Thursday August 19, 2010

Supplier Sources Organic Cocoa

Raleigh, NC — Chocolate Seeds manufacturer Nahualli Trading Co. is now sourcing its organic cocoa beans from an association of small-scale certified organic cocoa farmers in Ecuador’s Esmeraldas Province.

Its first order of Chocolate Seeds produced with the organic beans shipped this week to retailers in Washington, DC, North Carolina and the Midwest, according to the company. Purchasing directly from farmers and paying them a wage above prices identified by the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO) will guarantee exceptional quality, Nahualli contends.

Owner Paul Mosca says: “By going directly to the farmer and not through a broker, we can build a relationship and ensure we are receiving high quality beans. We buy our beans from just a few farms, and although we place multiple orders in a year, just one order could pay a farmer's entire annual salary.”