the source of all chocolate and cocoa. Cocoa beans are found in the pods of the cacao tree. Theobroma cacao, an evergreen typically grown within 20° of the equator.
Seeds contained inside the pod like fruit (cabosse) of the Theobroma tree. Can only be found growing in the "cocoa belt" 20 degrees north and south of the equator.
Seeds from the pod of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao), native to Amazon forests. The center of the cocoa bean is called the nib, from which chocolate is made.
Seeds from the pod of a Theobroma tree. Native to the dense tropical Amazon forests. Commercially grown worldwide in tropical rainforests within 20° latitude of the equator.
Mold( MPM-V18) More than 4% of beans by count are moldy Insect filth( MPM-V18) More than 4% of beans by count are insect-infested including insect-damaged Insect filth and/or mold More than 6% of beans by count are insect-infested or moldy
Similar to the wine growing industry, cocoa beans demand intensive care. Like wine, their harvest is followed by a controlled fermentation. Fine flavoured "criollo" is the rarest and most sought after cocoa bean of all cocoa varieties. Only a few small chocolate manufacturers such as Felchin SA in Switzerland are able to offer a "grand cru-couverture", which is solely based on the criollo-beans. Big mass producers such as Hershey or Cocoa Barry are unable to use criollo beans for their production and chose therefore the more common but less aromatic Forastero Beans.
Source of all chocolate and cocoa, cocoa beans are found in the pods (fruit) of the cocoa tree, an evergreen cultivated mainly within twenty degrees north or south of the equator.