At the end of 2015 our company’s team was eager to launch a new project, our goal was to import a large batch of organic cocoa beans from Ecuador for existing bean-to-bar manufacturers. As pioneers we faced all kinds of challenges. One of the challenges was: Russian market had no organic cocoa beans. Organic beans have the following differences from ordinary beans: principles of agriculture on plantations, such as no chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, growth stimulants and other "achievements" of industry are used to grow them. Furthermore, they preserve the earth’s natural ecosystem, the so-called «shadow growth»: cocoa trees growth is surrounded by their common sub-equatorial habitat. Lastly, these are very limited exclusive lots of beans grown by farmers.
It was difficult to sell quickly 6 metric tons of organic cocoa beans. However, we had to sell them. As such, our team decided to create our own brand. Hence, launching the “Amazing Cacao” company became a necessary measure. We decided to create an international brand to represent Russia abroad. To achieve this goal, our company’s team went to Latin America for one month to do the following: study types of cocoa beans, their processing, and the structure of local farming cooperatives. Having travelled around 5 countries, we selected the most unique types of beans to create our own amazing chocolate. At the same time, we were prearranging the production line and selecting equipment for it.
Amazing Cacao chocolate differs from everything existing within domestic market. Following the policy of direct trade, we select the ingredients and import them ourselves. For production we use aromatic varieties of cocoa beans, which have unique taste and aroma. Chocolate made from those types of beans does not require additional flavoring, because cocoa beans themselves retain a unique aroma and taste. Notes of flowers, tropical fruit or sweet spices are preserved in them by Mother Nature. Such beans are self-sufficient, they initially contain natural antioxidants and other substances, which allow for chocolate to be stored without preservatives. Furthermore, high content of natural cocoa butter creates smooth velvet-like texture, so emulsifiers are not necessary. In some bars there are only two ingredients: cocoa beans and cane sugar — dried sweet cane juice with a high content of minerals, vitamins and other instrumental substances.
In February 2017, Olga presented the first three Amazing Cacao bars in Amsterdam at the Chocoa Professional Fair.
After Ecuador, the next country to buy raw materials for Amazing Cacao was Peru. Logically, it was convenient in terms of logistics. Peru, being an elongated-shaped country with different landscapes is very diverse in types of cocoa beans: in the south, the north, and the center — with different taste profiles and varieties. Thus, it enabled us to create interesting chocolate series. On chocolate bar labels, similarly to good wine labels, type and place of origin of cocoa beans are indicated. In addition, chocolate bars are accompanied with stories of farmers who have grown cocoa beans. We consider our chocolate to be a product of a certain social component, since working with farmers has contributed to improving their lives.
The year of 2018 brought the Amazing Cacao silver and bronze medals at the European International Chocolate Awards and the bronze medal at the World International Chocolate Awards, which made Amazing Cacao the first Russian company to receive such high recognition.
In 2019, the company won awards in three stages of the International Chocolate Awards Eastern Europe, Europe and World competition, not only for chocolate bars in various categories, but also for bonbons based on Amazing Cacao chocolate.
Today, the assortment range of Amazing Cacao has more than two dozen unique chocolate bars made of organic cocoa beans from Peru, Ecuador, India, Congo, Uganda, Nicaragua.
Amazing cacao chocolate is not only sold in Russia, it can be bought in Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, China, the USA.
