1. How does a chocolatier or chocolate maker promote HCP designated cacao to consumers?
The reason why you should purchase HCP designated chocolate is: If you really enjoy the exceptional and diverse flavors of the worlds very best fine chocolate, and you want to support the farm families, farming communities as well as the companies that support these growers, then you need to put your money where your mouth is, so they continue to grow these rare endangered trees, the source of the finest chocolates on earth.
The HCP fights to save endangered and diverse flavors, cacao biodiversity and the ecosystems where it grows and is harvested. The HCP incentivizes, educates and supports farmers who grow and cultivate the best tasting cacao in the world. The HCP fights for the consumers’ right to experience the best tasting chocolate in the world. Because, flavor matters.
2.How do genetics play into the HCP designation?
HCP Designation is based on flavor. The internationally acclaimed HCP Tasting Panel performs a blind flavor analysis. The Panel is made up of cacao experts from six countries, each with at least 15 years’ experience in chocolate (collectively they represent more than 250 years of experience) and who have all served as professional evaluators of cacao bean flavor.
If this panel scores a bean’s flavor sufficiently high that bean would then be deemed “heirloom” and the HCP will proceed with the genetic testing. The genetic analysis is completed after the cacao is designated Heirloom. This allows the farmers to increase the number of trees producing the heirloom designated beans and advances the long-term goal of HCP - to link genetics to flavor.
3.Do farmers and cacao workers get additional value by going through the HCP designation process?
The market and awareness of HCP is still growing. About 50% of designees have seen an increase in price and demand for their cacao since designation, and the majority find great value in the genetic analysis they receive from USDA-ARS and the credibility that comes with designation.
4.Can we get heirloom seedlings through HCP?
We do not distribute Heirloom seedlings at HCP. If you are interested in any of the Heirloom designees in particular, you may reach out to them directly with this request. Contact information for the designees are on their page of our website: https://www.hcpcacao.org/our-heirloom-farmers.html
5. I have seen the HCP logo on product packaging. How do we get those?
The full HCP Use of Mark protocols can be found on our website: https://www.hcpcacao.org/use-of-the-hcp-mark.html. To access the HCP mark, we must verify that you are following the protocols and using HCP designated cacao. To inquire about this, you may contact Anne Zaczek at [email protected]
6.How can I tell if I’m using HCP beans?
To inquire if you are using HCP designated beans, you should ask your broker or grower directly if they sell Heirloom beans and they can point you in the right direction. Designee contact information is on the individual designee pages of our website: https://www.hcpcacao.org/our-heirloom-farmers.html. If you need further assistance, you may reach out to Anne Zaczek at [email protected].
7. How much does it cost to submit for HCP Designation?
There is no fee for submission. The only cost is the cost of shipping your beans to our lab for analysis. IF, you are awarded Heirloom designation, then there is a $1,000 fee for completing the genetic analysis. However, if you do not have the means to cover this expense, we have bursary sponsorships available to help cover this expense. For more information on the application process visit: https://www.hcpcacao.org/apply-to-the-hcp.html
8. Can I buy chocolate from Heirloom designated beans?
