New: FEITORIA DO CACAO

Feitoria do Cacao Schokolade

We are happy to announce that we have succeeded in adding one of the best chocolate brands in Europe to our range. This is a great honor for us, because the brand from Aveiro also reflects the values of the Boutiqua Portuguesa and is committed to the well-being of the cocoa farmers on site.

The FEITORIA DO CACAO brand was created after a trip to São Tomé and Principe by the company's two managing directors - Tomoko Suga and Sue Tavares. In São Tomé and Principe, the two had the opportunity to visit several cocoa plantations and get in direct contact with the people who produce the cocoa. During the visits that they were allowed to make, they were shown how cocoa is processed until it ends up in the hands of chocolate manufacturers around the world.

Not only did they get to know the entire process, but they were also shown the humble and bitter life of cocoa farmers, which in no way corresponds to the image we have of chocolate: sweet and rich. That was a big shock for both of them. Through this direct contact they became aware of the importance of helping to narrow the gap and economic differences between cocoa farmers and chocolate manufacturers. Inspired by this sensitizing experience, they got to work and started the FEITORIA DO CACAO project.

Gründer Feitoria do Cacao

For a year Tomoko and Sue studied and trained as professional chocolatier and chocolate maker, doing tests and experiments with cocoa from different countries until they achieved a product that focuses on the unique and special character that each Terroir can offer. FEITORIA DO CACAO respects its nature, the local cocoa farmers and pays attention to every single detail in the chocolate making process:

„We make chocolate from cocoa beans in micro-batches, bean-to-bar. At the same time, we are bringing a unique product to the Portuguese market as we are the pioneering company for this type of chocolate in our country. In this way we contribute to what moved us from the beginning. We pay a fair price, above that of the domestic market, for the raw materials we use, and we also contribute to motivating producers to produce high-quality cocoa, the price of which is proportional and appropriate to their effort and dedication . Chocolate wins, as do all of us who will try it.“

Many companies start their chocolate making with cocoa mass that is almost ready to be formed into bars. Others have more control over their product and are involved in the entire process - from the cocoa bean to the bean-to-bar bar.).

FEITORIA DO CACAO selects the cocoa, roasts it, separates the shells, grinds, refines, temperature-controls and packs by hand, from the raw cocoa beans to the finished bar in small quantities and all in our own facilities in Aveiro. So you not only have a chocolate that tastes good, but also a chocolate that is good for us.

Cocoa bean chocolate makers not only pay more attention to the details of the process as they are directly in touch with producers and cocoa cooperatives, ensuring better quality and the best possible price for the raw material in some of the poorest parts of the world.

Large, well-recognized companies also make their chocolate from the cocoa bean, but on a much larger scale, prioritizing more efficient production in volume while maintaining the same taste, rather than looking at the quality and character of the cocoa, which varies depending on origin, variety and harvest time. The result is a chocolate that always has the same taste regardless of the harvest year, which usually has a bland and dull taste that is far from the good quality that cocoa can really offer.

The fine chocolate cannot be rushed. FEITORIA DO CACAO's chocolate is fresh and as pure as possible. No emulsifiers are added to speed up the process or reduce costs; since the company respects and emphasizes cocoa scents, flavorings are not necessary. The process takes a couple of days, but it's worth it. The refinement process makes a smooth and silky chocolate, a process that happens while the cocoa is ground in the stone wheel, heated and exposed to air circulation to remove the unwanted volatile acids and produce an elegant and balanced flavored chocolate as the end product.n.

„If, on the one hand, we can take the credit for the extreme caution we have in the entire process of making our chocolate, by knowing where the scents peaked when the desired texture is achieved, then all of the credit goes for the range of unique flavors and the effect chocolate has on the people who taste it, the cocoa we use and its countries of origin. We use cocoa from different countries of origin, and the terroir in cocoa, as well as in fine wine, gives each cocoa variety its unique taste and character.“

In Portugal, Tomoko and Sue want to change the concept of chocolate as a simple sweet for children: it is a food of the gods for all ages.

„We could produce chocolate in larger quantities, we could worry less about buying the best cocoa or paying a lower price for the raw material. It would be cheaper and less time consuming. But our claim to get the best chocolate from every cocoa means that we put all our care and soul into what we do.“

Europas beste Schokolade Feitoria do Cacao

Since 2017, FEITORIA DO CACAO chocolates have received international recognition for the most prestigious awards in the industry, such as the Academy of Chocolate Awards, International Chocolate Awards and Great Taste. Now the high-quality chocolate has found its way to Dortmund and we are already looking forward to a long cooperation.

Source photos: FEITORIA DO CACAO


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