How to...
Hi, I have a cocoa farm in Nigeria but don't know how to convert it into finished goods. I also have an oil palm plantation that go to waste each year. How do I convert these raw goods into chocolate and/or other usable forms? What kind of career or skill set should I pursue, and what colleges or technical training schools offer these kind of skill set? Thanks.
Fellow Jobcasers, from my understanding of the process of how the cocoa bean is turned into chocolate or finished goods, the origin and the manufacturer are two different entities, each with their unique responsiblility in the process.
The farmer being the origin is responsible for the early stages of processing which happen on the farm. First the pods are harvested and split to extract the pulp and beans. This is wrapped in leaves and left to ferment for about seven days, which produces the chocolate brown color and flavor we all know. The beans are then separated and sun-dried for roughly 10 days before being transported to the local mill for cleaning, grading and then onward shipment to the manufacturer.
At the manufacturer’s factory the beans are roasted. Then the shells are crushed and removed in a wind-blown process known as winnowing which isolates the seeds (or ‘nibs’ as they are known). By this stage the flavors and aromas of chocolate are very recognizable. The nibs are ground into a thick brown liquid called cocoa liquor and further processed into the cocoa powder and butter used in chocolate confectionary, drinks and cooking.
Hi Philip! Try looking into online agriculture schools to see what kinds of experience and education you can get to help you on the farm! Let me know if there's anything else I can help you with :)