World Chocolate Day and a Celebration of Nigerian Chocolate

There is probably no better time to be a cacao bean in Nigeria than now. There might actually be a chance you stay in the country and be transformed into the most remarkable and flavourful and velvet-smooth bean-to-bar chocolate. This hasn’t always been the case; Nigeria is known as one of the largest cocoa growing countries, but most of our cocoa is either exported out of the country or used by the beverage companies.  In most cases, you can’t even taste the cocoa, it just tastes ‘sweet’!

I am happy to announce that this is changing …in very recent months, there has been an increase in the number of Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Makers in the world and I am even happier to share that Nigeria is not left out of this number. What is bean-to-bar chocolate, you might ask? It is chocolate that has been carefully processed from scratch using cacao beans and transforming them into chocolate in a way that highlights their flavor profiles.  That is about the simplest definition of bean-to-bar chocolate. It is not an easy task though. The cacao beans are first sorted to remove any stones or unwanted debris, then they are roasted, cracked and winnowed (separating the small cracked cocoa also known as cocoa nibs and the cocoa husk/shell). Next, they are ground and conched, to get that velvety smooth texture we all love and also eliminate the bitter astringent taste of the cocoa. Finally, they are tempered and molded to achieve the perfect snap and sheen. Most of these steps are done by hand as a large number of artisan chocolate makers cannot afford to buy big machinery when they are just starting out. Making bean-to-bar chocolate is truly a labour of love. With people becoming more conscious of what they eat, and gradually becoming experts at reading food labels *smile*, there has been an increase in the number of chocolate makers that use simple ingredients that everyday folks can read! No preservatives and no hidden junk.

People are also becoming more socially responsible; wanting to know where their chocolate comes from and that they are actually giving back to a farmer who does a happy dance. What I love about the growing chocolate community in Nigeria is the fact that it is mainly women who have taken this plunge, each bringing their uniqueness to the craft. We are not only making the most amazing chocolate using our own ingredients, we are doing it and being innovative as well. We have chocolate made using “zobo leaves” and plantain chips. We also have chocolate that have been named after our local weather such as Lagos Heat and Harmattan. There is also a chocolate maker dehydrating our local fruits and using them as inclusions in chocolates. We are truly creating a product for ourselves that the world can also come to taste, appreciate and come to love.

This World Chocolate Day, why not seek out a local artisan chocolate maker, and spend that extra bit of money to indulge in their made-with-love chocolates, because making chocolate from scratch is truly a labour of love!

Written By

Moji Aina

CEO, Pod Chocolates, Nigerian Chocolate Makers transforming locally sourced cocoa into silky smooth chocolates made without preservatives. Focused on product innovation, they infuse locally recognizable flavours like creating the first Zobo chocolate in Nigeria. Each bar tells a unique story of our history and educates consumers about the cultural and hidden treasures in Nigeria.

Instagram handle: @podchocolates

Website: www.podchocolates.com