Jan Schubert, Conservation Leader of Original Beans Chocolate, was interviewed.

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I would estimate that for the farmers we deal with, cacao is the most significant source of revenue for 80% of them, but for 0%, it is their sole source of income.

-Jan Schubert, Original Beans Chocolate’s Conservation Leader

Jan Schubert works in the South American cocoa sector, mostly in Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia. His efforts, together with the efforts of his team, have resulted in the planting of approximately 2.4 million trees in some of the world’s most vulnerable places, with a focus on conservation in cocoa-growing areas. Original Beans Chocolate’s slogan is one bar, one tree.

So, what is going on in the world’s oldest cocoa-growing regions? Jan had a lot to say about cacao after working with it for well over a decade in South America. We look into post-harvest improvements from farmers, unusual cacao varietals, and possible value-adds in-country from a hostel in Colombia. I hope you liked listening to our talk as much as I did.

It’s worth noting that the end of chocolate as we know it was the topic of my conversation with Jan, which resulted in this audio episode titled Is Chocolate Becoming Extinct?

Jan in the rain forest of South America.

We cover the following topics:

• how Jan got involved in cacao in the first place, and how he came to work at Original Beans
• the conservation-specific work Original Beans does in the Americas
• farmers’ efforts to improve cocoa quality, and the results therein
• obstacles in improving cacao farmers’ production volume and access to market
• prices farmers need in order to stick with cocoa production
• industrial cocoa farming vs. small-scale cocoa farming
• governmental intervention in increasing cocoa cultivation
• climate change’s impact upon cacao farming

Contact Jan & Original Beans

Webpage for Original Beans Chocolates.

Instagram: Original Beans Chocolate

Facebook, Original Beans Chocolate

Purchase Original Beans Chocolate

Contact Chocolate On The Road

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@chocolateontheroad on Facebook

Our show music is Phil Reavis’ Roadtrip, and our transition music is People Like Us’ Were Gonna Be Around and Lobo Loco’s Sweet Dreams.

Click here to listen to the previous episode.