Lutheran World Relief (LWR) leading cacao activities, in collaboration with ZOTO, invites you to join a cocoa flavor journey through Central and Latin America!
Discover how an innovative online tool highlights the flavor diversity of cocoas from 6 cocoa-producing countries; the #cocoaflavormap was first launched in 2017 and it helped cocoa farmers from Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador diversify their cocoas, get recognition, and reach new markets.
The map has been expanding to include new flavor profiles from Guatemala, Ecuador, and Peru, adding a new dimension to the diversification of cocoa quality and the appreciation of these renowned cocoa origins!
Our main objective is to show the world the origins and organoleptic characteristics of each cocoa product on display, through a virtual tool. This will help producers access new markets and create awareness about the richness of Central American cocoa flavor for chocolate manufacturers looking for special products.
With each of the products on the Regional Cocoa Flavor Map, the following has been done:
- Research into the current quality available from farms and cooperatives.
- An application of modified post-harvest protocols, with close supervision for optimal flavor expression.
- Sensory and chemical analysis of the samples obtained
- Geographical and statistical mapping of the entire data set collected.
Thanks to the USDA-funded MOCCA (Maximizing Opportunities in Coffee and Cocoa in the Americas) project, new origins and profiles from Ecuador, Peru and Guatemala were added.
