Bean To Bar In Ivory Coast? And Albertus Eskes
The bean-to-bar world can be a bit snobby at times, and any mention of Ivory Coast (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) cacao can get some craft chocolate individuals into a panic and red-faced. With my years in fine chocolate I’ve heard most people touting the idea of “fair trade” and helping the farmers, but this was always directed to cacao growers outside West Africa. I never heard proponents of craft chocolate ever speak about work or improvements in Ivory Coast. They were always very quiet about this. As if ignoring the problem in the West African cacao trade is going to help the people they say are being exploited.
Ivory Coast is the largest producer of cacao, and this isn’t slowing down. Ghana, it’s neighbour, comes in second. I’ve always said that we should encourage people who wish to improve standards not only in quality but in ethics in regards to cacao in West Africa. And who better than the people of Ivory Coast themselves to make this change.
It’s beautiful to read about such work. Creative individuals in Ivory Coast deciding to make their own chocolate from cacao grown in the region. Adding value locally instead of overseas. You may wonder, what about the quality? Yes, West Africa is not known for the fine flavoured cacao, but we often oversimply this idea, as if to say it’s impossible for Ivory Coast to ever grow fine cacao. This is not true. It is extremely challenging, but not impossible. It’s also not impossible to improve the issue surrounding ethics in connection with cacao in the region. An enormous undertaking, but not impossible. Which is why it’s wonderful to see cacao and chocolate researcher Albertus Eskes taking his wisdom and passion for improving cacao and working together with those in the Ivory Coast to hopefully start a chain reaction in the region. Improving cacao quality, improving ethics, improving the livelihoods of those in the Ivory Coast.
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