From Bean to Bliss: A Dive into Cocoa Production

How and Where is Cocoa Grown?

The highest priority in cocoa production at deZaan is to secure the finest quality cocoa beans, as their integrity significantly influences the final characteristics of the end products.

ofi's global network boasts a team of expert assessors who meticulously evaluate and select the best cocoa beans from around the world. To ensure consistent quality and quantity at our factories, we often blend cocoa beans from various countries and regions before they enter our plant.

Upon arrival at the deZaan facilities, these carefully chosen cocoa beans are processed with precision to create an array of exceptional cocoa ingredients.

The journey of transforming cocoa beans into delectable cocoa ingredients is a meticulous process that ensures the finest quality in every product. At deZaan, this transformation is achieved through a series of carefully orchestrated steps, each playing a crucial role in developing the rich flavors and textures we associate with our premium cocoa products.

1. Pre-Cleaning: Upon arrival at the processing facility, cocoa beans undergo thorough screening to eliminate foreign materials such as twigs, stones, and other debris.
2. Breaking: The cleaned beans are then broken into smaller pieces to separate the shells from the valuable cocoa nibs inside. This step is performed in multiple stages to minimize the production of fine particles.
3. Winnowing: Following the breaking process, the mixture is sieved into various fractions to optimize separation. In winnowing cabinets, a stream of air removes the lighter, broken shells, isolating the essential cocoa nibs. Strong magnets are also employed to extract any remaining metallic foreign matter.

Phase 2: Nib Processing

1. Sterilizing: To ensure microbiological safety, the cocoa nibs are sterilized using steam, effectively reducing the Total Plate Count (TPC) to less than 500 per gram and eliminating pathogenic bacteria.
2. Alkalizing (Dutching): In this optional step, nibs are treated with an alkali solution, such as potassium or sodium carbonate, to modify their color and flavor profiles.
3. Roasting: Roasting serves to reduce moisture content and further develop the desired flavors. Temperatures range from 95–145°C (200–295°F), depending on factors like the type of nib and the intended end product.
4. Grinding: The roasted nibs are ground in a multi-stage process, transforming them into a fluid mass known as cocoa liquor. This occurs because approximately half of the nib's composition is fat, which melts during grinding, suspending the cocoa particles in cocoa butter.

Phase 3: From Nibs to Finished Products

1. Cocoa Liquor: When cocoa nibs are ground, they turn into a liquid cocoa mass. This liquid can either be stored in tanks to await pressing or shipped to chocolate manufacturers for further processing. Pressing the cocoa mass separates it into two parts: cocoa cake, which is used to make cocoa powder, and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter makes up about half the weight of cocoa nibs. This fat is removed from the cocoa mass using hydraulic presses with pressures up to 450 kg/cm². Depending on the pressing time and press settings, the resulting cocoa cakes may have a fat content of 10 to 24%.

2. Cocoa Cake: After pressing, the cakes are broken into smaller pieces called kibbled cakes. These kibbled cakes are usually stored based on their fat content and level of alkalization. They may be blended before grinding to produce the desired type of cocoa powder.

3. Cocoa Butter: The extracted cocoa butter is filtered and stored. Depending on the desired result, it can be partially or fully deodorized, blended, and then shipped to manufacturers.

4. Cocoa Powder: The grinding process turns cocoa cake particles into fine powder. After grinding, the powder is cooled to allow the fat to crystallize properly. This helps prevent discoloration (fat bloom) or lump formation in the bags later on, which can happen if the fat doesn’t crystallize well during filling.