Encuentro

Encuentro is a “Bean to Bar” chocolate factory launched in January 2018. We mainly manufacture tasting chocolate bars. This expression “bean to bar” thus distinguishes the artisan manufacturer, from the artisan “chocolatier” who melts and works chocolate already made by the former; two totally different skills.

Encuentro’s ambition is to allow everyone to discover the richness of chocolate aromas thanks to exceptional organic terroirs (Dominican Republic, Haiti, Madagascar, Guatemala, Bolivia and Reunion Island among others). All the manufacturing is done in our factory (located at the MIN of Lomme today and very soon in an old spinning mill in Saint-André-lez-Lille). We use only two ingredients: organic cocoa beans and organic cane sugar. Nothing else. Our will is to offer a natural, healthy product with a unique taste. We also want to have a positive impact on the producers and on the environment.

Encuentro is today the only one in France to offer a top-of-the-range chocolate, organic on 100% of the range, ethical and with only two ingredients (organic beans and organic cane sugar). We do not add any additives such as cocoa butter, lecithin, vanilla, etc. This choice makes the manufacturing process very complex.

These committed specifications require an unfailing rigor in each step of the manufacturing process. Self-taught, we have defined different roasting, conching and tempering profiles for each of our beans. This allows us to have an authentic taste that truly highlights the bean and its particularities.

Our activity is based on three pillars: Passion, Know-how and Ethics. Pillars that hide strong values that we could not exist without: simplicity, transparency, commitment and pleasure of course!

Anyone who likes chocolate

Why change the world of cocoa?

We chose this job because of our passion for cocoa, for its taste, for the pleasure it brings, but also for its history which transports us and the possibility we have to write the continuation.

We select our partner producers because they make high quality, organic, ethical cocoa with the will to change things in their country. Some origins naturally benefit from a historical recognition of their cocoa. This is the case of many South American countries. Others are unfortunately not so lucky and are forced to offer their beans at low cost to industrialists.

This is the case in Haiti, where we already work with the fabulous organic beans of the producer PISA (150 tons / year). 95% of the 5000 tons produced each year in Haiti are sold at very low prices, often at a loss to industrialists. This is not normal, but it is a colossal task for a country to develop cocoa on a global scale. We participate, in our own way, to make known their exceptional know-how in this field.

This is also and especially the case in continental Africa, the historical cradle of – cocoa for industrialists -. In 2019, Ghana and Ivory Coast produced 62% of the world’s cocoa. With what traceability? What quality? These are the 2 real questions. Weak in both cases.

Very few brands highlight these origins on their packaging. They appear from time to time in the list of ingredients, on the back…

This is a reality that we have always been aware of. As a chocolate manufacturer, we feel more than ever concerned and we want to do our part to change things.

We are therefore convinced that our project offers progress and contributes to eating better in Hauts-de-France, the heartland region in which we have established ourselves!

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