ALL GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES

“Fairer than fair!” – An interview about our single origin cocoa Becks cocoa™ Especial no 3 from Vietnam

A conversation about the authentic taste of cocoa, about the topic “To seal or not to seal – that is the question here!” and a rarity from Vietnam that is as special as it is sustainable. With Bavaria’s cocoa maker Bertram Zehetbauer from Becks cocoa™.

After the fine layer cocoas Especial no 4 from the Dominican Republic and Especial no 5 from Tanzania, Becks cocoa™ brings a very special discovery to Bavaria/Germany: one of the best cocoa qualities to be found in the Asia-Pacific region!

The Becks cocoa™ Especial no 3 tastes fruity and tart. The exceptional beans come mainly from a small cultivation area in the Mekong Delta in the south of Vietnam. The wide Mekong River with its labyrinth of countless arms and canals, the breathtaking landscape, the endless rice fields, the magnificent gardens, the peaceful, warm-hearted people with their joie de vivre and serenity and a centuries-old tradition shape the country and give it form, charm and beauty. The new cocoa Especial no 3 from Becks cocoa™ carries the sum of these parts and all their intensity and sensuality.

3 Questions for Bertram Zehetbauer, Becks cocoa™ Marketing Manager:

Question: Greetings, Mr Zehetbauer, what is the heart of Becks cocoa for you?

Bertram Zehetbauer, owner of Becks cocoa™: “All our fine cocoas celebrate one thing above all: the absolute taste of cocoa. You can tell that from all our specialities, as different as they are! For chocolate lovers and gourmets, the Becks cocoa™ Single Origin cocoa series is one of our most exciting creations. These are cocoa beans from only one region, very exclusive, and extraordinary on the palate: unadulterated, genuine, pure, they carry the uniqueness of their respective place of origin.”

Question: Here we are on the subject of uniqueness: from September 2021, a rarity will be available for purchase at Becks cocoa™, the Especial no 3. It comes directly from Vietnam. What is so special about this single origin cocoa?
Bertram Zehetbauer: “For us, special has several important aspects. Our second premise is to use organically produced and fairly traded products wherever possible. The cocoa fans who love Becks cocoa™ know this, and they appreciate it very much. But many small farmers and cocoa initiatives that produce in an exemplary sustainable and organic way cannot even afford – usually expensive – organic or Fairtrade certification. A good way for the local smallholders to bring their delicacies to Germany is therefore to sell their high qualities directly to us. The Especial no 3 comes directly to us from a small cocoa cooperative in the Mekong Delta, the spectacularly beautiful rice chamber of the country. That is the special Fairtrade aspect of our new cocoa.

The other special thing is its outstanding quality: the profound taste, the overwhelming intensity of the Especial no 3. Imagine the sun-drenched landscape, the sensuality, joy and fertility of Vietnam and all that together as the authentic taste of the country – captured in a cocoa bean! For me, this is what makes it absolutely special – not for nothing is it one of the best cocoas in the Asia-Pacific region. We enhance its natural, unmistakable flavours on the tongue, the fruity-sour and subtle tartness, with the caramelly sweetness of South American organic cane sugar – to create a finely tuned, noble 75-percent cocoa!”

Directly from the small farmers’ cooperative in Vietnam to Bavaria

For a bright future!

The trusting cooperation between Becks cocoa™ and the cocoa farmer cooperative has many advantages – for the farmers and their families in Vietnam, for Becks cocoa™ as a company and for (environmentally) conscious cocoa lovers and connoisseurs here in Germany:

1. The cocoa passes through only a few hands. This has a twofold positive effect: the smallholders receive better prices for their excellent, hand-picked products than is usually the case in Fairtrade trade. It also creates a transparent supply chain.
2. With its purchase, Becks cocoa™ promotes environmental initiatives, education, training and the local human community. In this way, the farmers and their families receive support, not only financially!
3. In return, Becks cocoa™ and thus the people who buy the cocoa receive outstanding quality.

Frage: Die Kakaobauern in Vietnam erhalten von Ihnen Verkaufspreise die deutlich über dem normalen Fairtrade-Niveau liegen. Gibt es noch mehr Vorteile für die Bauern?

Bertram Zehetbauer: „Aber ja! Durch die Kooperation bekommen die vietnamesischen Kakao-Landwirte die Möglichkeit, z. B. durch sorgfältig ausgesuchte Seminare, Neues zu erfahren und viel hinzuzulernen. Sie bauen ihre Fähigkeiten, die Arbeitsabläufe, Produktion und Nachhaltigkeit aus und verbessern sie. Sie erlangen Wissen, finanzielle Mittel und Autonomie. Auf diese Weise werden die Plantagen im Mekong-Delta auch noch für die Kinder und Kindeskinder mit gesundem Boden und guten Ernten voller hoher Qualität zur Verfügung stehen und zu einem guten, erfüllten Leben in der Region beitragen!

Also, man kann sagen, unser Especial no 3 zeigt – wie so manche Kaffeesorte in kleinen Röstereien oder exquisite Gewürze in ausgesuchten Gewürzmühlen –, dass auch Genussprodukte ohne Siegel von höchster Qualität sein können. Manchmal sind sie sogar noch fairer, nachhaltiger und voller im Geschmack.“

 

Du hast Lust, den Especial no 3 auszuprobieren? Hier kannst du Becks cocoa™ Especial No 3 kaufen.