Chequessett Chocolate at 2020 Winter NY Now
We had the golden opportunity to try the fine chocolates of Chequessett Chocolate of Massachusetts at the 2020 Winter NY Now at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. They produce a vast array of chocolate bars, confections and drinking chocolate and cocoa. Their cacao beans come from Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Madagascar, Tanzania, and others.
Their Dominican Republic cacao beans come from ÖKO Caribe and Reserva Zorzal. The company was founded in 2006 by Gualberto Acebey Torrejon and Adriano De Jesus Rodriguez. They both have over 20 years of experience in cacao production, including working as technicos (trainers who teach farmers agricultural best practices) at Conocado– the largest cocoa producer group in the Dominican Republic, and biggest Fair Trade certified cocoa co-op in the world. They decided to set out on their own and started ÖKO Caribe, a mission-driven cacao sourcing company based just outside San Francisco de Macoris.
Another area for their cacao is in Guatemala, on the largest cacao farm in Alta Verapaz. They cultivate coffee, rubber, eucalyptus, and pine, as well as cacao. Also, they use farmers in the area of Laguna Lachuá, a pristine lake in the middle of a national park near Alta Verapaz. They grow cardamom and corn, as well as cacao. Many farmers still live entirely off the grid, in areas without electricity or phone signals. Costa Esmeraldas is a family-owned and operated 100-hectare cacao farm in Ecuador. They employ over 40 full-time employee within the local community in rural Esmeraldas.
The company also uses cacao as a way of changing the lives of people in Peru. Ucayali River Cacao has partnered with USAID and Alianza Peru to give local farmers access to an alternate market to cocaine. Working with around 400 smallholder farmers with one to three hectares of land each, Ucayali River Cacao buys wet cacao at a premium price.
The farms at the organic certified Akesson’s estate in Madagascar has produced world-famous aromatic cocoa since 1920. Today, most of the top chefs and chocolate makers around the world use cocoa from this estate. This cocoa has a subtle, fruity-sweet tartness and pleasant flavor notes that evoke citrus and red berries.
They also use cacao in Kokoa Kamili, Tanzania. The area is fairly rural with no access to electricity or tarred roads for about 60 kilometers.
Katherine Reed is the CEO and co-founder of Chequessett Chocolate and the co-founder of its parent company, FarmMaid Foods, Inc. She holds a certification as a Living Light Culinary Arts Institute Chef and Instructor.
Josiah Mayo is co-founder of Chequessett Chocolate and the resident food stylist, recipe innovator and official taste tester. He has more than 20 years experience working in commercial fishing, whale watching, and sailing/fishing charters. More about the company and their products can be found at chequessettchocolate.com.
