The Nib

Origin Trip #42: Del Tambo, Ecuador- 2019

This was Shawn’s fourteenth visit with Vitaliano; we’ve been buying outstanding Arriba Nacional cocoa beans to make our Ecuador chocolate bars from his small family farm since 2006!! The morning ...

Origin Trip #41: Davao, Philippines- 2019

This year marks our eleventh anniversary of being the first chocolate makers in the world to export cocoa from the Philippines, and of collaboration with our lead farmer partner, Peter Cruz.  Toge...

ORIGIN TRIP #40: MABABU, TANZANIA- 2018

After 60+ hours of travel, the 2018 Chocolate University Class arrived in Tanzania!! The final leg of the trip included a long bus ride to the remote village to meet our farmer partners and over th...

ORIGIN TRIP #39: ZAMORA, AMAZONIA- 2018

After meeting with Vitaliano, our lead farmer partner in Ecuador, I made the short trip to see our newest farmer partner group in Zamora, Amazonia. Bringing chocolate for two origin trips is a chal...

ORIGIN TRIP #38: DEL TAMBO, ECUADOR- 2018

I met with our lead farmer partner, Vitaliano, his son, Moises, and the rest of his family, from whom we purchase all of the Arriba Nacional cacao for our beloved Ecuador chocolate bars. Vitaliano ...

ORIGIN TRIP #37: DAVAO, PHILIPPINES- 2018

On the first origin trip of 2018 Shawn met with lead farmer, Peter Cruz, pictured here alongside farm manager, Johnny. They inspected our next shipment of cocoa beans, taking random samples to perf...

ORIGIN TRIP #36: MADAGASCAR- 2017

After wrapping up the last week of the 2017 Tanzania origin trip, Shawn took a quick detour to Madagascar before heading home! For now, the details are top-secret. But stay tuned for updates on a n...

ORIGIN TRIP #35: MABABU, TANZANIA- 2017

Shawn spent most of the week working alongside our farmer partners harvesting cocoa, fermenting and drying beans, and testing moisture content. And of course, we brought lots of chocolate to share ...

ORIGIN TRIP #34: ZAMORA, AMAZONIA- 2017

Located in southeastern Ecuador, on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, Zamora is lush and fertile, if not challenging to navigate–the tiny village is perched on cliffs, “in the clouds.” The topogra...

ORIGIN TRIP #33: DEL TAMBO, ECUADOR- 2017

Cocoa Pods, Conferences, & Chocolate Tastings. Notes from Shawn’s 12th Ecuador Origin Trip