Premium Grade 1 fermented and sun-dried cocoa beans from Côte d'Ivoire. Harvested from ripe pods, fermented for 5–7 days, sun-dried on raised beds, cleaned, sorted, graded and metal-detected. Suited to chocolate manufacture, cocoa liquor, cocoa butter extraction, confectionery and beverage applications. No additives, no GMOs.
Côte d'Ivoire
Grade 1
2025 / 2026
60 / 65 kg bags
Cocoa beans (dried, fermented), food-grade; Grade 1
Theobroma cacao L. · Forastero and Amelonado · Family: Malvaceae
Grade 1 · Fermented; compliant with Codex Stan 141-1983 and EU import requirements
Harvesting, extraction, heap or box fermentation (5–7 days), sun-drying on raised beds, cleaning, sorting, grading, metal detection, bagging
2025 / 2026 (main crop: October–March; mid-crop: May–August)
Côte d'Ivoire
Bas-Sassandra, Haut-Sassandra & Lôh-Djiboua · altitude 100–400 m.a.s.l.
Nature Commodities — sourced direct from partner cooperatives and trusted farms in Côte d'Ivoire
Whole dried fermented beans; uniform size; free from mould, insect damage, flat beans or foreign matter; well-fermented slate-brown to purple-brown cross-section.
Dark brown to reddish-brown exterior; slate to purple-brown interior indicative of good fermentation; uniform within lot.
Clean, characteristic fermented cocoa; rich and earthy; free from smoky, acidic, rancid, mouldy or foreign odours.
Deep chocolate, earthy, nutty; characteristic full-bodied cocoa; good fermentation balance with no excessive acidity or astringency.
Chocolate manufacture, cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, cocoa butter extraction, confectionery and beverages.
| Parameter | Min | Max | UOM | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture Content | — | 7.5 | % | ISO 2291 |
| Water Activity (aw) | — | 0.65 | aw | Internal / AOAC |
| Fat Content (cocoa butter) | 48 | 57 | % | ISO 7702 |
| Bean Count (per 100 g) | — | 100 | count | Codex Stan 141-1983 |
| Fermentation Index | 75 | — | % | Cut test / internal |
| Defective Beans — Mouldy | — | 3 | % | Codex Stan 141-1983 |
| Defective Beans — Insect Damaged | — | 3 | % | Codex Stan 141-1983 |
| Defective Beans — Slaty | — | 3 | % | Codex Stan 141-1983 |
| Defective Beans — Flat | — | 3 | % | Codex Stan 141-1983 |
| Shell Content | — | 12.0 | % | ISO 2451 |
| Foreign Matter | — | 0.5 | % | ISO 2291 |
| Pesticide Residues | — | ND | — | EU MRLs (Reg. 396/2005) |
| Heavy Metals — Lead (Pb) | — | 0.1 | mg/kg | ICP-MS / EN 14083 |
| Heavy Metals — Cadmium (Cd) | — | 0.1 | mg/kg | ICP-MS / EN 14083 |
| Aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G2) | — | 4.0 | µg/kg | HPLC / EN 14123 |
| Ochratoxin A (OTA) | — | 3.0 | µg/kg | EN 14132 |
| Benzo[a]pyrene | — | 2.0 | µg/kg | EN 16619 |
| PAH4 (sum) | — | 10.0 | µg/kg | EN 16619 |
| Parameter | Limit | UOM | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Aerobic Plate Count | ≤ 1.0 × 10⁵ | cfu/g | ISO 4833 |
| Yeasts | ≤ 1.0 × 10³ | cfu/g | ISO 21527 |
| Moulds | ≤ 1.0 × 10³ | cfu/g | ISO 21527 |
| Enterobacteriaceae | ≤ 1.0 × 10² | cfu/g | ISO 21528-2 |
| Pathogen | Result | UOM | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | Absent | /g | ISO 16649-2 |
| Salmonella | Absent | /25 g | ISO 6579 |
Cocoa beans contain no declarable allergens under EU Reg. 1169/2011, Annex II. Handled under HACCP-based allergen controls. Buyers producing products containing milk or nut ingredients should apply appropriate cross-contact controls. None of the following are present by direct addition or cross-contact:
Cereals containing gluten
Crustaceans & derivatives
Eggs & derivatives
Fish & derivatives
Peanuts & derivatives
Soy & derivatives
Milk & derivatives (incl. lactose)
Nuts & derivatives
Celery & derivatives
Mustard & derivatives
Sesame / seeds & derivatives
Sulphites ≥ 10 mg/kg
Lupin & derivatives
Molluscs & derivatives
60 kg or 65 kg natural jute bags with food-grade polyethylene inner liner; GrainPro hermetic liner available on request.
60 kg or 65 kg per bag (as specified at order)
Approx. 19,200–20,800 kg net depending on bag format and stacking
Origin, lot number, cooperative / exporter, crop year, net weight, bag number; Fairtrade / Rainforest Alliance cert ref where applicable
Cool, dry, well-ventilated; 15–20°C, RH < 60%; away from direct sunlight, heat sources and strong odours; elevated off floor on pallets; regular inspection for mould and insect activity
Food-contact materials comply with EU Reg. 1935/2004 and 10/2011
12 months from harvest date under recommended storage conditions; best flavour within first 9 months of arrival
Export in 20′/40′ containers; ambient (non-refrigerated) sea freight; palletised and shrink-wrapped for stability in transit
Chocolate manufacturers, cocoa processors, confectionery producers and ingredient distributors. Suitable for all consumers regardless of belief or diet.
Handled under HACCP-based food safety management system
Supplier operates under ISO 22000 food safety management standard
Halal certified — issued by IFANCA (cert. ref. available on request)
Organic certification available on select lots (cert. ref. available on request)
Sourced direct from partner cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire; no middlemen
Every lot traceable from farm to facility; chain-of-custody documentation provided with each shipment
Nature Commodities confirms that this product does not fall within the scope of EU Regulations 1829/2003 and 1830/2003 on genetically modified food and feed. The cocoa beans are a natural agricultural commodity; no genetic-modification techniques are used, and no GMO raw materials, ingredients or processing aids are involved.
Each lot is fully traceable from the farm / cooperative of origin through fermentation, drying, grading, export and delivery. The product is unadulterated and not substituted with any other raw material. Lot identity, cooperative of origin, harvest region and crop year are recorded on every bag and on the accompanying phytosanitary and health certificate documentation.
Ethically sourced natural commodities — from farm to shelf, rooted in sustainability and quality.
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