Cocoa Origins: Why Terroir Matters

Like coffee or tea, cocoa carries the signature of where it grew. Soil, climate, the cocoa variety and — above all — how the beans were fermented give each origin a recognisable character.

A rough flavour map

• Madagascar & Tanzania — bright, tangy red-fruit and citrus notes.
• Ecuador — floral and delicate, sometimes jasmine-like.
• Ghana & Ivory Coast — classic, straightforward “chocolatey” cocoa; the backbone of many milk bars.
• Vietnam & India — fruity and increasingly respected as Asian cocoa improves.

What “single origin” means

A single-origin bar uses beans from one country or estate, so it expresses that place clearly — like coffee from a single farm. Blends mix origins for a consistent house style. Neither is better; single origin is about discovery, blends about reliability.