Artisanal Chocolate Bean to Bar- TANZANIA Kokoa Kamili

Description

Aroma Profile: Toffee, honey, ripe apricot, plum, red currants, Porto wine, and raisins.

Our Bean to Bar chocolate is crafted without artificial flavors, added cocoa butter, or any other ingredients that would alter the natural character of the cocoa beans.

What does Bean to Bar mean?

Bean to Bar means that every stage of the chocolate-making process—from raw cocoa beans to the finished chocolate bar—is carried out in the same workshop. By carefully controlling each production step, especially the roasting process, we are able to reveal the unique flavors naturally present in every origin.

This chocolate is made exclusively from cocoa beans grown in Tanzania and processed by Kokoa Kamili.

We name our chocolates after the farms or specific growing regions where the cocoa originates because transparency matters. Knowing exactly where our ingredients come from allows us to celebrate the unique terroir behind every bar.

Ingredients

We believe great chocolate doesn't need a long ingredient list. That's why this bar contains only:

• 70% single-origin cocoa beans from Tanzania
• 30% unrefined cane sugar
• Cocoa nibs

Nothing else.

Every flavor found in this chocolate comes naturally from the cocoa itself. Through careful roasting, refining, and conching, we develop roasting profiles tailored to each origin, allowing the beans to express their full aromatic potential without artificial additions.

Fun Fact

The botanical name of the cocoa tree, Theobroma cacao, translates from Greek as "Food of the Gods."

The Art and Science of Roasting Cocoa

Roasting is one of the most important stages in chocolate making. It is during this process that the cocoa beans undergo remarkable chemical transformations, developing the complex aromas that define fine chocolate.

Raw cocoa beans are naturally astringent and often display sharp acidic and bitter notes created during fermentation. As roasting begins, these characteristics gradually evolve.

Through the Maillard reaction, amino acids and natural sugars react to create hundreds of aromatic compounds. The beans deepen in color while the sharp smell of fermentation gives way to the familiar aromas of warm chocolate, caramel, nuts, and fruit.

As moisture escapes, the beans produce subtle cracking sounds, signaling that they have reached the desired roasting stage. At this point, they are rapidly cooled to stop the roasting process and preserve their aromatic complexity.

Once cooled, the shells become brittle and separate easily from the cocoa nibs—the heart of every chocolate bar.

Finding the Perfect Roast

There is no universal roasting profile for fine cocoa.

Unlike industrial chocolate manufacturers that rely on standardized roasting, artisan chocolate makers develop individual roast profiles for every harvest. Each batch of beans differs in origin, genetics, moisture content, fermentation level, and bean size, requiring a unique approach.

Before roasting, beans are carefully sorted to remove defects and ensure even heat distribution. Many craft chocolate makers prefer roasting whole beans rather than nibs, allowing the cocoa to absorb additional aromatic compounds from the shell throughout the roasting process.

Perfect roasting can be achieved using various types of equipment, including drum roasters, ovens, hot-air systems, and even coffee roasters. Ultimately, the expertise of the chocolate maker matters far more than the machine itself.

From Tree to Chocolate

A cocoa tree takes approximately five years before producing its first full harvest.

To fully appreciate fine chocolate, allow a piece to melt slowly in your mouth and breathe gently through your nose. Around 20% of flavor is perceived on the tongue, while nearly 80% comes through aroma. The second bite often reveals an entirely new layer of flavors that were hidden during the first tasting.

Handcrafted from Bean to Bar

Every one of our chocolate bars is handcrafted entirely in-house—from sorting, roasting, cracking, refining, and tempering the cocoa beans to wrapping each bar, assembling every box, and applying every label by hand.