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Brands of and Sources for Organic Couverture

For the past several years, one of the better sources for organic couverture for artisan chocolatiers has been (believe it or not) Dagoba. Several well-known and award-winning chocolatiers have built their businesses on that chocolate.

However, since its acquisition by Hershey's Artisan Confections company, Dagoba has been forced to close down several lucrative side businesses, which include short-run bar production and selling couverture. Presumably, Artisan Confections views this as selling basic raw ingredients to competitors.

I've been asked on several occasions to help chocolatiers locate sources for organic couverture. One of those came in my e-mail yesterday and I decided to follow up on it because of an increase in interest in this subject overall.

There is the obvious choice: Barry-Callebaut. They are arguably the largest supplier of organic couverture to artisan chocolatiers. Valrhona has recently entered the business, but its prices make it a no-go option for many. In fact, couvertures imported from Europe are getting increasingly expensive as the dollar shrinks against the Euro.

So - what are you all using these days? Who are you looking to to provide organic couverture of high technical quality (i.e., consistent workability) that also tastes good?

One Canadian (Ottawa, Ontario) company my research unearthed is Cocoa Camino. They offer only three couvertures (70%, 56%, and a milk) but they are all certified organic, fairtrade, and kosher.

Does anyone have any experience with these - or have other recommendations for organic couverture?

Tags: couverture, fairtrade, kosher, organic

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on April 21, 2008 at 11:27pm: Sarah:

I am really sorry you couldn't make it on the trip. The alumni are a pretty accomplished bunch including Shawn Askinosie (Askinosie Chocolate), Marc Boatwright and Patricia Hinajosa (Choctal ice cream), the founders of ScandChoco - an importer of gourmet chocolate into Scandinavia, and Sam Madell and Langdon Stephenson of TAVA in Australia.

A simplified and reorganized version of the classroom curriculum from the University of Chocolate is being given on the trip to Belize next month. Don't know if there are any last-minute places, but send a message to Holly Stabin (she's a member here) to find out.

Also, I am looking into alternative sources of organic couverture for another Chocolate Life member and if anything comes of that I will let you know. Where is your shop and what is its name?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on April 22, 2008 at 3:59pm: Hi, I will look into the Belize trip. My shop is in Portland, Oregon. It is called Alma chocolate.
I have never met Shawn Askinosie but I grew up in Springfield, Missouri and so many of my friends and relations there do know him. We are probably going there for a visit this summer and I hope to meet him finally.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on April 22, 2008 at 4:32pm: Sarah:

Of course I know Alma, I just never connected the two together. Do you know the people over at culinate.com? I wrote five blog entries for them in December/January. Do take the time to meet with Shawn when you go out there. If you want an introduction beforehand let me know. Finally, I used to live in Portland - 1977-80. Spent most of my time working for KBOO and enjoying the music scene. Love the photos of antique molds on your site.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on April 22, 2008 at 9:23pm: Hi.

I am pleased you know Alma! Yay. I know Carrie Floyd at Culinate, we met in Eugene in the 80's and remet through Buckman elementary where our kids go to school. I'll look for your blog entries! Thanks for the link to my site. I don't know how to do things like add links! Those aren't antique molds, though they are meant to look old! Those are gilded chocolate "icons" from molds I designed and that my friend Scott Foster sculpted and cast.
An interesting coincidence, my husband runs a literary festival here called "Wordstock". He was in NYC visiting publishers earlier this spring and doing some chocolate sleuthing for me. Long story short your book arrived at his desk today! The publisher thought he'd like to see it! Small world, indeed!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Clay Gordon on April 22, 2008 at 11:26pm: I know Mark Douglas and Kim Carlson at Culinate. One of my blog posts there actually had over 200 replies! A record for me.

I know I really dated myself when I mentioned I was working in the late '70s. Ever hear of a Portland band called Seafood Mama? Old friends. The only literary connection I have to Portland is that I once met Ursula K LeGuin. She wrote one of my favorite SF books ever - The Left Hand of Darkness.

I like the icon even better knowing they are modern and that you make them (and I presume sell them). Cool. Did you get the material for the molds from Chef Rubber?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on April 24, 2008 at 7:58pm: Yes! The mold material we use is from Chef Rubber.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Hallot Parson on April 26, 2008 at 1:24pm: Sarah,
The beans used by El-Rey are actually grown organically - no pesticides, etc. I questioned them about this during a trip to Venezuela, and was curious as to why they do not get certified. Their response was that 1. It was difficult for them to get organic sugar, and 2. that the certifications were very costly and they made the choice to keep their prices lower.

I have had friends in Caracas inquire about the export issues that are keeping the chocolate from shipping, and have been told that now that they have the certificates this shouldnt happen again. That is, of course, unless the govt. takes over the company....the politics of chocolate.

Hallot Parson
Escazu Artisan Chocolates; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sarah Hart on April 27, 2008 at 9:04pm: Thanks Hallot,

What you say about el-rey is pretty much what they told me via email, but it is good to have it corroborated by someone who has been there. I like their chocolate a lot! Something about Venezuelan chocolate makes my mouth happy!

I am happy to hear that it will most likely be shipping soon! Oy, the politics of chocolate indeed.

Thanks for the info.

-Sarah; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gwen Borders on June 3, 2008 at 8:01am: Sarah -- I can relate to your disappointment in not being able to go to UofC in Ecuador. The 2003 & 2005 trips were both available to me, but like you, not only was I launching Trifles under an extreme budget, but also had to care for 4 children ranging in age from 6 to 16. My mother was in her 80's and started to fail considerably. Since I had power of attorney for her medical care, I needed to at least stay in the country while she was in need. Add that to the stress and time required on my husband's part, whose parents who were also in their 80's and starting to decline.

We moved elderly from residences to assisted living, to hospitals, to rehab centers (after falls and broken bones), back to assisted living and then ultimately into nursing homes where 24 hour care was required. Not only was this emotionally draining but you can imagine financially draining as well. In the time period from 2003 to 2006, my husband and I lost our remaining 3 parents.

Obviously, both my husband and I work full-time and clearly overtime for me, clocking in at 70-90 hours per week. We have great kids who went with the flow and couldn't have possibly been a better crew to have in tow.

The sandwich generation is real. It is difficult or nearly impossible to move careers and families forward without compromise. Not having had the ability to afford nannies, housekeepers or personal assistants, it must have been a true love for my work, family and customers that kept me moving forward, in spite of the obstacles.

At least the staff members at the centers received many chocolate gifts for their tender loving care of our parents. I cannot say enough about the kindness and generosity of strangers who work with the elderly. To them I owe a debt of gratitude.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Eric Durtschi on August 17, 2008 at 6:58pm: Regarding, El Rey. I have been receiving shipments from them for quite some time now and I have not been affected by their US relations. I also get beans from a couple of other places in Venezuela and still no problems.

Regarding an earlier mention of organic practices. There are many beans available that do not have the organic certification that are grown organically. I have two beans from Dominican available. One is organic certified and the other is not. However, they are both grown organically. The only difference is that one of the farmers has not done the registration process to get organic certified. This is the case with many beans from Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela also.
If buying in bulk, there are several couverture manufacturers in Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela that provide organic certified chocolate.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jeff Stern on January 4, 2009 at 2:05pm: Could you tell me what manufacturers in Ecuador are producing organic certified chocolate? Thanks.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by TIM on August 16, 2008 at 2:02pm: Hi, Clay
I m glad you share those great shops, but could u tell me where can I find couverture supplier in Vancouver BC? thanks!; ▶ Reply to This