How we produce
Chocolate
Up to 20 varieties of cocoa
85% of our cocoa is “Fino de Aroma” from Central and South America, the most prestigious in the world. We also use cocoa from Asia and Africa, up to 20 different varieties in total, exploiting the diversity of their characteristics to make harmonious and nuanced blends.
Peru
- Variety: Criollo, Nacional
- Aromas: Fruity, floral, spicy
- Quality: Gourmet, aromatic
Venezuela
- Variety: Criollo, Trinitario
- Aromas: Sweet, fruity, almond
- Quality: Refined, premium
Colombia
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Spicy, floral, citrus
- Quality: Complex, balanced
Equador
- Variety: Nacional (Arriba)
- Aromas: Floral, fruity, hazelnut
- Quality: Fine, aromatic
Ivory Coast
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Bitter, earthy, woody
- Quality: Conventional, resilient
São Tomé
- Variety: Forastero, Trinitario
- Aromas: Spicy, fruity, smoky
- Quality: Intense, aromatic
Togo
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Earthy, woody, smoky
- Quality: Robust, intense
Dominican Republic
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Fruity, citrus, floral
- Quality: Fine, aromatic
Madagascar
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Citrus, berry, tangy
- Quality: Vibrant, aromatic
Java
- Variety: Criollo, Trinitario
- Aromas: Smoky, woody, spicy
- Quality: Unique, intense
Ghana
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Intense, earthy, chocolate
- Quality: Robust, full-bodied
Peru
- Variety: Criollo, Nacional
- Aromas: Fruity, floral, spicy
- Quality: Gourmet, aromatic
São Tomé
- Variety: Forastero, Trinitario
- Aromas: Spicy, fruity, smoky
- Quality: Intense, aromatic
Venezuela
- Variety: Criollo, Trinitario
- Aromas: Sweet, fruity, almond
- Quality: Refined, premium
Colombia
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Spicy, floral, citrus
- Quality: Complex, balanced
Equador
- Variety: Nacional (Arriba)
- Aromas: Floral, fruity, hazelnut
- Quality: Fine, aromatic
Ivory Coast
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Bitter, earthy, woody
- Quality: Conventional, resilient
Togo
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Earthy, woody, smoky
- Quality: Robust, intense
Domenican Republic
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Fruity, citrus, floral
- Quality: Fine, aromatic
Madagascar
- Variety: Trinitario, Criollo
- Aromas: Citrus, berry, tangy
- Quality: Vibrant, aromatic
Java
- Variety: Criollo, Trinitario
- Aromas: Smoky, woody, spicy
- Quality: Unique, intense
Ghana
- Variety: Forastero
- Aromas: Intense, earthy, chocolate
- Quality: Robust, full-bodied
Peru
Venezuela
Colombia
Ivory Coast
The production process
We remain one of the very few companies that produces chocolate starting from raw cocoa beans, taking in-house care of every step of the process, as was once done. Our recipes, handed down through the centuries, always preserve tradition and tastefulness.
Harvest, fermentation, drying
After harvesting, the cocoa beans are fermented by letting them rest for 2 to 6 days and then dried in the sun. After a quality check, the beans are stowed in jute bags and are shipped to our factory. From here our production process begins.
Cleaning and stock
The cocoa beans are first cleaned to remove debris and impurities, then stored in silos at controlled temperature and humidity, sorted by type.
Debacterization and roasting
Before roasting, the cocoa beans are treated with steam to remove any remaining pathogens. The roasting phase is crucial because by controlling the cooking of the cocoa beans, the unique flavors of each variety are developed.
Crushing and peeling
The cocoa beans are crushed into small pieces, which are called grains, and at the same time the skin covering them is removed.
Cocoa paste preparation
Grinding the cocoa beans, through applied mechanical energy, causes the cocoa butter naturally contained in each bean to liquefy, giving the product a fluid consistency. Cocoa paste is thus obtained.
Blending
The necessary ingredients are added to the cocoa paste according to the recipes (powdered sugar, “Roller” milk powder, hazelnuts, almonds, vanilla…). Finally we obtain the actual chocolate.
Refining
The chocolate is further crushed to a 20-micron dimension, resulting in an extremely silky texture on the palate.
Conching
The chocolate undergoes conching in special machines, called “conches,” that stir the mixture at controlled temperature and humidity for a variable period, up to 72 hours, depending on the type of chocolate.
Tempering
The chocolate is cooled and heated to different temperatures, depending on its quality, to make it easier to process, shinier and “snappy”.
Moulding
Tempered chocolate is poured into special molds that shape the chocolate into bars, chocolates, gianduiotti etc… In dedicated lines, instead, we produce Cremini, Scorza chocolate eggs and covered fruit.