CHOCOLATE ORIGIN STORY
Ponta Figo: From the Islands of Doom to Redemption
The Ponta Figo bar carries a story far deeper than its vibrant tropical flavours. It comes from São Tomé, a tiny volcanic island in the Gulf of Guinea off West Africa that was once known as "the chocolate island." By the early 1900s, São Tomé had become the world's largest cocoa producer, with around 280 plantations supplying the biggest chocolate makers in Britain and beyond, including Cadbury, Rowntree, and Fry.
But this success was built on a dark foundation. Although Portugal had officially abolished slavery in 1869, the plantations operated using a system of forced labour that was slavery in all but name. Workers, brought from Angola and other Portuguese colonies, faced brutal conditions with death rates reaching 14% for adults and 20% for children. British journalist Henry Nevinson exposed these horrors in 1906, calling São Tomé "the islands of doom." His reporting sparked outrage, leading to court cases and ultimately, in 1909, a complete boycott of São Tomé cocoa by major chocolate manufacturers.
The boycott devastated the island's economy. Chocolate companies shifted their sourcing to the Gold Coast (modern day Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire), and São Tomé's once thriving plantations fell into ruin, reclaimed by the rainforest.
For nearly a century, the islands remained in decline. Then, in the 1990s, an Italian agronomist named Claudio Corallo arrived. Corallo had spent over two decades running a successful coffee plantation in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), but political instability and civil war forced him to flee in 1997, leaving everything behind. Rather than return to Europe, he came to São Tomé in search of a fresh start.
What Corallo found on the neighbouring island of Príncipe was remarkable: abandoned plantations where original heirloom cacao trees, brought from Brazil in the 1800s, still grew wild among the forest. These trees had been left untouched, tended only by monkeys who feasted on the sweet pulp and inadvertently created natural nurseries of germinated seeds.
Through years of experimentation and dedication, Corallo transformed these forgotten trees into some of the world's finest chocolate, proving that São Tomé's cocoa could be celebrated for quality rather than exploitation. His work helped spark a renaissance in São Tomé's chocolate industry, with a new generation of producers focusing on organic, fair trade, and sustainable practices.
The Ponta Figo region, sitting at around 450 meters elevation where cocoa grows alongside coral trees and banana plants, now produces beans known for their exceptional character: vibrant yellow and tropical fruit notes of mango, papaya, and fruit salad. At 70% cocoa content, Chocolarder's Ponta Figo bar captures this natural fruitiness, telling a story of redemption. From an island once synonymous with exploitation to a source of ethically produced, world class chocolate, Ponta Figo represents what chocolate can be when made the right way.
Tasting Guide
Ponta Figo 70% Tasting Guide
Before You Taste
Take a moment to examine the bar. Notice its smooth, glossy surface and the deep brown colour characteristic of 70% dark chocolate.
The Aroma
Break off a square and bring it close to your nose. You should pick up gentle fruity notes with hints of tropical sweetness before you even taste it.
The Snap
A clean, crisp snap when you break the chocolate indicates good tempering and quality craftsmanship.
First Impressions
Place a piece on your tongue and let it begin to melt slowly without chewing. The chocolate should melt smoothly at body temperature, releasing its initial flavours.
The Flavour Journey
As the chocolate melts, you'll experience a wave of bright, tropical fruit flavours. Look for notes of:
- Ripe mango
- Fresh papaya
- Yellow fruit salad
- Gentle acidity that lifts the fruitiness
The Finish
Pay attention to how the flavours develop and linger. Ponta Figo chocolate is known for its clean finish, with the tropical notes fading gently without any harsh or bitter aftertaste.
