Bean to Bar

What chocolate should you focus on? Understandably, many people entering into the world of bean-to-bar chocolate making are most excited by single origin chocolate. This is (and continues to be) the most exciting style of chocolate making for Manoa Chocolate. With that said, it is not single origin chocolate that has helped to scale our business. In this episode Dylan divulges his perspective, from his personal experience with chocolate flavors as well as what he's observed in other bean-to-bar businesses. • Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

One of the most common questions we get asked is: "What can you recommend I do to improve my chocolate?". Because each chocolate maker's scale and process is so different, this question can be difficult to answer with too much specificity. Hence, we've kept our response to this question as simple as possible. • Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

This episode touches on some of the unique aspects of our cacao farm here in Hawaii and the big question: Why are we going through the effort? Five years ago Manoa Chocolate partnered with Cacao Services on a cacao farm on the Hawaiian Island of O'ahu. This orchard fulfills a dream to vertically integrate the process from the tree to the bar. The expertise from Cacao Services has also ensured that this farm (Kamananui Estate) has a vast genetic diversity, including hybrids with remarkable productivity and flavor.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Should you take investment for your chocolate company? In this episode Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate provides the ins, outs, pros, and cons of accepting investment for you business.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

There has been a surge in reporting on cadmium in chocolate. What is cadmium? Is it safe to eat if it's in your chocolate? Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate answers these questions and more in this in-depth review of the metallic substance. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

We've long referenced Zotter as an example for the craft chocolate industry on many levels - whether that be scale, company ethics, or experience. Our recent visit there gives you a sneak peak into a magical world that should be a pilgrimage for anyone interested in chocolate. This conversation with Julia Zotter dives into the company's mission, history, process and future endeavors. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In today's episode we're reviewing two of the most popular mini chocolate grinders (aka refiners aka melangers) amongst bean-to-bar makers and hobbyists. We've been using the Premeir Wonder Grinder and the Cocoatown Melanger ECGC-12SLTA on and off for many years now and have come up with a list of pros and cons for each. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we're highlighting our experience with Michal from Herufek Chocolate in the Czech Republic. Michal is a chocolate maker who is also making his own equipment. In this episode we look at his 30kg melanger, 60kg melanger, winnower, and vibratory sieve: machines we wish existed when we were starting our chocolate factory.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we hear from Hazel Lee, the creator of Taste With Colour. Her chocolate tasting guide aims to simplify the way we taste chocolate, making it more fun and approachable for everyone.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

For this episode we're in the Dominican Republic analyzing a cacao farm. This style of cacao farming is not only typical to the Dominican, but in many cacao growing regions. Pruning cacao trees from a young age requires a lot of work, so many farmers opt out of this constant maintenance. But by the time trees are 5-10 years old the cacao pods are already out of arm's reach, making them more difficult to harvest. Dylan compares this cacao farming model to what we've been doing on our own farms in Hawaii.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Today we're doing a cacao analysis of one of our Hawaiian origins: Mililani. This chocolate has developed a reputation over the last three years for being consistently bright and fruity. When we receive beans from Mililani Estate, batches are categorized based on the date they were fermented. Each ferment produces different results, so we analyze the batches to decide whether beans are A or B-grade. A-grade goes into our single origin Mililani bar while B-grade goes towards our Hawaii milk chocolate. It's important to note that the sensory information Dylan uses to dictate the quality of this cacao can be applied to any cacao bean. While this process is relatively subjective it's worth trying out when analyzing your own beans. Remember; YOU CAN'T MAKE QUALITY CHOCOLATE WITHOUT QUALITY CACAO. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Dylan explains why texture is so important to a chocolate's flavor and how various refining techniques can effect texture.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

This interview with Tuta Aquino took place one year ago on his farm in Bahia, Brazil. Tuta and his wife Juliana's families have been farming cacao in Bahia for generations. Tuta provides some history of cacao in Brazil and the disease that wiped out roughly 90% of Brazil's cacao growing industry. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

We sat down with Patrick Walter from Choco Del Sol to learn about the Eurobean Chocolate Festival that he hosts each year in Saxony, Germany. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Dylan and Greg discuss how the Dominican Republic has succeeded in becoming a successful producer of cacao, highlighting their Hispaniola vs Sanchez model of grading beans. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

For this episode we're tasting the fruit from four different cacao pods. Here at the Zorzal Cacao Farm in the lush mountains of the Dominican Republic, they grow twelve varietals of cacao, each containing their own unique flavor. Normally, when we discuss flavor based on varietal, we are referring to the dried cacao seeds. In this case we're referring to the juicy pulp surrounding the fresh seed, which also differs in taste depending on its genetics.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Today we're joined by Lorenzo Datei of Packint Chocolate Machines. Lorenzo has a unique perspective of the chocolate world, as he does business with chocolate makers from around the world of all scales and styles.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Dylan and Greg discuss the most time consuming step in the chocolate making process: cleaning.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we touch on a few essential approaches when prepping a room for a new machine.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Learn how we've navigated chocolate storage over the last 10 years. There's more to it than you might think...Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

A Bean-to-Bar Podcast exclusive! During a visit to San Francisco  Dylan sat down with Karen Cogan, Flavor Manager at Dandelion Chocolate to learn about their scientific approach to flavor analysis.  • Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

There are two main factors to consider when deciding on a location for your factory; urban or rural? Whether you're in a busy city or in the middle of farm land each location comes with pros and cons. At the end of the day it's the type of business you want to run that will dictate where to go. Do you want to focus on retailing or wholesaling? Dylan covers what has worked for Manoa Chocolate over the years, as well as highlighting other chocolate companies' approach to choosing a location. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here. 

