MEET THE MAKERS - ORIGINAL BEANS
Like other tree fruits, cacao is infused with flavours from its terroir. Its seeds are full of nutrition and when harvested, fermented and dried with craft, they reveal the unique characters of their distinct origins. Since 2008, the Original Bean Team travels to the rarest places on earth to bring “original beans” to chocolate lovers globally. Founded by Philipp Kauffmann, who represents the 7th generation in a family of recognized nature explorers and conservationists who coined the term “sustainability”. One of them advised already in 1795 to preserve nature in such a way that future generations can experience her as we do today. Philipp gave up his job at the United Nations in New York to grow Original Beans as a leader brand instilling the first climate positive supply chain company in the industry.
The chocolate industry has a track record of exploiting cacao growers and the environment in equal measure. While a new generation is trying to clean-up chocolate’s tarnished reputation, unfortunately the industry has a very vicious historic burden. It was set up the wrong way and to change that is hard. This is the mission for Philipp Kauffmann “What we know as chocolate is actually candy. And that market is larger than the music or the book market but it is candy and has nothing to do with chocolate and very little to do with cacao,” he says. “It has a lot of severe consequences as a result of the way it’s structured for the health of us as consumers and the health of farmers and the health of nature as well.”
Philipp is trying to address this archaic model by working directly with growers, paying them more, and supporting initiatives within their communities, like the tree planting scheme; for every bar sold, a tree is planted. Original Bean is carbon negative since each tree they plant in a healthy cacao forest absorbs 274g more CO2 than emitted during the production of a bar. And there is zero waste as both box and foil are made from wood.
Today Original Beans has 12 cacao origins in 8 countries. From Mexico to Tanzania, the cacao is carefully grouped in 4 categories:
Select Tribal Cacao - represent the deep history and commitment of the indigenous tribes who know how to grow them best.
Rare - Filled with nature’s abundance and diversity, these rare beans put pure deliciousness within reach.
Ultra Rare - These ultra rare beans (nearly extinct in the case of Piura) are aromatic time capsules from the earth’s remotest regions.
Rarest of the Rare - These cacao flavours travel to the far reaches of the imagination.
Original Beans is leading the sustainability efforts to transform the industry and the way consumers think about, buy and consume chocolate. Please join us at Casa TAOS to enjoy all the varieties Original Beans offer.
We hope to see you soon!