Tips for Best Experience
- Let the chocolate come to room temperature before tasting
- Cleanse your palate with water between pieces
- Try it at different times of day to notice how your perception of flavour changes
- Share with friends and compare tasting notes
Pairing Suggestions
If you fancy a pairing, the vibrant, fruity character of Ponta Figo pairs beautifully with with our El Salvador Las Isabellas Single Origin coffee which has delicious plum and chocolate flavours with a creamy body. The tropical fruit in the chocolate lifts the coffee's plum notes, whilst the creamy body of the coffee rounds out the dark cacao. Alternate between the two, letting each enhance the other.
or try with Fresh tropical fruits, Light roast Single Origin coffee, Craft beers with citrus notes or aged rum or fruit forward wines
Packaging
Plastic Free Packaging | Recyclable | Biodegradable
Chocolarder Origin Story
About Chocolarder
Chocolarder is one of the UK's few bean to bar chocolate makers and the only one operating in Cornwall. The company produces chocolate in the seaside town of Falmouth using high quality ingredients, with a focus on local sourcing where possible.
Their Story
Chocolarder was founded in 2012 by Mike Longman, a former pastry chef who spent years running pastry kitchens in restaurants across the UK, including Michelin starred establishments earning up to 5 AA Rosettes. While working in Cornwall, Longman noticed something missing: there was no locally made chocolate in the region. This realisation sparked an idea. Drawing on his professional kitchen experience, where sourcing the finest ethical ingredients was paramount, he decided to apply the same principles to chocolate making. His philosophy was simple: if you're investing significant time and effort into creating something, whether pastries or chocolate, you should only work with the best quality, ethically sourced ingredients.
Their Production Process
The bean to bar process at Chocolarder is meticulous and hands on. Once cocoa beans arrive from farms, they are carefully sorted by hand before being slowly roasted. Each batch of beans requires a different roasting time because they come from slightly different growing environments. The beans are quickly cooled to stop the roasting at precisely the right moment.
Next, the beans are cracked and the shells removed, separating out the nibs in a process called winnowing. The heavier nibs fall while air lifts away the lighter shells. These nibs are then stone ground into fine granules, becoming smoother and smoother until they transform into cocoa liquor using a stone melanger, essentially a giant stone wheel rotating on a stone slab. Sugar is added at this stage (unless making 100% chocolate), and the mixture goes through a three roll refiner that breaks down the particle size to 30 microns, creating that perfect melt on the tongue.
The chocolate is then conched, a process that truly brings the chocolate to life. During conching, the chocolate is aerated and kneaded, particles are rounded and evenly distributed, acids dissipate, and flavour compounds develop and react. When ready, the chocolate is poured out to mature in large blocks for around 40 days, allowing the flavours to deepen and develop further.
After ageing, the chocolate is tempered and poured into individual moulds, then wrapped in plastic free packaging, ready to be enjoyed.
Their Equipment
Working in the small bean to bar chocolate industry has given Chocolarder the opportunity to get creative with production equipment. Over the years, Mike Longman has developed something of a passion for restoring antique production machines, experimenting and tinkering to find better ways to make chocolate. As production has expanded, the machinery has evolved too, with Longman taking on the unusual task of renovating old equipment to suit their specific needs.
The factory is home to several remarkable machines, each with its own story. There's Kye, an antique roaster discovered in the middle of France via the internet. In its former life, it roasted hazelnuts, but by the time it arrived in Cornwall, it needed serious restoration. The machine was stripped down, cleaned, blasted to remove old paint and primers, then rebuilt into the striking piece of equipment it is today. The name Kye comes from Mike's grandfather, who remembered it as the name of a chocolate drink soldiers had during World War II. The restoration was funded through a crowdfunding campaign in 2018.
Then there's Mr McKracken, another French discovery. This antique marzipan roller has been part of the Chocolarder process since 2016. Now it serves a completely different purpose, breaking down roasted beans and shattering them into separate components, making it easier to sort shells from nibs before winnowing.
There's also Terry, who came from the closed Terry's of York factory. Yes, he once helped make chocolate oranges. Before arriving at Chocolarder, Terry had a stint at a honey farm where he was unsuccessfully used to crush honey into sugar crystals. Now he breaks down nibs after winnowing, preparing them for the melanger.
These machines, along with many others, can be seen up close during factory tours at the Falmouth facility.