the country and improve awareness of the cocoa industry. A small factory was established, staff hired and trained in the U.S. and Trinidad, and production started at the beginning of 2016. In chocolate making, beans are separated to ensure even roasting, then placed in the cracking and winnowing machine to remove the outer husk leaving just the raw cacao nibs. These nibs are fed through a grinding machine to reduce them to a liquid called chocolate liquor. While adding sugar and a very small amount of lecathin, a binding agent, the liquor is slowly introduced into two conching machines, which further grind and fold the liquid chocolate for three days. The chocolate is very warm by this stage and needs to be cooled to enable it to crystallize as solid chocolate. The tempering machine takes it down to exactly 30 °C. If done properly and consistently this process gives chocolate its attractive shine and snap. The chocolate is then poured into moulds, air bubbles removed and cooled, then set to a precise temperature. The job is handed over to the packing team who wrap it in the unique Vincentian Chocolate packaging. The aim remains to make the best and purest chocolate possible from cocoa grown only in St Vincent. On September 23, 2016 ‘Vincentian Chocolate’ was launched throughout SVG, and to date demand has been high.
The aim remains to make the best and purest chocolate possible from cocoa grown only in St Vincent. From bean to bite, Vincentian chocolate is 72% Cocoa, 100% Vincy. All photos courtesy the St. Vincent Cocoa Company
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