Since 2015 Santom\u00e9 Beans buys pulp cocoa from local partner-producers and is entirely responsible for the next stages of transformation: Fermentation, Drying, Selection, Bagging and Transport.
\nSantom\u00e9 Beans, a modern production unit, a team of workers with large experience in the cocoa industry and committed to a relationship with local producers that offers them stability, cooperation and on-going support to better farming and in return gives us access to the best cocoa planted in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9.<\/p>\n
To produce a cocoa of recognized quality. Combining modern management with traditional knowledge and expertise that go back many generations<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Cocoa of S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9. A unique and exclusive taste<\/h5>\n
The cocoa of S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 e Pr\u00edncipe is a mixture of different sub-verities, the most important being the Amelonado. The Amelonado is an aromatic Forastero with unique genetic and organoleptic characteristics, recognized by the ICCO has one of the fine and flavoured types of cocoa produced in the world.<\/p>\n
The Amelonado<\/h5>\n
The Amelonado originates from the deep Amazon and was first introduced to the island of Pr\u00edncipe in 1822 and later in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9. Sheltered by the isolation of the islands the Amelonado was able to escape a number of epidemics that decimated crops in other countries like its original home country Brazil. This is one of the reasons why this sub-variety is considered so rare.<\/p>\n
Exclusivity<\/h5>\n
The fact that currently S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 only produces around 3.000 MT\/ year only makes it more exclusive. Other types present in S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 e Pr\u00edncipe are the Catongo cocoa (considered a Forastero mutation but with characteristics similar to Criollo) and the Amelonado Hybrid cocoa.<\/p>\n
Recognized by the ICCO has one of the fine and flavoured types<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The cocoa from S\u00e3o Tom\u00e9 is therefore a mix between the Amelonado type and other local sub-varieties. It is immensely dark, powerful and intense due to its cocoa body with surprising aromatic notes. Its pronounced bitterness emerges together with a refreshing and evanescent acidity with only little sweet touches and hints of tobacco. It ends with a good and persistence cocoa flavour in the mouth and a well-balanced bitterness.<\/p>\n