I also have a little cacao tree. I haven't had it long- probably 2 months. We haven't really given it enough attention and it's not going so well. It's about to get really cold here in South Australia- was wondering if anyone has any tips to keeping it at the right temperatures and humidity Should I just buy or build something to house it in and keep it at the right conditions?
Hello Lorna, it's interesting to hear that you are trying to grow cacao plants. Unfortunately the cacao trees are very sensitive and require specific geographic and weather conditions.
The good news are that with technology we have been able to recreate such conditions for the trees to grow strong and healthy. In regards to the height, it is not really important, the height will be dependant from the variety that you are growing.
I have some good information about planting, growing and harvesting cacao but most of it is in Spanish. I consider this two links will be very helpful for you, take your time to review them
This includes all what you need to have high quality cacao beans (in recommended conditions).
We are a bean to Bar Maker in Canada who should be added to this list
ambrosiapastry.com
Just wanted to add "Matale Chocolate" to the Australian bean to bar list.... www.matalechocolate.com
Hola,
How do I add our company to your data base of Bean to Bar chocolate makers? SAMARITAN XOCOLATA, Perez Zeledon, Costa Rica. 100% organic, Costa Rican, hand-crafted chocolate.
Hi Louis,
What is the relationship between Ki Xocolatl and CACEP, a chocolate manufacturer in Tabasco?Is Ki Xocolatl subcontracting CACEP for the manufacturing? FYI, I live in Battery Park City, so I will try to attend the Battery Place Market tasting on April 3.
Brady
You forgot to include Ki Xocolatl.
Ki Xocolatl is a bean-to-bar manufacturer in Merida, Mexico. They also grow their own cacao in a vast plantation in the heart of the Yucatan peninsula. And they have an office in New York to distribute their chocolates.
This is their website: www.ki-xocolatl.com . This is the site for the Plantacion Tikul: www.ecomuseodelcacao.com . You can get their chocolates from Amazon.com. And if you are interested in wholesale, you can contact them by email at info@casa-catherwood.com or mexicanchocolatecompany@gmail.com .
Louis
Hi Guys, I guess we can also add Ananda Chocolate to this list? The Bio/FT arriba cacao bar dressed in a home compostable foil... 100% produced in country of origine, being Ecuador. Ananda Chocolate
What about Vestri and Cacao Sampaka?
As far as I know, there are only claims that Vestri is tree to bar, in that they own their own plantation. But in the case of Sampaka, it seems to me I've heard both claims that they are bean to bar, and claims to the contrary.
I added those I mentioned in my reply just above to the master list, plus made made these and all the other newer additions hyperlinks. I have not added Salazon, as I'm slightly suspicious of this company.
For example, this from their FAQ
"Why dont you make milk chocolate?
At Salazon we see chocolate as an energy food not candy, so we simply stay away from offering sweeter, more candy-like milk chocolate. "
And what is their chosen default percentage for this "dark" chocolate? 54%!!
But that may be too bitter for many, so
"However, we do understand that some people may want a touch more sweetness so we created our Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt and Organic Turbinado Sugar bar."
Also, there seems to be nothing on the website with any information on who these people are, not even their names, and no information about or photos of their chocolate making process. Except that they are the "Salazon Chocolate Co Team," which consists of "a group of us were on a backpacking trip to Utah."
Therefore, who knows who they are, or if they grasp "bean to bar" meaning.
btw, has anyone tried their chocolates? I see they are available at Whole Foods.
I wonder if we ought to add Mindo, Snake and Butterfly, Potomac, Salazon, all newer US makers claiming to be b2b, but I have not exactly called them up to quiz them... Isn't there someone on this list also who says they make b2b, Oakland Chocolate Company?
This list is going to be getting so long as small b2b increase exponentially over the next years, so can I just add my grandma's home brew now? She sells to her Mahjong club.
RE: http://australianrawqacao.com/australian-raw-qacao-cacao-fruit-bean
Qacao sounds to me like a lot of Quackery mixed with spiritual mumbo jumbo.
I've found and Australian Certified Organic farm listed as producing Cocao in Killaloe QLD but as yet had no reply from them.
http://australianrawqacao.com/australian-raw-qacao-cacao-fruit-bean
This site purports to sell raw organic Australian beans already.
Not sure whether these guys can be classified as bean to bar yet but they seem to be heading in that direction.
Farm by Nature
Phone: 392128188
Website: http://www.farmbynature.com.au/
When it comes to the Cocoa itself, Farm By Nature is on the road ( through their sister company Cocoa Australia)
to grow Australias first cocoa Plantation in Far North Queensland.
The first of these little Aussie beans should be available in 2010 and used to create a unique Australian Cocoa Farm Range.
Just for fun, here is the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization) of "Chocolate Manufacturers." In looking at it I see:
It's not clear what the criteria are for inclusion. One very new company, AMMA (Brazil) is on the list.
Thoughts?
:: Clay
Hi Duffy
Yes, and I've read about you at Seventypercent.com, wanna taste yours too, but I can't order them from my country *sigh*
Someday when I can make it to Europe and UK, I will definitely go to your workshop to learn and taste some sample, if you don't mind 
Willy
I make chocolate from bean to bar in the UK - Red Star Chocolate. Clay has even tasted some of it...
I've updated the database with Rogue Chocolatier, from Minneapolis, MN. The founder, is the youngest chocolate maker that I know, and if I'm not mistaken, Colin Gasko is also a TCL member too. Can't wait their chocolates, that I've ordered, arrive in my home in January :-p
I guess I should have done more research on the internet first. I was only looking at the package which says in large bold letters on the front "El Ceibo Cooperative" then on the back "Made in Switzerland" and distributed by "Alter Eco Americas". Going by this information alone I thought it would be possible for the company to be bean to bar, made in Switzerland but distributed in the U.S. Now I wonder-- who actually makes the Bolivian beans into chocolate?
It turns out that Alter Eco is a French company started in 1999.
Clay, thanks clarifying this.
Lowe ... Alter Eco is a US-based product sourcing and marketing company. If the bars are made in Switzerland, then how can Alter Eco be bean to bar?
Is Alter Eco a bean to bar company?
I'm currently reviewing several of their bars. The beans are grown by the El Ceibo Cooperative in Bolivia and the chocolate is made " in the pure Swiss tradition " by someone in Switzerland.