We recommend consuming this episode in video form, as it will be easier to follow along through visuals. We have our 3 Year Projections Document that you can download through the description in the video description on our youtube channel. This way you can have the numbers in front of you as Dylan covers each line item on the document. With that said if you prefer the audio form you will still benefit from listening.Today we have for you the most in-depth Business of Chocolate episode to date. We did this “3 Year Projections” episode back in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. It was a precarious time and we were analyzing the numbers of our business more closely than we ever had before. In the beginning of Manoa Chocolate this is not something we always did, and so we suffered more than we had to.  Analyzing the numbers of your business and setting target numbers years in advance adds a necessary clarity on where to improve. This way you can avoid surprise expenses that could be detrimental to continued growth year after year.Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.•Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate •Learn more about us and try our chocolate here

The beginnings of Manoa Chocolate were rough. 14 hour days, running out of money, endless equipment issues, crazy inefficiencies, and more. We learned as we went, and year after year we managed to survive, grow, and eventually thrive. Now, over a decade in, we're able to look back at those first years and know what we should have done differently. In this episode Dylan lays out a formula for success that we believe should be followed for a craft chocolate endeavor. We hope you learn from our mistakes and grow a chocolate company with less stress and more fun! You can watch the video version of this podcast here!Thank you to Will Lydgate, Cacao Farmer at Lydgate Farms Kauai for writing and composing our new theme song!• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

It's been a long time coming and we're very excited to finally have in our possession our first ever batch of Mānoa Cacao Wine. In this episode Dylan explains the story and process behind this new product made from the juice of cacao fruit. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we go deep into the nuanced world of tempering. Dylan and co-host Greg D'Alesandre (@gdalesandre) share their experiences and knowledge into what is likely the most challenging step in the entire bean-to-bar process. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Today we have special guest Chuck Kerchner of Zorzal Cacao. His cacao farm is unique from the rest as it funds nature conservation through the sale of fine cacao.Chuck, [co-host] Greg D'Alesandre, and Dylan have a wide ranging conversation on all things cacao and chocolate. Highlights include: scaling cacao agroforestry through nature conservation, the future of fine cacao, healthy chocolate business models, direct trade relationships, the Hawaiian cacao industry, cacao bi-products, Dominican Republic cacao, and more! Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Take a deep dive into the world of chocolate bar molds. Dylan covers companies we've worked with, pricing, design advice, and mistakes we've had to learn the hard way! Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In today's episode we are joined once again by co-owner of Dandelion Chocolate, Greg D'Alesandre (@gdalesadre on instagram) to discuss the sugar we use, and don't use in our chocolate. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

A friend and fellow chocolate maker asked some questions about scaling a chocolate factory. The questions were so good that we decided to use the answers as an opportunity to make this episode. Whether your Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Factory does 500 kg a year or 20 tons, there are certain features we feel are essential for long term success. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Dan O'Doherty introduced Dylan into the world of chocolate over a decade ago. He is one of the world’s leading experts in cacao and partners with Dylan on their Hawaiian cacao farm, Kamananui Estate. Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Dylan answers another 5 questions today in the second edition of Chocolate Maker Q&A. They are:•Where should I get a grindometer?•Packaging? (Multiple questions answered for this one)•How did we decide on the shape of our moulds?•What kind of wrapping do you use to seal your bar?•What are the different funding options for my chocolate business.Watch the video version of this podcast here.:) Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate:) Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we welcome back our good friend Greg D'Alesandre of Dandelion Chocolate. Once again we have a wide ranging conversation, but this time we focus in on various business models of chocolate making. Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Introducing our first ever edition of Chocolate Maker Q&A. In this episode Dylan answers five questions from our viewers: How do you know when it’s time to harvest?Have you ever purchased equipment from China?Sugar substitutes?Why don’t you use powdered sugar?What can you use besides a grinder to make chocolate? If you have questions you’d like to be answered in the next Chocolate Maker Q&A make sure to comment them on our YouTube video.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

Today we are joined by Greg D'Alesandre (@gdalesandre on Instagram). He is the "chocolate sourcerer" and co-owner of Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco. Greg is an expert in all things chocolate but specializes in traveling the globe in pursuit of the best cacao beans in the world. In this episode we cover many different sectors of the craft chocolate industry, including: ingredients in chocolate, making an impact in the industry, scaling a chocolate business, what is craft chocolate, and more! Watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode Dylan discusses the flavor profile and manufacturing process behind some of the most distinct and fruity chocolate he’s ever tasted. This batch of cacao and chocolate from Mililani, Oahu exemplifies what we see the future of chocolate being here in Hawaii and around the world. If you'd like to taste this chocolate you can get it here. You can watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate: https://www.instagram.com/manoachocolate/• Learn more about us and try our chocolate: https://manoachocolate.com/

