farm to bar - direct trade - single origin
OUR FARMERS
We aim to make amazing chocolate...
Everything must start with the highest quality beans, and an appreciation for the farmers. To do this, we are committed to Direct Trade. We work closely together with our farming partners and regularly meet up to share newfound knowledge that benefits both.
So, what is Direct Trade?
By directly paying our farmers a premium for their best beans, we motivate them to grow the best crops possible. No middle man and no fuss. Better crops means you get better chocolate, and in return we all get better communities.
Our dedication and deep involvement into every step of the way is something only a few chocolate makers do; it does not make it easier, cheaper or comes with less financial risk, but we do this because we believe it is the right way.
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One of our farmers is Mr. Bodie. Like others, he is essential to our business because he is responsible for growing the high quality fine-flavored beans known to come from Jamaica.
At age 25 Mr. Bodie bought his own farm in Portland, Jamaica. He has been farming his land for over 30 years, starting with bananas. After the banana market collapsed, he started growing other crops like pineapple, breadfruit, dasheen and cocoa.
As a father of four, his income depends on the fruits of his land, therefore he puts a lot of effort into pruning his trees, maintaining the farm and selecting the right crops to grow so he can provide the best products possible.
“It has always been my dream to sell cocoa to an artisan producer; I never liked the idea of selling to a big company not knowing what the end result might be and wondering if I am treated fairly. Tasting my own beans made into a chocolate bar is a dream come true.”
OUR BEANS
Jamaica, home to the Blue Mountains and its world-famous coffee, is idyllic in many ways. Lush rainforests and abundant fertile soil give for some of the best quality land needed to grow exceptional cocoa.
Pure Chocolate uses organically grown, single origin beans that are a mix of Criollo and Trinitario varieties, sourced directly from the John Crow Mountains, overlooking the Blue Mountains.
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The global International Cocoa Organization rates the beans grown in Jamaica as “fine flavor”; a title given only to those countries that produce beans of exceptional quality. Due to the island’s unique soil and conditions, the beans attain a distinctive flavor. Our single estate partnerships ensure we can give you the highest quality you will find.
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Even though our farmers grow their cocoa beans organically, they are not certified organic. There are several reasons for this. Due to the remote location of the farms, becoming certified is much more expensive than for many other farms. Another reason is that farmers grow their cocoa crop organically, but might still use some fertilizer or pesticides on their other crops, which would make them unable to receive USDA organic certification.
Still, our beans, fermented and dried by hand, follows an expert process that has been designed to stay as close to the extraordinary cocoa taste of the original beans, bringing out exceptional flavour.
