Artisanal Chocolate Bean to Bar - Peru Chuncho Chungui - BRONZE WINNER 2025@Chocawards

International Chocolate Awards Competition Winner

European Bronze Medal

Flavor Profile: A rainbow of floral and fruity aromas, with notes of lavender, sage, mandarin, and an exotic hint of papaya.

Bean-to-Bar Chocolate — Peru Chuncho Chungui

Two Ingredients:

• 70% Peruvian cocoa beans — Chuncho Chungui
• 30% unrefined cane sugar
• Crunchy cocoa nibs

This bean-to-bar chocolate contains no artificial flavors, added cocoa butter, or any other ingredients that could alter the naturally occurring flavors of the cocoa beans.

What Does “Bean-to-Bar” Mean?

Bean-to-bar chocolate differs from conventional chocolate because every stage of production—from transforming raw cocoa beans into a refined, delicious chocolate ready to enjoy—takes place in the same facility.

By carefully controlling the roasting process, we can discover and reveal surprising flavor notes naturally present in the cocoa beans.

Origin? We Go All the Way to the Farm

This chocolate is more than simply a single-origin chocolate made with cocoa beans from Peru. The beans are carefully harvested and selected directly from Franca Farm.

We name our chocolates after the specific farms or growing regions where the raw cocoa beans originate because transparency and traceability are essential to understanding the ingredients used in our production process.

Ingredients? Nothing Could Be Simpler

We are tired of reading novels on nutritional labels, so we use only two main ingredients:

• 70% Peruvian cocoa beans, Chuncho Chungui
• 30% unrefined cane sugar

What does this mean? It means that all the aromas and flavor notes in this chocolate come exclusively from the cocoa bean itself. During the manufacturing process, every step influences the final flavor, which is why we develop and refine unique profiles for each origin to highlight the extraordinary characteristics already present in the cocoa bean.

Fun fact: The Latin name of the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao, translates as “food of the gods.”

Roasting Cocoa Beans: A Sensory Science

When chocolate craftsmanship is at its finest, the chemistry taking place inside roasted cocoa beans can be experienced through all five senses.

Raw, unroasted cocoa beans begin with an astringent and often unpleasant taste, along with bitter, nutty notes created by volatile acids during fermentation.

But everything changes once the cocoa beans are roasted.

The Maillard reaction takes place as amino acids and natural sugars react, creating a range of new aromatic compounds. The beans develop a deeper, richer brown color, while the sharp, vinegary aromas gradually give way to the familiar fragrance of warm chocolate.

As the temperature rises, excess moisture evaporates from the cocoa beans, producing a series of satisfying cracks that indicate they are approaching the desired roast level.

Once the artisan chocolatier is satisfied with the roast, the reaction must be stopped quickly by cooling the beans to room temperature. Cooling racks, fans, and air conditioning are often used to achieve the best results.

Once cool enough to handle, the roasted beans become sufficiently brittle for their outer shells to be removed. The shells break away easily, revealing the prized cocoa nibs inside.

Then comes the ultimate test: tasting. Some chocolate makers take the opportunity to sample their creation themselves—one of the perks of the job!

Discovering the Perfect Roast

There is no single way to roast cocoa beans.

While mass-market chocolate manufacturers often use a standardized approach, artisan chocolatiers understand that no two batches of beans are identical. Therefore, their roasting profiles should not be identical either.

An artisan chocolate maker adjusts the roasting process according to the specific batch, taking into account its variety and origin, estimating moisture levels, removing defective beans, and sorting them by size to achieve an even roast and optimal flavor development.

They must also decide whether to remove the cocoa nibs from their shells before or after roasting. While large-scale manufacturers often roast only the nibs, artisan chocolate makers more commonly roast the whole beans, allowing the nibs to absorb additional aromas from the surrounding shell.

A “perfect” roast can be achieved using many different heat sources, including ovens, drum roasters, stovetop pans, hot-air guns, and even coffee roasters. Some methods, such as drum roasting, can provide greater consistency, but in skilled hands, there is no single “best” piece of equipment.

About the Peruvian Chuncho Chungui Cocoa Beans

Our Chuncho cocoa beans from Chungui are a true treasure of nature. Produced in the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro River Valley in the Chungui area, this cocoa expresses the delicate character of the Chuncho variety.

The cacao is cultivated in plots where the trees can reach heights of up to 15 meters and are more than 200 years old. The pods are small and yellow, containing fresh beans with an intoxicating aroma and an incomparable texture.

Distinctive Product Benefits

Cocoa is known for its antioxidant and mineral properties. It is also traditionally associated with supporting mood, concentration, and alertness, while contributing nutrients that are important for overall health.

Nutritional Value

Per 100 g of cocoa:

• 469.6 kcal
• 14 g fat
• 23 g protein
• 60 mg sodium
• 47.15 g total carbohydrates
• 13.9 mg iron

Uses and Applications

Sweetened cocoa nibs are a delightful treat, ready to be enjoyed at any time. These carefully selected little cocoa treasures offer an irresistible crunch and a deep, distinctive cocoa flavor.

Product Characteristics

Our cocoa beans are beautiful brown beans offering floral, fruity, nutty, and other positive aromatic notes, with low levels of astringency and bitterness.

They are Grade I cocoa, with:

• F1 fermentation — 80%
• 7.5% moisture
• No defects
• 15% violet beans
• 5% slate beans
• Bean count: 127/100

Harvesting and Production

We carry out selective harvesting followed by a centralized and carefully controlled post-harvest process to ensure the exceptional quality of our cocoa.

Product Certification: Organic

International Recognition

Our cocoa varieties have received prestigious awards from the Academy of Chocolate, recognizing their exceptional quality and distinctive sensory characteristics.

Our chocolates are made entirely by hand, from the processing of the cocoa beans through to wrapping, boxing, label production, and final packaging.