Cocoa Origins - Our Single Source Chocolate

Our chocolate is made with cocoa that has all been grown, cultivated and processed together in a single community. Sometimes by the same farmer, or members of a co-operative.

By making chocolate with single source cocoa our customers know the origin of our beans and we can ensure our farmers are paid more for the work they do and the qualities we value.

Discover chocolate using our different cocoa origins. 

Our Cocoa Origins - The Cocoa Belt

The Theobroma Cacao tree grows in warm, sunny, wet conditions. Originating deep in the Amazon Rainforest in South America. The seeds migrated with the help of ancient civilisations, colonisers, empire builders, missionaries and traders to be grown in tropical climates around the world.

As these trees have adapted to the soil, environment and seasonal climate we can discover variations in characteristics and flavour between continents, countries, regions, farms, seasons and practices. As chocolate makers it gives us a never ending range of flavours to work with and explore.

1 - South America

The original home of cocoa - a wide number of genetic families can be found in Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Brazil, giving deep layers of complexity and distinctive characteristics in the fine cocoa we work with from these origins.

2 - Central America

Some of the finest and oldest traditions with cocoa can be found in these areas, the migration of beans to this area suggests they were highly prized and considered quite a delicacy.

3 - Caribbean

Early traders used the Islands of the Caribbean to cultivate crops like sugar, tobacco and cocoa on a larger scale to serve growing demand for their consumption in Europe. Countries like the Dominican Republic have focused on cultivating high quality, primarily organic cocoa to maximise the return of value to their farming community.

4 - South East Asia

Cocoa was first taken across the Pacific by early Spanish conquistadors, pockets of lighter, creamier beans can be found cultivated in these areas ahead of industrial cultivation of the 20th Century that spread with higher yielding varieties. Growing on volcanic soil of the islands of Indonesia can contribute deep, rich chocolate flavours. High rainfall in places like Papua New Guinea lead to smoky flavours from the fires used in the drying process. 

5 - West Africa

Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana are the 2 biggest growers of cocoa and grow collectively 60% of the worlds cocoa. Cultivated often as a single variety, this cocoa has a recognisable nutty characteristic.

6 - East Africa

Countries like Madagascar, Tanzania and Uganda are known for fine flavour cocoa, these beans can be distinctive in varieties and flavour qualities. 

New origins - Cocoa can now be found in Hawaii, India, Thailand, China and Australia. It was once grown in York sufficiently successfully to make a chocolate bar for the Queen. We depend on partnerships with farmers and traders who can look after the cocoa we need to make the chocolate we love.