In the beginning of Manoa Chocolate we would analyze beans and be overly impressed by notes such as forest floor, earthy, mushroom, etc. Over the last ten years we’ve come to learn that these flavors are usually the result of poor harvesting, fermentation, and or drying protocols. In Hawaii we are lucky to live in a place where we can grow and make chocolate. This proximity to farming has allowed us to understand how a flaw on the farm translates to flaws in finished chocolate. In this episode Dylan discusses signs of poor quality cacao and why it’s difficult to make fine chocolate from it. You can watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we discuss the concept of aging cacao and chocolate. Dylan shares his opinion and Manoa Chocolate's take on this process. You can watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate • Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we explain why the super market candy “chocolate bar” costs $1 and why the average craft chocolate bar costs $10. Make sure to listen until the end to understand the main reason your chocolate should cost more. If you liked the video we hope you'll share it with a friend! You can watch the video version of this podcast here.• Follow us for more chocolate content @manoachocolate• Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In this episode we attempt to clarify 3 more categories of confusing chocolate terms:- Callets, chips, & drops- Dark chocolate, milk chocolate- Single origin, single estate, & single varietalWatch the video version of this podcast here.Follow us on instagram here.Learn more about us and try our chocolate here.

In today's episode we take a deep dive into what cacao nibs are and how we make them at Manoa Chocolate. You can watch the video version of this podcast here. Follow us on instagram @manoachocolate for more educational content.

In today's episode we clarify confusing chocolate terms out there. Dylan discusses three different categories of words that essentially mean the same thing; 1) Cacao & cocoa2) Cocoa mass, cocoa liquor, cocoa paste, & chocolate liquor3) Dutched & alkalizedThis is part 1 of more episodes we'll do explaining confusing chocolate terms. Check out the video version of this podcast here.

In this episode we hear Dylan explain the art and process of bean-to-bar craft chocolate on the Chocolate Maker portion of the Manoa Chocolate Factory Tour. At the end Dylan answers questions from the audience. Enjoy! If you live on Oahu, Hawaii or are planning a trip here we hope to see you on one of our Chocolate Factory Tours! This episode highlights only one portion of the 1.5 hour deep-dive tour and tasting.

In this episode we discuss an issue the craft chocolate industry faces (cacao farmers in particular). Over the last decade cacao farms have been improving quality from commodity grade to that of craft chocolate standards. This is wonderful for the maker and the farmer because the maker gets good beans, and the farmer gets a higher price. But what happens if there is no chocolate maker to buy the farmer's cacao? This is the dilemma the industry is currently facing as farmers scramble to find buyers for their quality cacaoWhat the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.

Today we do an overview of blending. Dylan discusses blending as a common practice in industrial chocolate as well as making reference to blending in wine. This episode was inspired by a unique and delicious batch of chocolate we made using four single origin beans from Costa Esmeraldas Cacao Co, Kokoa Kamili, Zorzal Cacao and Ucayali River Cacao, which we do a taste analysis of at the end of the episode. You can watch the video version of this podcast on our Craft Chocolate TV youtube channel.

On today's episode Dylan explains why he started making bean-to-bar chocolate, and what keeps him excited about the industry moving forward. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.

In this episode we look at the seven cacao origins that we currently source from. We analyze their un-roasted flavor and discuss the reasons we chose to source them. At the end Dylan takes us into the past with stories that taught Mānoa Chocolate valuable lessons on sourcing cacao. Visit this episode on our Craft Chocolate TV youtube channel if you want to access a list of cacao brokers that we recommend from the U.S. and Europe.

10 years and 4 factory expansions later, Dylan covers the ins and outs of what it took to scale Manoa Chocolate. Scaling a business comes in many forms. Some of the most significant that we cover in this video include: space/storage, equipment, employees, forms of income (i.e. retail, wholesale, distribution), and the mission behind growing your company. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.

In this season 4 finale we dive deep into what it has taken to build the Manoa Chocolate brand. Dylan discusses the mistakes and the successes that the brand has made as it continues to progress forward, and what the future of branding looks like for the company. #CraftChocolate #BeantoBar #ChocolateMakerWatch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.

This episode Dylan does an overview of the cost of cacao. We look at different types of cacao ranging from the commodity price of $2.26 a kilo, to $10 a kilo and Hawaiian cacao at over $20 a kilo. Why are there such big price differences? What is commodity cacao? He answers these questions and more, going into depth on what Manoa Chocolate has learned over the years. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.

In this episode we discuss co-packing; also referred to as private label and white label (Mānoa Chocolate does this as well for brands and farms who want their own label). Chances are, most the chocolate on your supermarket shelf is made by only a few giant companies you’ve never heard of. Watch the video version of this podcast on Craft Chocolate TV.