Portugal’s bean-to-bar chocolate industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, and one person has played a crucial role in this development. We are talking about Rosário Cunha, founder of The Cacau Club and one of the most influential chocolate personalities.
Craft chocolate scene in Portugal
When we’re talking about Portugal, chocolate is usually not the first thing that comes up into our minds. However, the growth of craft chocolate makers in Portugal is obvious and every year new brands are joining the chocolate revolution. The term craft chocolate describes brands that are sourcing the cocoa beans for a fair price and producing the chocolate on their own. From the bean to the final bar, these makers take charge of each production step by themselves in order to ensure high-quality chocolate.
Popular Portuguese chocolate makers are for example Feitoria do Cacao from Aveiro, Glad from Porto or newcomers like Julaid from Bragança. Nevertheless, the Portuguese chocolate scene is changing a lot and one person has a great impact on that: our spotlight Rosário Cunha. Besides selling bean-to-bar chocolate subscription boxes, Rosário is also president of the bean-to-bar Portugal association as well as chocolate consultant. In these positions, she has a great influence on the recent developments of the craft chocolate scene in Portugal.
The person behind the success of bean-to-bar chocolates in Portugal
Originally from Porto, Rosário actually lives in Lisbon and has a great love for chocolates since she was a child. Therefore, it’s no wonder that she is always updated about the latest trends in chocolate. In her small studio in Lisbon, she sometimes even hosts chocolate tastings for visitors. On top, Rosário advises companies on how to create own chocolate bars or how to strategically implement chocolate bars into the concept of these companies. Especially cafés and bakeries usually ask Rosário for help and that’s why you might find craft chocolate bars in places such as Gleba bakeries in Lisbon nowadays.
Apart from her amazing job as a chocolate consultant and president of the Portuguese bean-to-bar association, Rosário Cunha is also a great person. Her kindness and love for chocolate she shares with everyone makes her one of the few personalities to change the thinking about chocolate consumption. Therefore, Rosário fights mass-produced chocolate bars from the supermarket and tries to give bean-to-bar chocolates a platform. With this so-called chocolate revolution, she tries to make people aware of a more conscious chocolate consumption.
Just the beginning of the craft chocolate revolution
Rosário’s passion to change the world of chocolate already had an impact on the industry in Portugal and will continue. It’s our time to say “obrigado” to Rosário who is not only a chocolate lover, but also a very kind-hearted person. Everyone who has the chance to meet Rosário should not miss it out. One of the events to meet her will be for sure the Chocolate festival 2024 in Porto at the end of October. You will not regret it!
All photos are from Instagram @thecacauclub
