Today, we visited Sibo Chocolate for a chocolate-tasting tour from Julio. Julio did a great job presenting the history of chocolate and the reasoning for different flavors. The similarity between coffee and chocolate is fascinating. Throughout the preparation process, there are certain factors that, if not accounted for, can drastically alter the taste. Coffee beans taste different depending on roast time; chocolate can radically change its flavor if fermented too long; it can taste moldy. If dried too short, it tastes similar to rotten cheese. My favorite chocolate today was either dark chocolate or milk chocolate. I wouldn’t say I liked the pepper-flavored chocolate or the white chocolate bonbon.

The challenges and risks for the chocolate supply chain are essential. The cheaper option to ship by boat is more complex than it sounds. First, a small company must purchase a shipping container for thousands of dollars. Additionally, chocolate cannot last on a boat for three weeks. By that time, it will all melt. This leaves a chocolate factory with a single option: by plane. It is more expensive, reducing profits; however, air transportation is the solution. Companies in the chocolate industry, like Sabo, or in the coffee industry, such as Britt or Doka, all focus similarly on sustainability. Each company understands to be sustainable, profitability is tied to that. Reusing resources maximizes profit.