Our network runs from the Rwenzori foothills in North Kivu to the forest edge of Mambasa in Ituri. Different altitudes, different flavour, one protocol.
Select a site to see its coordinates, altitude, rainfall and role in the supply chain. Coordinates shown are cluster centroids; individual plot polygons are released to contracted buyers with the geolocation data pack.
| Cluster | Province | Altitude | Rainfall | Varieties | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mavivi–Mabalako | North Kivu | 1,020–1,180 m | 1,450–1,700 mm | Trinitario, Forastero | Ripe red fruit, brown sugar, deep cocoa |
| Rwenzori foothills | North Kivu | 1,150–1,340 m | 1,600–1,900 mm | Trinitario | Bright citrus, floral, long finish |
| Oicha corridor | North Kivu | 960–1,090 m | 1,500–1,750 mm | Trinitario, Forastero | Balanced, cocoa-forward, soft acidity |
| Mambasa forest edge | Ituri | 780–910 m | 1,700–2,000 mm | Forastero, Trinitario | Classic cocoa, roasted nut, full body |
Fermentation and drying decide most of what a chocolate maker will taste. We treat them as manufacturing steps with written parameters, not as something that happens while beans sit outside.
Pods are cut at full ripeness — colour break confirmed by trained field staff — and opened within 48 hours. Under-ripe and diseased pods are rejected at the tree.
Beans are removed by hand, placenta discarded, and flat, germinated or damaged beans are pulled out before fermentation rather than after.
Wet beans go into specific wooden boxes, covered with banana leaf, and are turned every 48 hours to even out temperature and aeration. Box, date and cluster are recorded on the lot sheet.
Natural drying on raised racks under shelter over 11 to 14 days, spread thin and turned by hand. Shelter is what protects the lot from the sudden rain that ruins open-yard drying in this region.
Manual checks through drying, targeting 6.5–7.5% at bagging. A lot does not leave the drying station until it reads inside that band.
300-bean cut test per lot: well-fermented, purple, slaty, mouldy, insect-damaged and germinated percentages, plus bean count per 100 g.
62.5 kg jute bags, lot-tagged, palletised and held in ventilated storage at our Beni warehouse with humidity monitoring.
Containers are inspected for cleanliness and odour, lined where specified, loaded under supervision and sealed. Seal numbers go onto the shipping documents.
These placeholders mark the photographs that need to replace them before launch. Real images of your own operation are worth more to a buyer than any paragraph on this page.
Tell us your target profile, volume and destination port. Our export desk replies within two business days with available lots, a cut-test report and an indicative offer.