Spilling The Beans On Cocoa Beans

When you’re a bean-to-bar chocolate brand, you cannot stop talking about the behind-the-scenes of making chocolate. Everything that turns the humble cocoa bean into an exquisite chocolate bar, is truly fascinating. 

And today’s topic of discussion is cocoa beans themselves! So let’s go back to where the journey of every chocolate creation begins and learn all about them. But before we delve further into it, here are some fun facts Google told us about the Theobroma tree aka your cocoa tree: 

1. Cocoa trees have a long life span of over 200 years but they only produce cocoa fruits for the first 25-30 years of their lives. 
2. The Aztecs believed the cocoa tree was a gift from the god Quetzalcoatl. They used cocoa beans as currency and even for religious ceremonies.
3. Cocoa trees are super sensitive to direct sunlight and hence are grown under the shade of bigger trees. In India, they’re grown along with Coconut, Arecanut, and Oil Palm trees. 

Back to cocoa beans now!

So just like you buy different varieties of fruits and vegetables, some more sour, sweet, bitter, etc. cocoa beans come in various types too. It is largely belived that there are 3 major types of cocoa beans produced today in the world and each variety boasts distinct characteristics based on its region, offering a spectrum of complex flavors. This is changing as new varietals/hybrids are found/researched upon.

1. Forastero: This variety of cocoa beans account for over 70% of global production and is predominantly grown in the top cocoa-producing regions of the world- Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Owing to their high yield and disease-resistance qualities, they are the most commercially viable variety.

• Flavor Profile: Simple flavor profile, lacks floral and fruity notes as compared to other varieties, and can be slightly bitter if not processed properly. 
• Estimated Price: $2,000 - $3,500 per metric ton (1,000 kg)
• Use Case: Mass-produced chocolate bars, candies, and cocoa powder. 

2. Criollo: This rare variety of cocoa beans accounts for less than 5% of global cocoa bean production, making them a luxury in the cocoa world. They are primarily grown in Venezuela and some parts of Central and South American countries. Unlike Forastero beans, they have an intense flavor profile, are more susceptible to disease, and have lower yields.

• Flavor Profile: Complex and delicate flavor profile with high floral and fruity notes, sometimes likened to berries, or nuts with a hint of spice. 
• Estimated Price: $5,000 - $15,000 per metric ton (1,000 kg)
• Use Case: Luxury chocolate, and single-origin chocolate bars. 

3. Trinitario: These types of cocoa beans are a mix of the above two species which are a result of natural cross-pollination between Forastero and Criollo beans. They account for over 10-13% of global production which makes them the second most commercially viable cocoa variety. Originated in Trinidad and Tobago, these cocoa beans are today also cultivated in other parts of the Caribbean and South America, including Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador.

• Flavor Profile: A more complex flavor profile than Forastero, has subtle hints of floral and fruity notes, but not as intense as Criollo. 
• Estimated Price: $3,000 - $7,000 per metric ton (1,000 kg)
• Use Case: Mass premium chocolate bars, and high-quality cocoa powder.

But wait there’s more.. 

>>After the deadly fungal disease- Witches' Broom wiped out Ecuador's cocoa plantations in the early 20th century, Nacional cacao trees were thought to be extinct.

Until….they were re-discovered in Peru in small parts of Amazonian forest in 2011.

This variety of cocoa beans is known for its extraordinary flavor profile and is the MOST EXPENSIVE one! 

Additionally,  these cocoa trees are more sensitive, and extremely delicate and require extremely specific climatic conditions to grow, making them unsuitable for large-scale production. 

• Flavor Profile: Rich and creamy with hints of fruit and floral notes. Less bitter than other cocoa bean types.
• Price: $10,000 - $30,000 per metric ton (1,000 kg)
• Use Case: Luxury chocolates and limited edition collection. 

To'ak Chocolate is one such Ecuadorian brand known for using Nacional cocoa beans in some of their limited-edition offerings and producing some of the most expensive chocolates in the world. Their current signature and reserve chocolate bars range from $58 - $500!

Apart from the above-mentioned cocoa bean varieties, there exist other interesting cocoa bean types caused due to genetic variations. 

>>Cacao Blanco also called white cocoa is a rare breed of cocoa produced because of a genetic mutation that can potentially occur anywhere cocoa beans are grown. These cocoa beans produce a mild, milky-flavored chocolate.

• Flavor Profile: Mild, milky taste with hints of nuttiness or even floral notes.
• Price: $5,000 - $8,000 per metric ton (1,000 kg)

>>Red or Purple Cocoa: Similar to Cacao Blanco, there’s another genetic mutation that yields red or purple cocoa. Not much is known about this variety and yet it is still not commercially used. Only the future will reveal the potential of this variety. (We did find an article 

>>Amelonado: Concluding this blog with a special variety of cocoa beans that is now believed to be what is planted in India. This cocoa bean species is a hybrid of several pods and its flavour profile can be described as earthy and robust with tasting notes of coffee, wood, spice and fruity notes of cherry and raspberry with a touch of acidity.

I think we’ve spilled enough beans on cocoa beans for today! You can now look forward to another interesting chapter in chocolate making. 

Keep your chocolate game strong