Joan Kantu, a famous farmer from Masongora village, Fort Portal, Kabarole district, has transformed her cocoa farm into a thriving chocolate business.
As a renowned cocoa farmer, she has mastered the art of value addition, turning raw cocoa seeds into high-quality chocolates under her brand, Coco Mata.
“For any commercial farmer looking to add value to cocoa, the first step is understanding the potential of the crop beyond just selling raw beans. The market for chocolate is vast, and by processing cocoa into finished products, farmers can significantly increase their income”, Kantu explains.
She gives tips on how commercial farmers can add value to cocoa seeds and advises them on the steps involved in making chocolate.
To produce high-quality chocolate, farmers must start with proper harvesting techniques.
Cocoa pods should be picked when fully ripe to ensure the best flavour.
After extracting the beans, they must be fermented for 5–7 days, a step that is essential for developing the deep flavours necessary for premium chocolate. Skipping fermentation results in bland, low-quality chocolate.
Proper drying and roasting
Once fermented, cocoa beans need to be properly dried to prevent mold and deterioration. Sun-drying for about a week is ideal.
Farmers must ensure they turn the beans regularly for uniform drying. Well-dried beans fetch a higher price on the market. After drying, roasting at 120–150°C enhances the aroma and removes any remaining bitterness.
Cracking and winnowing
To transform dried cocoa beans into chocolate, farmers must remove the outer shells, leaving behind cocoa nibs.
This process, called winnowing, is crucial because the shell does not contribute to flavour and should be separated efficiently. Investing in a simple winnowing machine can help reduce labour and increase output.
Grinding and conching
The next step is grinding the nibs into a thick paste called chocolate liquor. This is the base for all chocolate products. Farmers who want to make chocolate must also invest in a conching machine, which refines the texture and enhances the flavor by continuous mixing. Adding sugar, cocoa butter, and milk (for milk chocolate) at this stage improves the taste.
Tempering and molding
Tempering is one of the most important steps in making high-quality chocolate. It involves carefully controlling the temperature to stabilise cocoa butter crystals, which gives the chocolate a smooth, glossy finish. Poor tempering results in dull, brittle chocolate. Once tempered, the chocolate is poured into molds and left to cool and harden.
Packaging and marketing
Packaging is the final step in value addition. Attractive packaging increases market appeal. Farmers who want to succeed in chocolate production must think beyond just making the product; branding, labeling, and distribution are equally important.
