Pleasure and Provenance

The Yosran cooperative was established in 2018 to represent 158 organic cacao growers established in 5 villages around Tiassalé.

It is one of only two organic cooperatives in the Ivory Coast, and has gained a reputation for its aromatic cocoa.

They represent cacao producers who are cultivating the cacao trees in a sustainable and responsible way: no pesticides or chemicals, a careful selection of the parcels used and the processes and cultivation methods used.

The sourcing and certification of the production is managed by Chocofair, and each bag of cacao beans can be traced down to each farm through a system of QR codes managed by Trusty.

Cacao trees originated in South America before being cultivated in other parts of the World, such as Africa or Asia.

Varieties like "Criollo", which means "of local origin" in Spanish, are extremely scarce and have the purest taste, with very fragrant notes and a distinct lack of bitterness.

Other varieties, like "Forastero", are not considered native, but they have adapted well to local conditions and are most of the cacao produced to this day.

Most of the cacao found in our chocolate is "Amelonado", "Red Ghanaian" and "Cameroonian".

We do not use "hybrids" or other GMO varieties, which are designed for fast growth and high yield, but are generally less flavoursome.

The cacao trees are cultivated in harmony with other cultures to promote soil regeneration and biodiversity. Each producer benefits from the expertise and financial support of the cooperative, from cultivating to harvesting.

Harvesting is done by hand and using machetes, and the cocoa beans are extracted gently and without damaging them.

Fermentation is done at the farm using the "slip pile" method for optimal control of the temperature and acidity levels.

The cacao is then sun-dried, for a finished product with notes of hazelnut, butter and smoked wood.

Domori, our parent company, purchases the cacao from Yosran, and transforms it into the chocolate we use in our range.

They have established themselves as World-leaders in producing the finest chocolate thanks to their extremely high standards.

The cut test:

Most chocolate producers require at least 30% of the cacao they buy to be well fermented.

Domori requires a minimum of 70% of its cacao to be perfectly fermented, performing a "cut test" to establish the colour of the beans inside, as well as ensuring the beans are free of visual defects.

The production process.

The cacao is gently roasted, at temperatures that never exceed 120 degrees, and is then ground using very fine marbles. This helps preserve the volatile aromas present in the cacao by avoiding "conching", which yields a wholegrain product bursting with flavour and aroma.