge effort has been put into reeducating farmers, rebuilding and rejuvenating farms, and producing great cocoa beans. The product is quality cocoa beans that get a good price, which means higher incomes for farmers and their families.

Liberian cocoa trees are grown within the jungle, preserving biodiversity, and without using chemical fertilizers. These forests have not been clear-cut to plant hybrid cocoa trees, unlike their neighbouring countries of Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana. Liberian cocoa trees are old and produce large beans with interesting flavour: a pure and authentic cocoa taste.

We hope you savour and enjoy this chocolate from a country close to our hearts, a hidden gem of fine cocoa.