signals to consumers that there is a world beyond the Hershey bar. It identifies cacao beans from a specific country, region, plantation or estate where terroir influences aroma and flavor profiles. "Single origin allows you to discover what chocolate really tastes like from a particular area," explains Timothy Moley, owner of Boulder, Colo.'s Chocolove. "It is not a universal blend with uniform flavor, it has more vigor." As location and vintage change, so will cocoa harvests, producing varying subtle flavor nuances. "These nuances make eating single origins more interesting as there are more pronounced flavors," adds Moley.
Chocolate makers are showcasing the genetics inherent in particular beans. E. Guittard, Burlingame, Calif., recently released three single origin varietals in 2-ounce eating bars.
Underscoring the distinct flavors of the region and the ancient cacao tree type from which it came, E. Guittard's 65 percent varietals consists of Ambanja from Madagascar, Chucuri from Colombia and Sur del Lago from Venezuela.
Similarly, Lake Champlain Chocolates in Burlington, Vt., emphasizes single origin with its Small World Select Origin high cocoa content line. The line offers 0.28-ounce bite-sized
squares from four different areas that are ideal for in-store
chocolate tastings.
Detailed Packaging
Is chocolate becoming too complicated?
"The emerging language of chocolate is more innovative and sophisticated," notes Chocolate Marketing's Steuer. "However, the average customer still associates chocolate with terminology such as semisweet and bittersweet, dark and milk."
To help both retailers and consumers transition into understanding chocolate's maturing jargon, some manufacturers are placing geographical information or content specifics on the packaging. Chocolove has been detailing its products' characteristics since 1995 and includes bean origin and vintage on the packaging of its single origin Chocolatour line. "We hope that our labeling helps people learn about a specific place to find chocolate they like so they can go out and get more of it—like a bottle of wine," notes Moley, whose limited-production 2004 bars include a 70 percent Sao Tome, 60 percent Grenada and a 33 percent Java.
Other suppliers are instructing shoppers on how to eat chocolate to take full advantage of its distinct nuances. On the packaging of its new Exotic Candy Bars, Chicago-based Vosges Haut-Chocolat notes that customers should first notice the chocolate's shine, then rub their thumb on the chocolate to help release the aromas; followed by breaking the bar to make sure there is a crisp snap. Tasting is done by pressing the chocolate on the tongue and then to the roof of the mouth. Taste profiles begin when the chocolate starts to melt.
The Learning Curve
Retailers can help customers understand more about chocolate's evolution by offering samplings, tasting note cards and cross merchandising or grouping products from similar countries of origin. "The future of specialty chocolate is bright," says Chocolate Haven's Torres. "There are many unexplored avenues to be presented and consumers are hungry for their senses to be stimulated.
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