Cacao of Excellence

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Cacao of Excellence

Empowering a new generation of cacao producers of excellence.

12/10/2026

Save the date: January 11, 2027.
We are preparing a Cocoa Sensory Training for professionals working with cocoa and chocolate.
An experience designed to deepen knowledge of sensory evaluation and cocoa quality.
More information about the program and registration coming soon.

19/09/2026

DAY 3 IS ALL ABOUT SHAPING THE FUTURE OF CACAO.

Today we look ahead. Through innovation in flavor, technology and education, we will hear from women who are redefining what cacao can be, from new ways of understanding flavor to the tools and knowledge that are transforming the sector.

New ideas. New tools. One shared vision: a future of cacao built with curiosity, knowledge and creativity.

Join us live today, or watch it whenever you want. The ALL ACCESS TICKET gives you the recordings of every session, including the ones still to come.

Get your All Access Ticket at womenofcacao.com

18/09/2026

🌱 How can access to cacao quality knowledge contribute to a more inclusive sector?

On 19 September, Cacao of Excellence will join the WOMEN OF CACAO Summit 2026, a global event bringing together women working across the cacao and chocolate sector.

Our session, “Advancing an Inclusive Cacao Sector through Accessible Quality Knowledge and Innovation,” will explore how accessible tools, methodologies, training and recognition can strengthen quality knowledge across the cacao value chain, supporting greater technical capacity, participation and recognition.

The session will also feature six women from our CoEx Trainee Alumni community, who will share their experiences with Cacao of Excellence training and how they apply CoEx methodologies and tools in their professional work today. 🌍🍫

📅 19 September 2026 🕢 7:30 AM Lima time 💻 Online

🎟️ Can’t join live? Use the Cacao of Excellence code WOC30 to receive 30% off recording tickets and access the Summit sessions afterwards.

07/08/2026

🌍 More National Organisation Committees (NOCs) have now been established for the 2027 Cacao of Excellence Awards!

These committees will coordinate national participation in the Awards and oversee the selection of the cacao samples that will represent their origins at the international level.

If you are a cacao producer or stakeholder in one of these countries, we encourage you to contact your National Organisation Committee to learn more about the national selection process and how to participate.
Contact details for all established NOCs are available on our website: https://www.cacaoofexcellence.org/awards/national-organisation-committees

📢 More National Organisation Committees will be announced as they are established. Stay tuned!

30/07/2026

Registrations are open for the first Cacao of Excellence Core Training in Sensory Evaluation!

This October, the Cacao of Excellence Research & Development Laboratory in Perugia, Italy, will host its first two editions of the CoEx Core Training in Sensory Evaluation.

Designed for professionals working across the cacao and chocolate value chain, this intensive four-day training provides a comprehensive introduction to the internationally recognised CoEx methodology for cacao quality and flavour assessment. Participants will have the possibility to stay a fifth day for a hands-on cacao processing session at the CoEx R&D laboratory.

Participants will experience the whole CoEx flavour wheel through carefully selected cacao mass samples from origins around the world, applying CoEx tools and strengthening their capacity for sensory evaluation through blind tastings and theoretical courses.

Upon successful completion, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion, earn the status of CoEx Trained Taster, and be included in the official CoEx Trained Taster Registry. This marks the first step on the pathway toward CoEx Certified Taster status.

Register now to one of the two opened sessions on our website – link in bio!
📍 Perugia, Italy
📅 10–14 October 2026 – Session 1
📅 19–23 October 2026 – Session 2
👥 Two sessions | 15 participants each
💰 Registration fee: 1800 EUR per person

09/07/2026

🌍 The first National Organisation Committees (NOCs) for the 2027 Cacao of Excellence Awards are now in place!

National Organisation Committees coordinate the Cacao of Excellence Awards process at the national level and play a key role in the earliest stages of the competition.

They organise national participation in the Awards and coordinate the selection of cacao samples to identify the beans that will go on to represent their origin at the international level. The selected samples are then evaluated by the Cacao of Excellence Laboratory as part of the 2027 Awards process.

