Flavor is key to quality cocoa. TCHO’s Flavor Labs help farmer organizations enjoy and refine the flavors of their cocoa!
By Laura Ann Sweitzer,
Director of Sustainability and Strategic Sourcing at TCHO
At TCHO, we believe the best chocolate starts with a deep understanding of flavor and cacao. Our incredible Bean Team partners with experts in cocoa-producing countries to study the soil, the trees, fermentation processes, drying, roasting, and tasting cocoa beans. That’s why we don’t just source cocoa; we co-create cocoa.
Over the last 17 years, we’ve built 10 Flavor Labs through our TCHO Source program, which are small-batch chocolate-making facilities that empower farmers to transform their own cocoa beans into chocolate. These tools support a solid understanding between genetics, fermentation, drying, flavor, and final product quality. These Flavor Labs and protocols enable a shared language to discuss flavor between TCHO and the cocoa producers we source from.
Why stop at 10 Flavor Labs? We are thrilled to announce the launch of our 11th Flavor Lab at the one and only, ABOCFA (Aponoapono Biakoye Organic Cocoa Farmers’ Association), a remarkable Organic and Fair Trade certified cocoa cooperative in Ghana.
Why Are Flavor Labs Important?
For most cocoa farmers, cocoa is grown, harvested, and sold without tasting the cocoa beans. TCHO Flavor Labs change that. By providing farmers the tools and training to roast, grind, and craft their own bean-to-bar chocolate on-site, we create a feedback loop where farmers can directly experience how their farming practices impact the incredible flavor of really good chocolate (and learn what makes chocolate taste not-so good, too). Understanding flavor directly helps growers improve cocoa quality, allowing growers to differentiate quality levels and sell them to the right buyers for the best possible price.
Since launching our first Flavor Lab in Peru, we've seen firsthand how this knowledge leads to higher-quality beans, better livelihoods, and a deeper sense of ownership.
Flavor Lab #11
Our partnerships with cocoa farmers and cocoa scientists are what keeps us inspired to constantly learn, innovate, and improve. ABOCFA is one of Ghana’s leading Organic and Fair Trade certified cocoa cooperatives, known for their commitment to sustainability, quality, and community. By partnering with ABOCFA, we’re working with farmers who are already pushing for innovation and transparency, and now, they’ll have the tools to take their cocoa to the next level.
Flavor Lab #11 will help the ABOCFA team master chocolate making, deepen their understanding of flavor, cacao fermentation and drying, and explore new possibilities for creating value at origin.
How the Flavor Lab is Funded and Supported
ABOCFA constructed and fully funded the building for the Flavor Lab using their accumulated premiums.
ABOCFA also funds all of the electricity and costs associated with building maintenance. TCHO is funding the equipment, training, and the Flavor Lab staff for the first year. Beyond year 1, ABOCFA will continue to support the cost of running the lab through Cash Premiums paid by TCHO and other buyers–creating a sustainable model for quality and innovation at origin.
Flavor Labs are a win-win-win. They not only benefit TCHO with great cocoa and enable growers to earn a higher price for their crop, but also provide the opportunity for growers to create and sell their own chocolate and benefit other cocoa buyers with better quality cocoa beans (not just TCHO).
What’s Next?
The launch of Flavor Lab #11 is just the beginning.
Over the coming months, we'll continue working alongside ABOCFA to support their farmer-members as they experiment, learn, and refine their craft. Our dream? To help nurture a new generation of cacao producers who are growers, chocolate makers, and leaders in flavor innovation.
This is how we believe true partnership should work: sharing knowledge, building capacity, and growing together.
We’re incredibly grateful to the farmers of ABOCFA for welcoming us and for their inspiring commitment to excellence. We can't wait to taste the chocolate innovations that will come from this incredible collaboration.
Follow along as we continue to build our TCHO Source program for a more flavorful world, one cocoa bean at a time.