Cocoa in Colombia – More Than Chocolate: Why Coffee Lovers Should Discover Cocoa at Origin

Coffee is at the heart of our Cofitur journeys. But Colombia has another gift that often receives less attention: cocoa. If you want to truly understand the origin of fine products, you cannot miss a visit to cocoa plantations – and that’s why we have made them an essential part of our travel program.

This article shows you how cocoa is grown and processed in Colombia, what makes it different from coffee, and why coffee lovers in particular should broaden their horizons beyond the cup.

Cocoa in Colombia: Origins, Meaning, and Quality

Colombia is famous for coffee – but cocoa also has a long tradition here. In regions such as Huila, Antioquia, and Santander, small-scale farmers produce fine, aromatic cocoa. Many farms are family-run, working with agroforestry systems and natural practices. The result: beans with flavor profiles ranging from nutty and spicy to fruity and floral.

For Colombia, cocoa is not only an economic factor but also part of cultural identity. Just like coffee, every single step – from harvesting to drying – influences quality. And during our trips, you get to experience these steps firsthand.

From Seed to Bean: How Cocoa is Grown and Processed

Growing Regions & Conditions

• Huila: Fertile soils, high altitudes, and a growing community of dedicated producers. This is where we combine coffee and cocoa experiences most closely.
• Antioquia: A historically important agricultural region, increasingly focused on quality cocoa.
• Santander: One of Colombia’s classic cocoa regions with long-standing traditions.

Cocoa grows on shade-tolerant trees. The pods ripen several times a year and are selectively harvested by hand. Once opened, the fresh, shiny beans are scooped out together with their sweet pulp.

  

Fermentation – the Flavor Trigger

Immediately after harvest, fermentation begins – a crucial step that shapes flavor. It usually takes place in wooden boxes over several days. Microorganisms break down the pulp, temperatures rise, and precursors of the future chocolate aroma are formed. Much like in coffee, fermentation management decides clarity, balance, and complexity of flavors.

Drying – Stability & Cleanliness

After fermentation, the beans are spread out on drying beds. Proper sun drying preserves flavor, prevents defects, and creates stability. Attention and patience at this stage mark the difference between average and exceptional cocoa.

Cocoa Meets Coffee: Two Plants – One Origin

Parallels

• Origin & Craft: Both products are defined by climate, variety, and processing.
• Small-scale & community-based: Many farms are family enterprises relying on knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Flavor diversity: Just like specialty coffee, cocoa offers a wide spectrum – from nutty, caramel, and spicy to fruity and floral.

Differences

• Fruit vs. stone fruit: Cocoa pods contain beans surrounded by pulp; coffee cherries hold two seeds.
• Fermentation goals: Cocoa fermentation is always mandatory and flavor-defining, while in coffee, processing methods (washed, honey, natural) vary and shape acidity, body, and clarity.
• Further processing: Cocoa beans become cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and finally chocolate – with an entire craft of conching, tempering, and recipe design.

Why Coffee Lovers Will Love Cocoa

If you are fascinated by terroir, fermentation, and craftsmanship, you will find cocoa to be coffee’s “sister topic” – familiar in its origin, yet new in taste.

How You Experience Cocoa on Our Cofitur Trips

At Cofitur, cocoa is not a side note – it’s a fixed part of your journey. Visits are seamlessly integrated into the coffee program – not as competition, but as an enriching complement.

What you can expect:

1. Farm tour: From pod to bean – harvest, fermentation, drying.
2. Hands-on elements: Depending on the season, you’ll witness real processing steps.
3. On-site tasting: Sample cocoa beans and, where possible, artisan chocolate.
4. Producer encounters: Talk directly with farmers about challenges, biodiversity, pricing, and the future.
5. Link to coffee: Understand where the processes overlap, where they differ – and how decisions at origin shape taste in the cup or in the bar.

Our goal: You return not only with strong memories but with deep understanding – and perhaps a new favorite flavor.

Quality, Transparency, and Fair Partnerships

At Cofitur, we work with partner farms that prioritize quality and traceability. That includes:

• Fermentation & drying care: Documented processes, clear goals, consistent results.
• Biodiversity & agroforestry: Cocoa grows well in mixed systems that protect soil and stabilize microclimates.n.
• Direct encounters: You gain real insight into the time, labor, and expertise behind every bean.
• Long-term commitment: Relationships that grow over time ensure stability, quality, and learning on both sides.

Sensory Exploration: What Cocoa Tells Compared to Coffee

While coffee is often described through acidity, sweetness, body, and clarity, cocoa tasting emphasizes texture (mouthfeel), cocoa notes (nutty, malty, caramel-like), and fruit tones (red fruits, citrus, dried fruit). Fermentation and roasting during chocolate making further shape these notes.

Tip for you: Just like with coffee, try tasting chocolates from different regions and cocoa percentages. Take notes – you’ll be surprised at how clearly origin and processing shine through.

Sustainability & the Future: Opportunities for Farmers and Regions

In many Colombian regions, cocoa is an important complement to coffee. It stabilizes income, reduces risks, and encourages sustainable agroforestry systems.

Future topics we discuss during our trips include:

• Quality premiums & market access: How do added values reach farmers?
• Post-harvest innovation: Fermentation control, drying techniques, sorting
• Education & community: Knowledge sharing between farmers, cooperatives, and processors
• Transparency across the chain: Traceability and shared goals for quality.

A Day on the Farm: How Coffee and Cocoa Complement Each Other

Picture this: In the morning you’re on a coffee farm, learning about varieties, fermentation, and plant health. After lunch, you switch perspectives and step into a cocoa plot. You crack open a pod, smell the fruity pulp, and follow the beans through fermentation and drying. In the evening, you taste both coffee and cocoa side by side – two worlds, one origin.

This interweaving of coffee and cocoa is what makes Cofitur journeys unique: not isolated themes, but a complete picture that connects the dots.

What You Take Home

• Knowledge about cultivation, fermentation, and drying.
• Sensory experience that goes beyond coffee.
• Appreciation for the labor behind every product.
• Connection to the people and places shaping your daily cup or bite.

Our goal is that you return home making more conscious choices – in both coffee and cocoa – and continue to share the stories behind them.

Conclusion: Coffee Stays at the Center – Cocoa Expands Your Horizon

Cocoa in Colombia is more than chocolate. It is origin, craftsmanship, and culture – and the perfect complement to our coffee journeys. If you love coffee, you’ll discover in cocoa a related world that raises new questions and offers fresh answers. That’s why cocoa farm visits are an integral part of Cofitur: they make your journey richer, more complete, and more sustainable.

Curious?
Find all details on travel dates, services, and prices on Coffee Journeys Colombia and Prices & Services. Or send us your request directly via “Request a Trip” – we look forward to welcoming you in Colombia 

Glossary

• Fermentation (cocoa): Microbial breakdown of pulp after harvest, creating flavor precursors.
• Drying: Reduces moisture, preserves flavor, and prevents defects.
• Agroforestry: Mixed farming systems that enhance biodiversity and soil health.
• Sensory analysis: Systematic tasting to evaluate flavor, aroma, texture, and balance.