Idukki cocoa is sourced from the state of Kerala in southwest India. This region, nicknamed "God's Own Garden," offers fertile land and a very humid climate, perfect for growing cocoa trees.
Nestled in the hills of Idukki, cocoa is grown by some 200 farmers, brought together within the GoGround Beans & Spices agricultural cooperative, amidst the forest canopies. It is among spice plantations, fruit trees, and palm trees that the fresh and spicy nuances of these beans develop.
Idukki cocoa beans are a blend of Forastero and Trinitario varieties. Idukki cocoa is soft and creamy, with a certain freshness and hints of spices, cardamom, and pepper, finishing with notes of nuts and dried fruits.
Beyond their aromatic quality, we appreciate being able to purchase cocoa butter directly from the producer, made from the same beans and with preserved aromas. The cooperative has its own hydraulic press, allowing it to transform part of its production into cocoa butter and powder. Such an offer is rare, as most of the world's cocoa butter and powder production is generally deodorized, completely untraceable, and contrary to our expectations.
Each delivered bag is individually transformed into chocolate following the Bean-To-Bar philosophy, in a "micro-batch," to stay as close as possible to the aromatic specificities that can vary from one batch to another.
The beans are tasted, sorted, roasted at a low temperature, mixed with unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter, and cow's or sheep's milk powder, and stone-conched for 3 days. The pure milk chocolate thus obtained is then melted to be molded and packaged into bars, or used to coat our dried fruits and rocks, or in pastries.