Yes, that's right, Colombia absolutely has good chocolate!
And good is an understatement. In fact, Colombia has some of the best chocolate in the world. Colombian chocolate brands (and international brands using Colombian cacao), have won multiple awards for their amazing chocolate. The country is quickly gaining attention for its fine flavor cacao and rising as a significant player in the global specialty chocolate scene.
Unique Characteristics of Colombian Cocoa Beans
Colombia's amazing cacao has exceptional flavor and quality. This stems from a combination of genetics and the country's diverse microclimates. Colombia's beans typically exhibit a balance of fruity and floral notes with a subtle underlying earthiness. Some regions produce beans with a hint of nuttiness, while others offer a more pronounced sweetness. Expect a symphony of flavors, ranging from rich and creamy to bright and tangy. Common tasting notes include red fruits, nuts, caramel, and hints of spices like vanilla.
Flavors and Aromas found in Colombian Chocolate
What is Fine flavor cacao? It's a term coined by the ICCO to highlight cacao with a complex sensory profile. This means it exhibits a broad spectrum of unique and desirable flavors and aromas. This makes it highly sought after by premium chocolatiers for its quality and taste. Colombia is renowned for being one of the main producers of fine flavor cacao.
Role of Colombian cocoa in the fine flavor cocoa market
Colombian cocoa plays a pivotal role in both the historical and modern fine flavor cocoa market. Known for its exceptional cacao variety, Colombia produces beans that contribute to the global demand for fine flavor chocolates. Colombian cocoa beans, particularly the criollo and trinitario varieties, are integral in crafting luxury chocolate products. Through careful cultivation and harvesting techniques, Colombia has positioned itself as an influential player in this niche market, garnering attention from connoisseurs and chocolate experts worldwide.
A look back to Colombia's Chocolate Roots
It is widely believed that cacao originated in the Amazon basins of present-day Colombia and its neighboring countries. Additionally, Colombia's Sierra Nevada region is considered the native home of the highly sought-after Criollo cacao tree. The Criollo, along with its hybrids, it associated with the production of fine flavor cacao.
The chocolate of Colombia: Good on an Ethical level
Colombia's cacao industry is celebrated not only for its high-quality, but also for its strong commitment to ethical cocoa cultivation. The industry prioritizes fair labor conditions and the well-being of workers and their families. Additionally child labor is not a prevalent issue within the supply chain like it is in other cacao producing countries of the world
The Chocolate Dream Foundation
Projects like those with the Chocolate Dream Foundation, support sustainable cacao production and improve labor conditions. These initiatives train farmers, providing them with stable incomes and promoting social welfare. Magno chocolates is proud to work directly with teh chocolate dream foundation in the peace building efforts. This program also ensures cacao producers receive fair prices for their crops and supports sustainable practices in cacao production. It also helps local communities where these cocoa farms are located.
Why isn't Colombia better known for its chocolate?
Colombia's notoriety for illegal crops and its troubled past often overshadow its reputation for chocolate. On top of this, Colombians and the world, have been laser-focused on the country's coffee production. This has made its chocolate and cacao somewhat of an afterthought for those inside and outside of the country. Even though Colombia is one of the largest producers of fine flavor cacao, only recently has there been a unified push to tell this story. The world is also catching on.
Colombia's Legacy of Excellence: Celebrating Award-Winning Chocolate in 2023 and Beyond
Colombia's chocolate industry has been on a recent streak of excellence. It has been consistently recognized on the global stage for its superior quality and unique flavors. For example, in the 2023 Cacao of Excellence Awards held in Amsterdam, Colombia's WORKAKAO Cooperativa Multiactiva Nodo Agricola Cacaotero won a prestigious Gold Award, highlighting its remarkable quality.
Further emphasizing this point, Colombian chocolatiers also excelled at the 2023 International Chocolate Awards. Cacao Hunters, a well-known Colombian brand, won multiple Silver and Bronze awards for their exceptional chocolate bars. Their Tumaco 82% and Arhuacos 72% dark chocolate bars both earned Silver medals, while the Tumaco 70% bar secured a Bronze medal. Additionally, their innovative PIPILONGO 70% and PIMIENTA 70% flavored bars received Silver and Bronze medals, respectively.
Discover what makes the Chocolate in Colombia so amazing
As we've shown, Colombian chocolate is worth trying for yourself. Here at Magno Chocolates we proudly source the best single origin, fine flavor cacao from our backyard. All of our artisan chocolates showcase Colombia's rich, complex flavors and ingredients. Magno's goal is to create beautiful chocolate bars and bonbons, blending Colombia's exceptional cacao with other delectable local flavors. Our final products are innovative and notable on a international level.
Collecting Colombia's Best Flavors in One Chocolate Box
If you want to taste the true variety and exceptional flavors of Colombia, we highly recommend our Origin Coffee & Chocolate Tasting kit. In this box we've brought together Colombia's best cacao and coffee into one beautifully designed presentation. It includes ethically sourced and award winning chocolates paired perfectly with fair trade coffee. Our bonbons are hand-painted masterpieces and are adorned with 24K gold leaf. They include semi-dark chocolates from Sierra Nevada, milk chocolates from Tumaco, and dark chocolates from Arauca. The made-from-scratch fillings are equally diverse and include other delicious and locally sourced ingredients from Colombia. We invite you to embark on this unique experience and let Magno Chocolates captivate you with the excellence of Colombia’s finest chocolate.
