Luca Beltrami began his voyage in 2015, when he spent six months in the Idukki highlands, living among cocoa producers. After six years in Udumbannoor, the Italian and his wife, Ellen Taerwe, launched Go Ground Beans & Spices Private Limited, a post-harvest cocoa processing plant.
More crucially, he established a network of cocoa farmers who now provide chocolate manufacturers in Europe and the United States with consistent supplies of high-quality cocoa.
Before coming to India, Luca, a mathematician, worked in a cocoa post-harvest facility in Uganda. Ellen aided him in establishing relationships with farmers and working with chocolate producers in Kerala, India, as part of his consulting job.
"We value the personal connections we develop with those with whom we work. Whenever we seek aid, we can always rely on others." This is an excellent example of collaboration "Luca, who is also a certified chocolate tester, makes this statement.
Luca and Ellen became friends after meeting as interns in Hyderabad. "We spent a year travelling across India, north to south and east to west "Afterwards, he says, he was on the lookout for cocoa-producing regions for an Italian non-profit.
"Cocoa grows well in the highlands of Idukki due to the environment," he continues. "As a consequence, we picked Kerala as the location of our firm."
The area under cultivation of cocoa in India is now estimated to be approximately 22600 hectares. Kerala produces 6300 tonnes of cocoa, accounting for 71% of overall output in the country and occupies 79% of the state's total land area.
It began with Luca, his wife, and three other residents in the neighbourhood. Our objective was to work with farmers to assist them in producing high-quality cocoa that might command a premium and reach a broader market "Initially, he adds, he rode his bike around to each farmer to learn about their specific concerns. They quickly adjusted to his presence. They quickly saw the value of a long-term connection with me.
Luca feels that the farmers were unaware of the value of fermentation and drying before to his arrival. "It is frequently overlooked," the author observes. He conducted over a year and a half of investigation and testing before obtaining the desired results. "We're always adapting and changing," says Luca, who was born in Belgium and relocated to Gent during the epidemic.
He notes that Idukki's cocoa is unique in its flavour profile. GoGround began by training farmers how to plant organic cocoa and supporting them in obtaining certification from European and American organisations. Growers were able to improve the quality of their products and expand their market to include artisan chocolate. "We formed a group where we provide advise for the plantation and charge for certification, which includes the necessary administration," explains Luca, who employs 88 farmers on his plantation. Additionally, he works with 150 other members of the High Range Organic Producer Company Limited, a trade association representing over 500 organic farmers.
Additionally, growers were provided with high-quality cocoa plants as part of a "buy back" scheme in which farmers received a higher price than other farmers. As a result, despite the efforts of several organisations and farmers, they were not compensated fairly. His post-harvest measures have improved the quality and value of the cocoa produced in the region, which was formerly sold in bulk at a discount. Professional processing techniques like as fermentation and drying expanded the product's commercial potential. Luca assists farmers not just with cocoa production, but also with the development of their businesses through organic food certification and microfinance.
Go Ground sends around 70% of its cocoa, approximately 20 tonnes to Europe and roughly 10 tonnes to the United States.
Kuriachan and Ouseppachan Johnson of the Rakkaudella brothers, who established their artisan chocolate firm in July 2021, appreciate Luca's counsel. According to Kuriachan, he taught the farmers how to plant high-quality cocoa beans that sell for a premium, and he disclosed that Idukki cocoa beans have a unique flavour profile reminiscent of red fruits, cherries, and raisins.
Craft chocolate, he explains, is made entirely from the cocoa bean's solid part, which includes both cocoa butter and other nutrients. "Artisanal chocolate is made entirely of solid, pure chocolate and is produced without the use of emulsifiers," explains Kuriachan, who recently developed 70% dark chocolate with ginger and coffee flavours."Different harvests and techniques provide a variety of flavours and smells in chocolatiers' creations, including woody, nutty, spice, butterscotch, and caramel," Luca says.
The texture, the recipe, and the manufacturing methods all contribute to the final product." "The chocolate scent pervades the air in our flat throughout the day and night, and it's a lovely touch," said one of the nine women employed in the fermentation and drying operation. While the beans ferment, the ladies rotate and shuffling them. Finally, the beans are weighed and put into 30-kg bags. Between 50 and 80 tonnes of dried cocoa beans are packed annually by the firm.
Binu saved enough money in her Lucas unit to have a well drilled at her house. As a consequence of his efforts, Luca's employees no longer have to trek far to obtain water, which brings him joy. It's not simply a commercial partnership; it's also a personal one with the plantation employees "Farmers and their families are a critical component of the supply chain. Additionally, we'd want to hear their suggestions for ways to improve things.
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