I was the first chocolate maker to visit Chililique but I doubt I will be the last.
This trip gave me valuable insights, i was able to glimpse how the land is being managed & what the eco system is like. Non-plantation style farming like they have in Chililique is incredibly positive for the environment, it means small plots of land are bursting with biodiversity.
I now know who the main people involved are at Chililique and what the social and economical impact of cacao is, it’s positive. The people are lovely, and I will try to organise some small chocolate machinery for them and training on my next visit. Their work is at least as important as mine in bringing you a good chocolate.
Perhaps I could have stayed at home and asked the coop to send me some pictures and info, then jazzed it up to look good. I could just buy chocolate from Valrhona, Casa Luker or Callebaut and rewrite their stories to be my own. But where’s the fun in that?!
