Cocoashala is now offering immersive Bean to Bar Chocolate Making, Chocolate Taster, and Cacao Evaluation courses and training in collaboration with IICCT UK in February/March in Chennai, India, for the first time ever.

The goals of the courses are to:

• Ensure Indian cacao farmers double their income
• Enable cacao, chocolate startups
• Formalize micro food processing enterprises
• Improve cacao post-harvest
• Reduce reliance on cacao imports
• Propel the Indian cacao economy
• Become self-sustaining with cocoa
• Help produce international class chocolates in India, using Indian cacao
• Being up-to-date with global advances in chocolate
• Implementing new technologies

Attendees will spend 12 to 16 days in Chennai, India and learn along with cocoa farmers, cacao processors, cocoa fermenters, modern trade retailers, bean-to-bar chocolate makers, chocolatiers, bakers, FMCG companies, startup chocolate entrepreneurs, and more. 

Limited seats are available. Courses include:

• Bean to Bar Chocolate Making Certification - February 8–10
• Level 1 – Chocolate Taster Certification - February 13 
• Level 2 – Chocolate Taster Certification - February 14–16 
• Appreciation of International Chocolate Awards (ICA) winning Chocolates - February 17
• Level 3 – Chocolate Taster Certification - February 18–23. Field trips to two cacao fermenters, high density, and regular cacao farms in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh; bean-to-bar chocolate making units across South India; and culinary experiences like honey appreciation, filter coffee appreciation, biodynamically grown tea appreciation, ice cream appreciation, appreciation of Indian sweets from 20+ states, Tamil, Kerala, and Andhra meals on banana leaves, and a seven-course chocolate indulgence experience/meal.
• Cacao Evaluation Certification - March 2–5

Further details and schedules can be found here.