Thirty-seven cooperatives based in Cusco, Madre de Dios, Huanuco, and Junin regions took part in a workshop with the purpose of increasing their fine aroma cacao exports to Asia, North America, and Europe, the Exports and Tourism Promotion Board (PromPeru) informed Friday.
Titled "Techniques to Formulate Chocolate, Bonbons, and Coating," this workshop was held in La Convencion (Cusco region) on June 5-9 and in Tingo Maria (Huanuco region) on June 11-14.
The initiative's main aim was to teach participants how to produce chocolates, bonbons, and coating with international quality.
Thus, Scholte —with 12 years of experience in the chocolate industry— shared her knowledge with entrepreneurs, while highlighting the sensory characteristics of native Chuncho
cacao.
Likewise, the specialist provided advice and personal assistance to companies for the improvement of chocolate tempering process.
She also addressed topics such as external factors that affect the end product's quality, as well as the importance of understanding the function of sugars and ingredients used for a perfect chocolate mixture.
An innovation was the use of native ingredients and
Peruvian superfoods to produce chocolate bars, bonbons, ganache, and pralines, which can be filled with chestnuts, quinoa,
aguaymanto, coffee liquor,
camu camu berries, among other natural products.
The participating entrepreneurs appreciated the event, which enabled them to reformulate their chocolate products with ingredients from their regions and to offer high-quality, as well as innovative alternatives to the international market.
This way, they get ready for the second fine aroma
cacao buying delegation that will visit Junin and Huanuco regions between August and September this year.
(END) NDP/JAA/MVB