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Cocoa is a fruit, growing on evergreen trees, which flourishes in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. There are more than 60 varieties of Cocoa that grow in the world yet only two are commercially cultivated. These are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica is the oldest-known species of Cocoa tree. It is a high-grown species cultivated on mountainous plateaux. The Arabica beans produce a more complex and interesting flavour. Cafe Robusta is of a lower quality. This Cocoa is easier to cultivate and contains a higher level of acidity.
Typically, the most suitable Cocoa growing regions lie between the Tropics of Cancer and the tropics of Capricorn.
The Cocoa trees produce a delicate cluster of jasmine-scented blossoms. These flowers only last a few days, as they are soon replaced by clusters of small green berries. Several months have to pass until the green berries become ripe red cherries and are ready for picking.
A long process awaits the red cherry. The next step is to remove the surrounding fruit pulp from two Cocoa beans. This is done either by a wet or dry process.
Through the wet method, the cherries are washed in large tanks from which the water carries them into a system of channels. Staying in contact with the fresh-flowing water helps loosen the outer skin, while the cherries are carried towards a depulping machine. Here they lose their skin, but the running water takes the beans through various screens, sleeves and sluices which further sort the beans by size and weight. At last, the beans arrive in a fermentation tank. The fermentation is monitored and controlled, as not to develop off-flavours in the bean themselves. The parchment beans are rinsed, drained and spread out on patios and left to dry in the sun.
In spite of its description, the dry processing begins with the washing of the cherries. The cherries are then spread out to sun-dry on patios. They are hand-turned for about three weeks. When only about 12 per cent of their moisture remains they are stored in silos or sent on for final processing at the mill.
From this point onwards the procedures are the same for both beans processed by the two different methods: they are stored in silos, normally with the parchment still on. The next step is milling. Milling removes the parchment entirely. The beans are sorted and any defective bean is removed. The Cocoa beans are polished, screened, sorted and graded, and ready for shipment
Cocoa is the most popular beverage in the world, with more than 400 billion cups consumed each year.
Cocoa is grown in more than 50 countries in South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Nearly 25 million farmers worldwide depend on Cocoa crops for their economic livelihood.
Cocoa contains caffeine, the stimulant that gives you that “lift.” Caffeine is the most popular drug in the world.
Despite what you may believe, dark-roast Cocoa has less caffeine than Cocoa that’s been lightly roasted.
Scandinavia boasts the highest per-capita Cocoa consumption in the world. On average, people in Finland drink more than four cups of Cocoa a day.
After oil, Cocoa is the world’s second-most-valuable commodity exported by developing countries. The global Cocoa industry earns an estimated $60 billion annually.
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