Winners of Nicaraguan cocoa contest will participate in Salon du Chocolat

MANAGUA, Nicaragua - Oct. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- Ingemann, COODEPROSA, and COOPROCAFUC obtained the first, second, and third place respectively in the “Cocoa of Excellence Nicaragua 2014”, the Lutheran World Relief announced today at the award ceremony. These Nicaraguan cocoa producers will now participate in the International Cocoa Awards to be celebrated in 2015 during the Salon du Chocolat in Paris.

The invitation to participate was open since the beginning of September and remained open not only for producers organizations, but also for investigation centers, individual producers and private companies. The contest had the objective of promoting the origins of high quality cocoa in Nicaragua.

A total of 15 samples were received, 14 from producers organizations and 1 from a private company. The samples could be fermented or dried cocoa, as long as they represented the geographical and genetic origins of their production zones.

The three best cocoa samples were selected by a panel of international judges composed by Kristen Hard, Founder of Cocoa Atlanta Chocolate Company; Brian Flick, Owner and Manager of Pitch Dark Chocolate; and Clay Berryhill, Processing Manager of Cocoa Atlanta Chocolate Company. The judges blindly evaluated the general capacity of every sample in terms of potential to become quality chocolate (including possible mixtures), flavor characteristic, and the “preference/utility” of the bean.

This national competition was organized in the framework of the “Ground Up: Coffee and Cocoa Initiative” program, by the Lutheran World Relief with the support of other organizations, including PRONicaragua and Christian Aid.

The first place won a US$700 certificate, the second place US$500, and the third place US$300, besides the opportunity of participating in International Cocoa Awards of the Salon du Chocolat in Paris.