Grenada Island Tour - The Grenada Chocolate Company

June 16th, 2014

Where the magic happens

Basically a CHOCOLATE factory tour.  Oh yes we did!  "Oompa loompa doomptey doo. I've got a perfect puzzle for you.  Oompa loompa doomptey doo.  If you are wise, you'll listen to me."

Cocoa tree with pods

Early in the tour Cutty stopped to show us a cocoa tree with cocoa bean pods.

New shoot on a cocoa tree

He broke one open and let us suck the sweet, white...stuff that encases each cocoa bean.  We spit out the actual cocoa bean as they are very bitter raw.

Cocoa bean pod with the sweet, white stuff

Then Cutty took us to The Grenada Chocolate Company.  From their web site - "The Grenada Chocolate Company Ltd. was founded in 1999 with the idea of creating an Organic Cocoa Farmers' and Chocolate-Makers Cooperative.  We produce high quality Organic dark chocolate in Grenada with our world famous cocoa beans.  Our factory is nestled in lush cocoa groves in Grenada's pristine rainforest."

Edmond -One of three founders.  Sadly the only one left alive

Despite it being lunch time, the owner Edmond graciously took the time to walk us through each step in the chocolate making process.

Cocoa bean roaster

We could actually smell the chocolate before we even stepped foot in the factory.  It was wonderful.

Nib sorter - cracked shells are shed here

Nib machine again

This is a small operation but Edmond said they are doing very well.  You can buy in local stores (IGA and Foodland) and online for US, EU, UK and international customers.

I did listen closely to Edmond but I really can't remember all the steps.  I had chocolate on a big part of my brain so the recollection part was greatly reduced.  Sorry.

Did I mention that the smell was.....divine!

The equipment was impressive.

Smilo - Instant Cocoa from The Grenada Chocolate Company

Hand crafted care is taken in each step.  The finished chocolate bars are hand wrapped.

Love this logo Ron is sporting - Lann and I bought tank tops with this logo.  I have it on now.

They use solar panels to power the machines.

Solar powered

More from their web site "The original impetus and principle of our cooperative company is to revolutionize the cocoa-chocolate system that typically keeps cocoa production separate from chocolate-making and therefore takes advantage of cocoa farmers.  We believe that the cocoa farmers should benefit as much as the chocolate-makers."
They have won many awards.  I would encourage you to take a look at the full story on their web site.  It's pretty impressive.  Additionally I have some links below that might interest you as well.

Molten Green
Nothing Like Chocolate

And YES, we did get to sample all the dark chocolate at the end of the tour.  Luxuriously dark chocolate in four different levels of cocoa 60%, 71%, 82%, 100% and Nib-A-Licious (nibs -pieces of local cocoa beans in 60% chocolate) as well as a Sea Salt with 60% bar.  YUM!!!!!!!!

*The bars are not cheap but so worth the extra cost now that we have seen the process and understand all that they are trying to accomplish.