Prestigious UK Chocolatier Looks to Jamaican Cocoa

One of the United Kingdom’s (UK) oldest and most prestigious chocolatiers, Charbonnel et Walker, is interested in using Jamaican cocoa in the production of its range of handcrafted chocolates.
Next month, the Chairman of the company, Galvin Weston, will be visiting Jamaica for meetings with representatives of JAMPRO and coco industry authorities, to look at potential joint venture investment in a cocoa farm in the island.
The principals of the company are already investors in Jamaica as the owners of the Frenchman’s Cove Hotel in Portland, and the chocolatier uses Jamaican rum in some of its chocolate varieties.
Mr. Weston, who took High Commissioner, Anthony Johnson, on a tour of the company’s Old Bond Street store, said that the plan is to develop a tourism product that would incorporate tours of a cocoa farm and a sugar estate, with a stay at Frenchman’s Cove.
High Commissioner Johnson welcomed the company’s interest in Jamaican cocoa and encouraged the chairman to look at developing a Jamaican chocolate and also prospects in agro-tourism.
JAMPRO’s European Regional Manager, Laurence Jones, told JIS News that there is growing interest in Jamaican cocoa because of its fine grade.
He said Jamaica is one of only eight exclusive producers around the world of fine fermented cocoa, which is mostly used to improve the flavour of other varieties.
He informed that recently, however, there has been interest in using the Jamaican cocoa for high end ‘single origin’ chocolate.
Founded in 1875, Charbonnel et Walker is one of Britain’s earliest chocolatiers and has a Royal Warrant endorsing it as chocolate manufacturers to Her Majesty the Queen.