Single Origin
A trend has developed in recent years of chocolate manufacturers selling chocolate made from cacao beans of a particular region. The geographical scope of such chocolates varies widely, from multinational regions (the Caribbean) to single plantations (Ampamakia). Descriptions of such products often borrow from wine terminology to describe the resulting chocolate (eg. terroir, grand cru). While the basic concept of showcasing the unique qualities of a certain region’s cacao is a sound one, the market has been flooded with poor quality products attempting to cash in on the trend. There is also no real way to verify manufacturers’ claims regarding the origin of the beans in their chocolate.