Dominican Cacao and Chocolate - Podcast

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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For anyone interested, I was invited to speak on Pod Save Chocolate today with Clay Gordon form thechocolatelife.com. We spent a little over an hour taking about my current almost 7 week trip here to the DR updating my understanding of cacao and chocolate in the DR. It is episode 93 if you go to thechocolatelife.com. It can also be found on
linkeden, YouTube, or Facebook.

 

chico bill

Silver
May 6, 2016
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I hate the long self-promotion introductions of these YouTube channels. I get distracted before the meat of the dialog actually starts.

Do you still get around by motorcycle Tom?

60% of worldwide organic cocoa produced in DR ? That seems very high for a product which sells a billion dollars of organic cocoa annually. Where do those figures come from Tom? Is that because of what is defined as 'organic' production and some others claiming to be organic are not the same as DR?
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
821
176
63
I hate the long self-promotion introductions of these YouTube channels. I get distracted before the meat of the dialog actually starts.

Do you still get around by motorcycle Tom?

60% of worldwide organic cocoa produced in DR ? That seems very high for a product which sells a billion dollars of organic cocoa annually. Where do those figures come from Tom? Is that because of what is defined as 'organic' production and some others claiming to be organic are not the same as DR?
No more motorcycle unless it's jumping on a Moto concho for the shorter rides. Yes the 60% number is generally accepted from multiple sources.


They are quoting 70%, this is the Fine Chocolate Industry Association.


Another 70%, I usually read 60%
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
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The reason the DR produces such a large amount of the world's organic certified cacao includes a number of factors. The vast majority of cacao in the DR is grown under shade canopies and little inputs are needed like fertilizers because the canopy and remaining pods become compost material. Sun dominate cacao needs added help but production can be 3 or 4 times higher per hectare. Dominican cacao farms give up some productively for the more sustainable system. In the 80's and 90's, USAID and German foreign assistance programs, helped fund the organic certification process. Instead of each farmer skipping the fermentation process and drying the cacao after opening pods. It's called "Sanchez" in the DR because the port where it was first exported, but is not considered high quality cacao. Fermented cacao in the DR is called "Hispanola" and currently 50-60% of the cacao is fermented and I'm not sure what % of the DR production is certified organic, but it is very high for both fermented and unfermented cacao. The cacao is sold to cooperatives and private processors in "baba" or wet, who do the fermentation, drying, sorting, bagging and preparation for export. The certification for organic is done through the cooperatives and the processors so it is taken out of the hands of individual farmers. Not sure why other countries have not followed suit, Peru is probably closest behind the DR. I have more to learn on this topic.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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Tom, have you met Janett and Erika Liriano, the sisters who started Inaru? https://inaru.com/

They are some very tenacious and determined women. Came to the DR to help their father with his cocoa farm after their grandfather died and started from scratch. They are two "don't tell me I can't do it" driven persons.

c-1726978780862-1726978780539_janett_liriano_img_1996-1-1.jpg


"Founded by award winning Dominican American sisters Janett and Erika Liriano, INARU is the only woman owned vertically integrated chocolate company enhancing traceability, financial empowerment, and regenerative organic cocoa in the Dominican Republic.INARU 's vertically- integrated model ensures quality and equity at every step."
 
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Gadfly

member
Jul 7, 2016
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Couple years back a mas mas was 20 pesos, now they cost 35 pesos. Why oh why.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
821
176
63
Tom, have you met Janett and Erika Liriano, the sisters who started Inaru? https://inaru.com/

They are some very tenacious and determined women. Came to the DR to help their father with his cocoa farm after their grandfather died and started from scratch. They are two "don't tell me I can't do it" driven persons.

c-1726978780862-1726978780539_janett_liriano_img_1996-1-1.jpg


"Founded by award winning Dominican American sisters Janett and Erika Liriano, INARU is the only woman owned vertically integrated chocolate company enhancing traceability, financial empowerment, and regenerative organic cocoa in the Dominican Republic.INARU 's vertically- integrated model ensures quality and equity at every step."
Tom, have you met Janett and Erika Liriano, the sisters who started Inaru? https://inaru.com/

They are some very tenacious and determined women. Came to the DR to help their father with his cocoa farm after their grandfather died and started from scratch. They are two "don't tell me I can't do it" driven persons.

c-1726978780862-1726978780539_janett_liriano_img_1996-1-1.jpg


"Founded by award winning Dominican American sisters Janett and Erika Liriano, INARU is the only woman owned vertically integrated chocolate company enhancing traceability, financial empowerment, and regenerative organic cocoa in the Dominican Republic.INARU 's vertically- integrated model ensures quality and equity at every step."
I saw your post about them awhile back and sent a few emails them. We have had some interaction on social media. They are building a brand the right way it appears. I haven't tried their chocolate yet.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
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I saw your post about them awhile back and sent a few emails them. We have had some interaction on social media. They are building a brand the right way it appears. I haven't tried their chocolate yet.
They came to visit me a few times back when they were starting. At that point they didn't have a clue, all they had was a good idea and a steady supply.

I finally convinced them to rent an entire building instead of space in mine.
 

chico bill

Silver
May 6, 2016
13,691
7,549
113
Tom, have you met Janett and Erika Liriano, the sisters who started Inaru? https://inaru.com/

They are some very tenacious and determined women. Came to the DR to help their father with his cocoa farm after their grandfather died and started from scratch. They are two "don't tell me I can't do it" driven persons.

c-1726978780862-1726978780539_janett_liriano_img_1996-1-1.jpg


"Founded by award winning Dominican American sisters Janett and Erika Liriano, INARU is the only woman owned vertically integrated chocolate company enhancing traceability, financial empowerment, and regenerative organic cocoa in the Dominican Republic.INARU 's vertically- integrated model ensures quality and equity at every step."
Their chocolate may be excellent but that dialog looks like it was written to put on a teleprompter for Kamala.
'vertically integrated', 'traceability' 'financial empowerment' and 'equity'?
C'mon man - I eat chocolate because it tastes good - not because of worn out political jargon like this.
That tired BS is as dated as wearing spats, a raccoon coat, carrying a megaphone and listening to Rudy Vallee records.