The chocolate supplier, Original Beans, is renowned for its relentless efforts to ensure that cocoa farmers receive not just a basic income but also the resources necessary to focus on cultivating top-quality, healthy cocoa. This commitment extends to enabling the farmers to support their families and contribute to the well-being of the environment and nearby communities.

The process of producing the cocoa beans required for chocolate involves meticulous care by the farmers. They nurture the cocoa trees, painstakingly hand-pick cocoa pods, and carefully separate the beans for fermentation. Following a closely monitored fermentation process, the cocoa beans undergo sun-drying to preserve their natural characteristics. Subsequently, the beans are hand-peeled and subjected to further processing to create nibs, paste, butter, and powder.

The 70% organic chocolate, crafted from beans grown in Virunga National Park, Africa's oldest nature reserve and home to the last Mountain Gorillas, reflects the farmers' active role in protecting these gorillas and their invaluable habitat. The resultant beans encapsulate the remarkable diversity of this region, resulting in a chocolate with enticing flavors of dark fruits, earthy forest notes, and smoky tobacco.

Their 50% organic dark milk chocolate is produced from the same rare Amelonado beans cultivated by an all-female cooperative in Eastern Congo.

We are delighted to share that Ocelot Chocolate and Original Beans have united in their pursuit of crafting exceptional chocolate. A decade ago, Ish and Matt Broadbent launched Ocelot Chocolate from their kitchen table in Edinburgh, and it has since grown to symbolize the pinnacle of artistic and culinary elegance in the world of craft chocolate.

There was a moment when the economic challenges of 2021/22 threatened to bring an end to this remarkable enterprise. Thankfully, a path forward was discovered, and Ocelot and Original Beans are now sister chocolate companies. Their teams have come together as one international force, operating in over a dozen countries and representing a multitude of nationalities.

What unites them all is a shared dedication to craft foods and chocolate, and a profound commitment to making the world a better place. The motto of Original Beans, "Speak what’s true, eat what’s pure, preserve what’s rare," beautifully captures the ethos that unites everyone involved in this endeavor, both at Ocelot and Original Beans.