GENERAL INFORMATION
The Company
Directly from the Source
The Company
The Company
DOP CHOCOLATE - Denominación de Origen Panamá Chocolate was born in 2018 as a venture of David Henesy and Carolina Rodriguez, founders and owners of restaurants across the Americas. Through a long term friendship with Petra Kollmannsberger and Harry Assenmacher who have been working in the development of sustainable forestry and cocoa products in Central and South America we realized that we combine together more than 100 years of experience in sustainable land development, cocoa production, food processing, export and import of raw materials and bean-to-bar chocolate making.
We recognized the growing demand for food products with a strong identity. Labels and certifications are no longer enough. Manufacturers must be able to account for a product’s origin and quality, as well as guarantee that it has been produced and traded fairly. We started out creating unique brands at origin which consider all aspects of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.
The D.O.P. acronym is known throughout the world as “protected designation of origin”.
The factory’s chocolate is not just D.O.P. but entirely produced in Panama, from soil to bar. This is a unique position in the chocolate world and we want to serve to the chocolate industry as a provider of high quality and sustainability.
Panama
Directly from the Source
The Company
Panama lies at the perfect latitude for cacao growing in the heart of the Americas. We have unique transport opportunities for our costumers, access to tropical products from the area and a booming economy and fast development. Cacao has been cultivated in Panama for many generations. The chocolate belongs to the gastronomic tradition and to spiritual and medical rituals of the indigenous population. But on the cocoa map of the international chocolate industry it is relatively unknown production area. Until now.
Directly from the Source
Directly from the Source
Sustainability and Net Carbon Zero
The raw materials for DOP’s product lines are sourced from farms in Panama managed by,Forest Finance and 12Tree, two innovative leaders in sustainable land development - but also from local smallholders.
Additional nearby origins such as Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, and the D.R. are on hand to ensure consistent supply and the varieties needed to meet DOP’s volume and quality requirements to maximize its product development and production but all cacao used must meet the same rigorous standards of agroforestry and regenerative agriculture set by the Funds.
Sustainability and Net Carbon Zero
Sustainability and Net Carbon Zero
Sustainability and Net Carbon Zero
Regenerative farming practices - that means for us and our partners in Panama agroforestry, moisture-sensing technologies for irrigation, wildlife habitat, buffer zones, windbreaks of native tree species and perennial planting, several hundred ha of protection zones of tropical rainforest, monitoring of mammal species and the connectivity an ecological restoration area.
We support the EU resolution against child labour in cocoa plantations and works closely with local partners to ensure the strict adherence to the rules of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Our cocoa forests in Panama are UTZ certified since 2014 and organic certified since 2019 or in the process of transformation.
Social Responsibility
Sustainability and Net Carbon Zero
Social Responsibility
The creation of formal and stable jobs in impoverished and underdeveloped rural areas of Panama, especially the creation of jobs of single mothers.
Producing also the chocolate at origin has a positive impact on local development and of course the reduction of the carbon footprint.
DOP CACAO
Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy Lifestyle
Cocoa is a health product. It reduces blood pressure, it reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, boosts the nervous system, fights toxins in the body and kakes you feel good. So you don’t want to destroy all those health benefits by adding lots of sugar. We want to offer you products which are using as little sugar as possible and are currently working on adding sugar from the same cocoa fruit.
The Farms
Healthy Lifestyle
Healthy Lifestyle
Bocas del Toro
Size: 300 ha.
The farms Quebrada Limón, Quebrada Pitti and Rio Uyamá are all based near the village of Almirante in the Bocas del Toro region of Panama. This is a traditional cocoa growers area and the cocoa cooperative are one of the oldest cooperatives in Central America.
The farms are managed in traditional agroforestry system, with high biodiversity and home to many mammals like the sloths, ant eaters. The drying and fermentation stations is one of the most modern in the region and adapts solar drying technology to traditional fermentation techniquesFermentation follows a strict protocol and can be adapted according to flavor needs.
Genetics: In the plantations grow CATIE-R1, R4 and R6. Panamas Caribbean cost is a very humid zone. These clones were developed by the CATIE institute in Costa Rica for their resistance to deseases and high yields.
Also we grow ICS-95 and other Trinitario beans Trinitario: (Trinitario Type) x Criollo (CRI)
High-yielding and very vigorous; yielding well on most soils; tolerant to Monilia (frosty pod rot) in Latin America.
ICS-95 was singled out as one of the “most valuable” ICS clones due to its reliably high yields and disease resistance. ICS-95 is among the small number of ICS clones which has been introduced to various countries for use as parent stock in breeding programes.
Flavor: Lots of bright, fresh fruit notes, berries are prominent (strawberry-like in character on the under-ripe side).
Moderate cocoa notes that come in mid-taste. The fruit notes are immediate. The bitterness is controlled and moderate as is the astringency.
Some late taste / aftertaste astringency with browned notes.
Lots of brightness in the character
Healthy Lifestyle
Cuango farm, Colon, Panama
SIZE 1,455 hectares, conservation area 663 hectares.
Genetics: CATIE R1, R4, R6, PMCT58, ICS 95
In Eastern Panama, nestled between Caribbean beaches and the Sierra Llorona mountains, lies Cuango farm. A vast and enchanted land of rolling hills and pastures is being restored through the creation of agroforestry systems that combine fine flavor cocoa trees, plantain, native hardwoods and leguminous trees that aid the restoration of the soil.
These agroforests connect fragments of natural forests and form a network of biological corridors teeming with ocelots, margays, pumas, peccaries, agoutis, coatis, tayras, anteaters and many different birds and bats. Most importantly, this partnership of trees and crops helps regenerate the soil which is key to the long-term sustainability of the cocoa crop.
Site visits encouraged!!
The Production Facility coming Q4 '23
The Production Facility coming Q4 '23
The Production Facility coming Q4 '23
The Facility is next door to Market Restaurant and La Factoria Delicatessen and Fine Food distribution in the heart of Panama City, in the principal Banking and Tourist district. DOP has a state-of-the-art cocoa processing line installed in its factory in downtown Panama City. The line has a production capacity is 35kg per hour. Monthly output can range from 8.4 mt’s to 16.8 mt’s depending on days and shifts worked.
Product Quality
The Production Facility coming Q4 '23
The Production Facility coming Q4 '23
Licor (escala 1-5)
Toque Cacao, 2,75, Frutal 3,25, Caramelo 1,50, Tostado 2,50, Acide7 2, Astringencia 1,75, Amargor 3, Falso aroma 0, Ahumado 0, Terroso 1,1, Aroma. Tiene un intenso aroma a cacao melaza madera anejada y frutos verdes secos. Sabor a frutos secos (nueces) muy intenso de manera inicial, muy frutal (acidez cítrica, frutas tropicales - mango, maracuyá) Aftertaste frutal y café moderado prolongado. Acidez Agradable, Se aprecia un tostado intermedio - alto que potencia el sabor cacao y permite brindar los atributos frutales y el licor es muy uniforme al paladar.
Our cocoa mass is produced to your needs.
We can work with our partners on customized fermentation and drying protocols and our state of the arte machinery can satisfy all your needs in terms of ….. and ……….
Our cocoa butter is cosmetic grade standard