Nativos, Choba Choba organic couverture, 70%

NativosChoba Choba organic couverture, 70 %, 2kg

Choba Choba Organic Couverture 70 % is an extremely fine variety that comes from the Fairtrade trade. The dark couverture impresses with its intense and rich cocoa flavor and subtle acidity.

Origin and production

Choba Choba has set itself the goal of revolutionizing the value chain of the chocolate industry. Since it was founded, part of the company has been owned by the cocoa farmers themselves and their share is currently being increased every year. They set the price for their cocoa beans themselves, which means that they receive three to four times more money for a kilo of cocoa beans than other cocoa farmers.

They help to develop the chocolates made from them and work with the two Swiss business managers to select the right ingredients for the beans. In the case of this couverture, these are raw cane sugar from the Fairtrade trade in South America and cocoa butter from the Dominican Republic. This means that the couverture is free from any other additives and guarantees a variety of exceptional flavors.

In addition, the local farmers' association, to which all participating farmers belong, receives 5% of Choba Choba's annual turnover for its own projects. In this way, Choba Choba is committed to truly fair trade and the influence of cocoa farmers on the market in the Amazon basin of Peru. These farmers come from the Alto Huayabamba valley, from the communities of Pucallpillo and Santa Rosa.

We at miniSchoggi are delighted to be the first and so far the only ones in Switzerland to offer such a high-quality couverture from a fair trade company. The equality and participation of cocoa farmers and Swiss entrepreneurs is unique in the industry and so we are particularly pleased to be part of it in this way!

The dark couverture is versatile and guarantees the high quality that your creations deserve. As all the cocoa beans come from the same area, this couverture is particularly pure. The high-quality processing and the care with which the cocoa farmers harvest, select and combine the beans with other ingredients result in unique flavors and exceptional aromas. This means that everyone involved can enjoy chocolate to the full!

Project Nativo

The Peruvian Amazon has one of the largest biodiversities in the world. The region is also recognized as the birthplace of the cocoa tree. It was here, in the heart of the tropical rainforest, that cocoa originated. It is estimated that around 60% of the genetic diversity of cocoa is naturally present in Peru. In other words, the country has an extraordinary diversity of cocoa varieties and therefore also of flavor profiles. Unfortunately, this diversity is also under threat.In 2018, thanks to the support of our community, we developed and launched the "Project Nativo" to identify, preserve and research the genetic diversity in the Huayabamba Valley. The field survey of these different varieties led to the creation of a database of 89 different cacao trees, which constitutes the "Choba Choba Huayabamba Collection". We are pursuing two goals with this project. On the one hand, we want to preserve this valuable diversity by setting up a conservation garden in the community of Santa Rosa in 2023. There, on a small area of one hectare of land, we have collected, centralized and multiplied these cocoa trees to ensure their long-term conservation. On the other hand, we have initiated a process of study and evaluation of these 89 specimens. Productivity, disease tolerance, sensory profile... these are all criteria that allow us to select the most interesting cocoa trees in terms of cultivation and flavor. These "elite" cocoa trees can then be passed on to the cocoa farmers...

Dark couverture - tempering

To temper the couverture, melt two thirds of the desired mixture to 45 degrees. Then leave the mixture to cool, add the last third of the couverture, stir gently until it has reached 28-29 degrees and then reheat it to 31-32 degrees. Once everything has melted, you can do a test. If the couverture thickens nicely, becomes firm and has a nice sheen, it has been tempered correctly and can be processed further. A tempering device is not absolutely necessary for this method, but it is definitely very helpful. You can find a more detailed description of the tempering process on our blog. 

Couverture - Use

You can now use the tempered couverture to make your own pralines, produce chocolate bars and refine them individually with other ingredients or create elegant chocolate decorations. For example, you can use a chocolate mold to cast a drop-shaped decoration that can then be placed on a small dessert. You can also create an unusual edge for your cake using light and dark couverture.

Couverture tastes particularly good in praline fillings. A dark ganache and a little orange cream make delicious fruit truffles, while pistachio marzipan can be used to create fine cut chocolates. White couverture can be used to make a passion fruit or champagne filling. Various nut creams such as hazelnut or almond go well with a milk couverture ganache.

Choba Choba

Who is Choba Choba?

Where is it grown?

Huayabamba, Peru: The birthplace, home, living and working place of the farmers. Here, the farmers work hard every day to make this outstanding cocoa production possible and ultimately deliver the best chocolate products.

Choba Choba chocolates are made exclusively from cocoa beans produced on their farms in the Huayabamba Valley in the Peruvian Amazon. The cocoa-growing area consists of 120 hectares of plantations and the farms are located along the Huayabamba River. This is where the cocoa is grown, harvested, fermented and dried. So this is where it all happens, in the upper Peruvian Amazon.

The Huayabamba Valley is very valuable land whose soil and climatic conditions are particularly suitable for growing cocoa. There, enchanted between the foothills of the Andes and the Amazon basin is the Rio Abiseo National Park, in the center of which lies the Gran Pajatén archaeological site. You may be familiar with this park, as it has been recognized by UNESCO as a natural and cultural heritage site, putting it on a par with Machu Picchu. There are only about forty sites in the world that have been awarded this great and, above all, double recognition. It was in 2016 that Choba Choba was also mwas very proud to welcome UNESCO's decision to create the Gran Pajaten Biodiversity Reserve. The reserve in question covers a huge area of more than 2.5 million hectares. And this is where Choba Choba comes into play again. Because the plantations are an integral part of this unique landscape. Choba Choba therefore has a duty to ensure ecologically sustainable cocoa production. However, Choba Choba's work does not stop after cocoa cultivation. They own a foundation that supports three conservation concessions. These cover a total area of over 9,000 hectares in the buffer zone of the reserve. The cocoa that Choba Choba grows is therefore certainly free from deforestation, but Choba Choba also makes a significant contribution to protecting the Peruvian Amazon region and its valuable biodiversity in other ways.

What is represented?

The most important thing about every product and every cocoa bean is, of course, the quality. Starting with the tree and ending with the cocoa bean, every single step of the process is in the strict hands of Choba Choba. This is the only way to produce high-quality chocolate. They grow their organic cocoa in agroforestry systems under the guidance of their own team of agronomists and in collaboration with local and international experts. This responsible approach by Choba Choba also serves to preserve biodiversity, protect water quality, increase soil fertility and also reduces the risk of soil erosion. The cocoa trees are harvested here all year round, with two seasons standing out: the main harvest between May and July and a smaller harvest in October and November. Choba Choba's value chain is vertically integrated. This means that they have full control over the quality of their cocoa beans, from the cocoa tree to their post-harvest center, all operations are transparent. By synchronizing the harvest from all their farms every 15 days, they ensure that only truly ripe cocoa reaches their fermentation and drying facilities. There again, thanks to their strict protocols and the quality checks that employees carry out throughout the process, they ensure that the desired fermentations take place and are completed at the right time, depending on the type of cocoa.

Chocolate courses at miniSchoggi

Would you like to delve deeper into the world of chocolate? Would you like to make your own chocolate bars or figures from the finest couverture? We offer various courses on the subject of chocolate, so there is sure to be something for you. We will teach you how to temper chocolate correctly, how to process couverture into hollow figures and chocolate bars and how to make elegant decorations, such as edible high heels. We would be delighted to welcome you to one of our courses soon!