Chocolate made on a small scale in Nottingham has scooped a top industry honour. Rich dark chocolate produced in a tiny outlet at Sneinton Market has been named a gold winner in the Academy of Chocolate's annual awards
Luisa's Vegan Chocolates wowed the judges with a bean-to-bar of 92% Philippines dark chocolate made from scratch in her micro kitchen.
With no hydrogenated fats and oils or additives, low in sugar and high in cocoa, you could say it's a guilt-free treat. And due to the absence of dairy, it just happens to be vegan-friendly.
Former textiles and art teacher Luisa Vicinanza-Bedi is Nottingham’s first bean to bar chocolate maker, creating it “little and often” and selling the luxurious bars and truffles from the unit at Avenue A.
Cacao beans, sourced directly from farmers, are slowly roasted, winnowed to remove the husk, and tempered on the premises as part of the production process.
The Academy of Chocolate also awarded bronze awards to another two of Luisa's chocolate bars, made with 72% cacao from Madagascar and Makira in the Solomon Islands.
Luisa said: "This is an amazing achievement for our business as we approach our first year anniversary."
The company has also received an award from the Innovate UK project for working directly with female farmers in Colombia.
"The project involves plant specialists at the University of Nottingham and ourselves collaborating in order to expand the market and promote Colombian cocoa, from our shop, local shops and the internet."
This will provide an income to the farmers and pay them a better than 'fair price' for their cocoa.
Luisa added: “Going to Colombia was the most satisfying trip ever to meet the farmers and see the beautiful bright cocoa pods was a trip of a lifetime.
"It’s amazing how chocolate comes from a plant with so many different varieties of colour and flavour. We hope that everyone can come down to see us in work and smell our beans roasting and start to appreciate the chocolate-making process from bean-to-bar."
