Types of Cocoa
CRIOLLO: The Rare bean
The Criollo beans are the finest & of cocoa beans.
Character
These beans are fruit-forward & are highly aromatic. They lack bitterness and have rich secondary notes.
Availability
It accounts for only 2% of the global cocoa produced as they are extremely vulnerable to environmental threats & have a low yield as the trees produce very limited pods.
Farmers find this crop extremely difficult to produce, which is due to both low yield and high susceptibility to pest attacks as the beans are naturally sweet in taste. This leads to the constantly diminishing availability of this bean.
Appearance:
The pods are usually red or purple in & have a grainy uneven surface. The of the beans from white to pale pink, depending on whether it is derived from a freshly opened pod or otherwise.
Native Region:
The Criollo tree is native to Central & Southern America, the Caribbean islands & Sri Lanka.
FORASTERO: The Robust bean
The Forastero beans are commonly referred to as bulk cocoa. They are the most widely produced cocoa variety in the world, contributing to almost 80 -85% of the world’s total cocoa produce.
Character
They are bitter in taste and don’t have a secondary supporting it like the Criollo. The exterior surface of the cocoa pod is relatively smooth & harder in comparison to the pod. The profile is strong and earthy and needs to be mixed with superior quality cocoa for added taste.
Availability
These beans are available in abundance and account for about 80-85% of the world’s cocoa. Unlike the Criollo beans, the Forastaro beans are not susceptible to diseases and have a much higher yield, making them the chosen variety of cocoa producers due to their robustness.
Appearance:
When freshly cut open, the of the beans is purple and that of the pod is yellow.
Native Region:
Generally produced in Ghana, Nigeria ivory coast New Malaysia & Indonesia
TRINITARIO: The Hybrid bean
The Trinitario beans are a natural hybrid resulting in the cross-pollination between the Criollo and beans.
Character
High yield of beans along with the sublime taste of Criollo beans. However, the grade of this cocoa varies from average to superior.
Availability
They account for 10%-13% of global cocoa production.
Appearance:
The of Trintario pods shape & as it is a hybrid The beans are white to in
Native Region:
It first came into existence on the island of Trinidad after the local crops were destroyed by a hurricane & new crops were replanted This gave birth to natural hybrids as an outcome of natural cross-pollination between the old Criollo crop & newly planted crops a bean to fight against diseases the taste of a Criollo bean.
They are also found in the Caribbean and Colombia and also in some parts of Asia.