The “Salon du Chocolat” in Paris is an annual event that highlights cocoa producers, chocolatiers, and chocolate enthusiasts that I am!
The stands of the cocoa producers offer a variety of chocolates and make us discover the different flavours and origins of cocoa. Visitors can also learn more about the production process and learn more about the cocoa sector.
This year again, Latin American producers were well represented but also producers from Africa, Asia, and Indonesia. It’s a taste adventure for our taste buds!
This is a great opportunity for AVPA to meet these men and women who are working cocoa and to guide them towards a final product with an excellent quality, thanks to the contest that AVPA is organizing for the 4th year in 2024.
This year for the first time the 2023 awards ceremony took place at the “Salon du Chocolat”… what pride for them, congratulations to all the winners!
The participation of cocoa producers in the AVPA contests is important because this contest allows an evaluation of the chocolate quality.
This encourages innovation and creativity of cocoa farmers.
This also allows the promotion and highlighting of different terroirs.
And this is obviously a recognition, a reward for these many producers.
During this Salon, I intervened, on behalf of the AVPA as president of the gastronomic jury of the contest, to lead a tasting workshop of 3 tablets (50%, 75% and 80%) of a Peruvian cooperative “Alto Urubamba” with chocolate professionals to discover the “Chuncho” cocoa bean.
My expertise in this tasting allowed the participants to awaken all their senses by considering criteria such as flavour, texture, visual appearance, aroma, and taste.
It was an immense joy to welcome these producers and we were very lucky to be able to share and exchange with them the reality of their work.