If you are a cacao producer or stakeholder in one of the countries with an established NOC, we encourage you to get in touch with your national organisation committee to learn more about participation. You can find the contact details of all established NOCs on our website: https://www.cacaoofexcellence.org/awards/national-organisation-committees

📢 This is the first group of established NOCs for the 2027 edition, with additional committees to be announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

07/07/2026

🍫 Happy World Chocolate Day!

Today, we celebrate chocolate, but every bar has a story that begins long before it reaches the factory or the shop shelf. It begins with cacao farmers.

Behind every harvest is years of knowledge, care and dedication. Yet the work of growing high-quality cacao is still too often undervalued.

At Cacao of Excellence, we believe that better chocolate starts with valuing cacao: its origin, its flavour and the people behind it. By choosing chocolate made with care, transparency and respect for both the bean and the farmer, we can build a more sustainable, diverse and flavour-rich future for chocolate.

This , we encourage everyone to seek out chocolate that honours origin, rewards quality, and celebrates the expertise of those who grow, transform and share cacao. Whether through bean-to-bar, tree-to-bar or other origin-focused approaches, these choices help support a cacao and chocolate sector where quality, sustainability and fairness go hand in hand. 🍫🌱

22/06/2026

How is cacao quality assessed? What makes flavours develop? How do buyers evaluate and differentiate cacao?

The Cacao Origins Training Programme, developed by in collaboration with the , offers a 3-day immersive training for cacao producers, producer organisations, and quality professionals.

Hosted at the in Perugia, the programme combines practical laboratory work, guided sensory evaluation, physical quality assessment, and discussions on market expectations.

📍 Taking place during 2026, participants will have the opportunity to deepen their technical knowledge while experiencing one of Europe’s leading cacao and chocolate events.

What participants will explore:
- Sensory evaluation and flavour profiling
- Flavour development from genetics to post-harvest practices
- Physical quality assessment
- Buyer expectations and differentiated markets

🗣️ Available in English, French, and Spanish
💰 €420 per participant
📅 Registration deadline: 30 September 2026
📍 Perugia, Italy

🔗 More information and registration through the link in bio

19/06/2026

Gold Distinction | A&D Sanchez Cocoa Export - Ecuador

Concluding our 2025 Best50 Spotlight series with one last producer awarded Gold Distinction!

Jennifer Sánchez is part of A&D Sánchez Cocoa Export, a family-run cacao business based in the Los Ríos province of Ecuador.

Established in 2014, the company builds on more than 50 years of cacao expertise initiated by Jennifer’s father, whose work laid the foundation for the family’s continued engagement in cacao production.

Today, Jennifer carries forward this legacy with a strong commitment to quality, traceability, and sustainability, ensuring consistency across every stage of production.

✨ Flavour profile (as evaluated): This complex sample opens on a moderate cacao base, developing clear browned fruits, a light floral touch, woody notes and warm spices. The finish is long- lasting, with cacao, wood and a hint of caramel.

🎥 More about Jennifer and A&D Sanchez Cocoa Export here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdwJnZb7TME&list=PLqFeFaE7j89-6imbb9nYdD1Kq-ialZhrq&index=9

18/06/2026

Gold Distinction | Leomar Silva Vieira - Brazil

Leomar Silva Vieira is a cacao farmer from Alvorada Farm, located in the municipality of Medicilândia, Pará State, Brazil.

With more than 35 years of experience in cacao cultivation, Leomar comes from a long family tradition of farming and has dedicated his life to working the land and refining his production practices.

Over the years, he has cultivated the Alvorada cacao variety, known for its distinctive quality and remarkable flavour expression, reflecting careful farming practices and a deep understanding of the farm’s terroir.

✨ Flavour profile (as evaluated): Prominently fruity, this sample opens on bright acidity with tropical, red and yellow fruits. Browned fruits and floral notes follow, ending with caramel sweetness, spices, nuts and wood.

🎥 Learn more about Leomar and Alvorada cacao variety here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JegYHo_YeRo&list=PLqFeFaE7j89-6imbb9nYdD1Kq-ialZhrq&index=6

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