Good news from Africa: Afrikoa presents the first African Heirloom cocoa beans from Tanzania! Unique in being free-trade, bean-to-bar, 100% African chocolate, it’s also Halaal, Kosher, vegan and utterly delicious.
This unique, all-African Afrikoa chocolate hit an historic high recently and it’s cause for celebration: Afrikoa just became the first chocolate in Africa made with fairtrade heirloom cocoa beans.
AFRIKOA chocolate proudly announced that The Heirloom Cocoa Preservation Fund (HCP) has designated the cocoa trees of the Tujikomboe Farmers Group in Tanzania as Heirloom. This makes the direct-trade chocolate maker the first African chocolate to be made with heirloom cocoa beans.
Tujikomboe is only the 14th in the world and the first in Africa to receive this prestigious designation. Yes, at this point you may applaud!
Afrikoa’s relationship with the Tujikomboe Farmers Group started 3 years ago when head chocolate-maker Antonino Allegra visited their farm in search of the very best cocoa beans for Afrikoa chocolate.
After tasting the complex fruity notes, he realized there was something very special about their cocoa beans and immediately established direct trade with Tujikomboe.
WHAT IS HEIRLOOM COCOA?
Heirloom cocoa beans are the diamonds of cocoa — rare cocoa trees and beans endowed with a combination of historic, cultural, botanical, geographical, and most importantly flavour value.
They are the foundation of the best tasting chocolate. Heirloom beans have terrific overall balance — complex and intense, long and pleasant — and unique flavour.
AFRIKOA 70% DARK CHOCOLATE
While Tujikomboe’s cocoa beans are used in AFRIKOA’s entire range of chocolate, the Heirloom flavours are most prominent in the fruity 70% dark chocolate. The HCP’s International Tasting Panel had the following to say:
“Immediate presence of a rich chocolate note with an early fruit acidity presence following the chocolate blending in tart fresh fruits—citrus and tropical—a note that will persist throughout the flavour profile.”
In layman’s terms, that’s damn fine chocolate.
ABOUT THE HEIRLOOM COCOA PRESERVATION FUND
Launched in 2012 in partnership with the USDA and the Fine Chocolate Industry Association, the Heirloom Cocoa Preservation Fund (HCP) formed in response to the global pressures of environmental change, deforestation, and economic influences threatening the world’s supply of high quality, flavourful cocoa.
Recognising that these endangered cocoa trees are the source for not only delicious chocolate, but also the livelihood of many farmers and farming communities, the HCP is the first initiative to identify and map the world of high quality, flavour cocoa and certify growers of these endangered trees.
As a non-profit organization, the HCP is committed to improving the lives of the farmers who assist us in protecting and preserving cocoa diversity and the chocolate they produce.
ABOUT AFRIKOA
AFRIKOA is the first bean-to-bar company in South Africa to produce chocolate made from cocoa sourced directly from African farmers. By trading directly with the farmers (and cutting out about 7 middlemen), Afrikoa ensures the freshest, finest-quality cocoa beans and empowers the farmers to create their own sustainable futures.
Afrikoa’s cocoa beans never leave the continent, travelling just far enough to the southern tip of Africa, where their experienced chocolate-makers create the perfect chocolate bar.
All Afrikoa chocolate is Halaal and Kosher-certified and contains no artificial flavourings, colourings or soy. Our dark chocolates are lactose-free and suitable for vegans.
While most of their cocoa farmers can’t afford to be organically certified (an official ‘organic’ stamp requires a hefty price tag) their cocoa beans and trees are grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals – in fact, pesticides on cocoa farms haven’t been used in Tanzania since the 1970’s.
DIRECT TRADE
Direct trade means that Afrikoa sources their cocoa beans directly from cocoa farmers, cutting out all the traditional middlemen, buyers, sellers and organisations that control certifications, all of whom add their own profit margins to the beans the farmers have worked so hard to grow. By trading directly with the farmers, Afrikoa ensures the finest-quality cocoa beans while the cocoa farmers earn 250% more than they would with the traditional system.
Afrikoa believe that this partnership, which treats the farmers with fairness, dignity and respect is the future of chocolate and one that also means you can enjoy their chocolate knowing that you are encouraging a sustainable future for these 60 farmers and their families.
Made in Africa, For Africa:
While almost two thirds of the world’s cocoa is grown in Africa, most of it is exported to Europe and America where it is turned into chocolate before being returned to African shores. We believe in growing the art of chocolate-making within Africa and supporting the farmers and their local communities, which is why we’ve made a promise that Afrikoa chocolate will always be Made in Africa, For Africa, using cocoa beans that have never left the continent.
STOCKISTS
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CONTACT DETAILS
Please contact Yolandi Heyneke for any high res image requests.
Phone: 021 551 1806
Email: info@afrikoa.com
Address: 2B Elegance Road, Sanddrift, Milnerton 7441
