Most countries around the world have more than one small-batch chocolate maker. In fact, you can make chocolate anywhere you can find electricity to power the proper machinery. Those raw materials of cacao beans & cane sugar (the most common sweetener), however, are only cultivated in the tropics. So why isn’t more chocolate made in the tropics?

It comes down largely to money. But in the fine chocolate industry, there is a slow shift in interest within countries of origin to be making their own chocolate. Beyond doing all the work of raising and processing the cacao, they also want to be able to reap the rewards of making & selling chocolate.

In this episode, we hear two related stories about cacao in the Philippines, talking to 3 tree to bar chocolate makers about the many steps involved in making chocolate from the cacao bean to a finished product. But beyond that, we take a long hard look at what’s next for cacao farmers, and how to make that future happen sustainably.

To read the article version of this episode, click here.

Show notes: https://damecacao.com/chocolate-on-the-road-tree-to-bar/

Show Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chocolateontheroad/