Kirk’s cocoa beans again on world stage

Cocoa of Excellence

Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

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Darryl Kirk is making waves in the international chocolate community once again as the only Australian producer to finish in the top 50. IMAGE: Howard Salkow - Newsport


Shannonvale’s Darryl Kirk continues to the ride the crest of the wave as a cocoa bean farmer and chocolatier as he once again enjoys international recognition.

In the 2021 Cocoa of Excellence program’s blind evaluation of 235 cocoa bean samples received from 53 origins, Kirk is the sole Australian producer selected as part of the Best 50.

The Cocoa of Excellence Program is a global competition that recognises the work of cocoa farmers and celebrates quality, flavour diversity and unique origins. It is held every second year.

By bringing together leading sensory evaluation experts, the chocolate industry and the next generation of cocoa pioneers, Cocoa of Excellence rewards cocoa with superior and unique flavours, while bringing know-how, cocoa evaluation tools, market opportunities and incentives for safeguarding cocoa diversity to farming communities and national organisations globally.

Kirk, owner of The Australian Chocolate Farm, now has to wait out a few months to learn how he fared in the Cocoa of Excellence Awards in October.

The process includes processing the 50 best samples into dark chocolate and then evaluated by an expert panel. There will be a Top 20 and a winner.

And he is quietly confident after his 85 per cent dark chocolate received silver at both the Americas and Asia Pacific competition in New York in 2016 and at the International Chocolate Awards in London.

The International Chocolate Awards is an independent competition recognising excellence in fine chocolate making and in the products made with fine chocolate. As the world’s only fully independent international fine chocolate competition, it aims to support companies producing fine chocolate and chocolatiers, small companies and artisans working with fine chocolate.

“Although there may be many who did not realise that cocoa is grown in Australia, I am capitalising on this knowledge and I believe this is the first time chocolate made from Australian-produced beans has won anything at international level,” he said at the time.

And as he pursues international recognition, Kirk is also looking forward to opening a Tourism Attraction on his property.

“The structure is 75 per cent complete and hope to be open to the public in 2022.

“We will have farm tours, our chocolate will be available for purchase, we will have chocolate filling demonstrations and light lunches and refreshments will be available,” said Kirk.

 

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