Indonesia is one of the world’s top cacao producers, after Ghana and the Ivory Coast, but until more recently, you would have been hard-pressed to find quality chocolate made in the archipelago. In the last few decades, a number of entrepreneurs have decided to change this by setting up chocolate operations close to bean plantations. By basing themselves close to cacao producers, the chocolatiers have been able to support sustainable and organic agricultural systems, rewarding local farmers with top rupiah for higher quality beans. With this shift, Indonesia is now producing some of the world’s best chocolate from rare and magical cacao sourced from many of its islands.
Last week we had the pleasure of meeting one of the first artisan chocolate producers in Bali. Pursued by his passion for chocolate and the ethical treatment of farmers, Italian Architect Giuseppe “Pepe” Verdacchi, and his Balinese family, established PRIMO chocolate in 2008. PRIMO was inspired by the centuries-old tradition of cold pressed chocolate, made using only crushed cocoa beans of the highest quality. Their philosophy is simple: when you eat chocolate, choose the best and relish the experience. They source the finest cacoa beans from the mountain plantations around Bali and across the Southeast Asia’s Malay Archipelago. The beans are then slowly dried at low temperature and ground with stone grinders at a slow pace (for up to 80 hours using special equipment designed by Pepe) in order to keep the temperature of the paste as low as possible. This preserves the complexity of the aroma and taste; creating a truly unique chocolate experience. PRIMO proudly creates an exceptional range of chocolate products. Get in touch with us if you are interested in purchasing their single origin chocolate or some truly magical Indonesia cocoa mass, cocoa butter and nibs. Whether you are a chef or a chocolate lover, you will taste the difference integrity and freshness makes!
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