Produce from Pará and from Espírito Santo were the main winners of the 1st Concurso Nacional de Cacau Especial Qualidade e Sustentabilidade

Rafaela Polo

With its first edition happening this February, Brazil now has an award just to enhance the production of cocoa: the Concurso Nacional de Cacau Especial Qualidade e Sustentabilidade (a national contest to evaluate special cocoa, the quality and sustainability of its production).

The first edition highlighted productions from Pará and Espírito Santo. In the “Varietal” category – which is considered the most important because it separates different genetic types of fruit in planting, harvesting and fermentation -, the award went to producer Marcia Fonseca, from Fazenda Santa Clara, in Linhares (ES) . Ervino Gutzeit, from Panorama, from Uruará (PA), won in the “blend” category (mixtures and varieties).

The award was divided into three stages. In the final phase, chef Helena Rizzo (Maní), sommelier Carolina Oda (who gave the Brazilian beer course here at Instituto Brasil a Gosto), and Diego Badaró (producer and manufacturer) have chosen the best almonds to make chocolate.