By:Rema Sundar
Chocolates! The word itself brings a happy mood, thinking of the rich, delectable taste and feel of this treat, sometimes sweet and sometimes bitter. The popularity of chocolates is that it is relished by people across continents and age groups; truly a universal delicacy.
Such is the emotion behind chocolates and their making is that it is celebrated in festivals across the world. The Chocoa Festival of Amsterdam or the Belgian Chocolate Festival are some renowned names.
What if we tell you that India now has its own chocolate festival curated by chocopreneurs and known by the name ‘Indian Cacao and Craft Chocolate Festival’? The chocolicious event that started in Bengaluru in 2022 returned to the Karnataka capital in its fourth edition held at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) on 16 & 17 November 2024.
First-of-its-kind in India
First-of-its-kind in India Bigger and better, the Festival saw the coming together of chocolate connoisseurs, Indian and international chocolate brands and cacao from South India. For starters, cacao is the seed of Theobroma cacao tree from which cocoa is derived after drying and fermentation.
In a first for India, the Festival organised a guided international craft chocolate tasting, which was anchored by Martin Christy, co-founder of the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting (IICCT) and Judging Director of the International Chocolate Awards. International brands such as Kokomo from Philippines, and Boo Chocolate from Thailand also made their appearance for the first time. Participating Indian brands included leading craft chocolate makers like Manam, Subko Cacao, Bon Fiction, Chempotty Farms and Varanashi Farms.
With the objective of introducing Indian flavours to the world, this edition of the Festival also had cacao from diverse South Indian regions like Puttur (Karnataka), Godavari (Andhra Pradesh), Idukki (Kerala), and Pollachi (Tamil Nadu).
Patricia Cosma, a Romanian entrepreneur who co-founded the Festival explained, “My entry to the Indian chocolate world was in 2018. I spent years exploring cacao farms, learning about the ecosystem and developing networks with key stakeholders including farmers. The Festival is a product of the collective aspirations of the Indian chocolate community.
.” Ketaki Churi, Co-Founder of the Festival, said, “The festival aimed to promote India cacao, which has distinct flavours and offers several nutritional benefits as well. We curated the festival in such a way that it not only offered chocolate tasting experiences but also provided a learning platform through 16 sessions spread over two days.”
The focus of the festival was craft chocolates, which are made from fine cocoa. The processing of cocoa for craft and commercial chocolates are different; the craft chocolates are made with an emphasis on high-quality cocoa and sugar. Craft chocolates are considered a clean and healthy snack as against commercial chocolates which are laden with sugar.
“Interestingly, this Festival is an one-of-its-kind event in India celebrating chocolates and also the only food festival featuring one speciality ingredient, viz., craft and artisanal chocolates,” Patricia added.
“Adding to the list of firsts, we had organised a pairing session with tea and chocolate,” Ketaki, a culinary graduate and a chocolate maker said.
Support for Farmers
Supporting farmers has been one of the main aims of the festival. The majority are small cacao farmers in India who sell their produce to collectives. “However, such collectives exist in only some parts of the country,” said Patricia and added that the festival is an effort to help farmers find new buyers, share knowledge and build a network.
Apart from the rich flavours and nutritional benefits of cacao that craft chocolates bring, there is an economic angle to it too.
Ketaki explained, “While commercial chocolate makers procure cacao for Rs 200-300 a kilogram, craft chocolate artisans buy it for Rs 1000 a kg. Selling their produce to craft chocolate makers leaves small cacao growers in a much better place financially.”
The 2024 edition of the ‘Indian Cacao and Craft Chocolate Festival’ had nearly 2,500 participants enjoying and learning all about this farm produce that has a rich history in India.
