The visionary behind Theo Chocolates
By Richard Wolak
Fast tracking to the present, Joe Whinney is the founder of Theo Chocolates a recent new comer to Seattle who not only produces premium, organic, fair trade and specialty chocolate but who is proud to be the only roaster of organic cocoa beans and the first roaster of Fair Trade certified cocoa beans in the United States.
Whinney spent several years in Costa Rica helping small cacao farmers become certified organic and farm-grower cooperatives as part of his Organic Commodity Project. The cacao is not grown on big clear-cut plantations but rather on the shady understory of the jungle, making it sustainable agriculture. Most of the cacao is grown around the La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, which is run by the Nature Conservancy. His organization subsidized the farmers when global cacao prices are low in a form of International Fair Trade. A few years ago, Joe helped Nell Newman (daughter of actor Paul Newman) with chocolate for her Newman Organics product line, Nell admired all of the work of his Organic Commodity Project and wanted to support it.
Joe pioneered the manufacture and supply of organic chocolate products as the first importer of organic cocoa beans into North America in 1994.
Theo produces two different chocolate bar product lines:
THEO 3 oz. ORIGIN BAR LINE
Theo's signature line consists of five exquisitely crafted chocolate bars that feature the flavor notes of cacao from different parts of the world. The cacao is carefully blended with organic beet sugar grown in Sweden, which imparts a pure, clean sweetness that complements, rather than interferes with the nuanced flavors of the beans. Theo's Origin bar line represents the highest achievement in chocolate making. Throughout the manufacturing process, every care is taken to preserve the integrity of the cacao. The line ranges from 65 - 91% cacao content, and offers a truly uncompromised chocolate experience, rich in both satisfying flavor and antioxidants. Theo Origin Bars are vegan and soy-free.
Their highest cocao content bar at present is the ‘Venezuela Limited Edition Dark Chocolate Bar 91%'. This special bar is available for a limited time only and it will change the way you think about dark chocolate! It features the delicate flavors of a blend of cacao from Barinas, Merida and Tachiras, the remote western regions of Venezuela, and offers 91% cacao content without any of the bitterness typically associated with such a high percentage dark chocolate.
3400 PHINNEY CHOCOLATE FACTORY 2 oz. FLAVORED MILK & DARK CHOCOLATE BARS
Named for the address of the factory where Theo chocolate makers work their magic, these organic, Fair Trade Certified milk and dark chocolate bars come in wonderfully innovative flavors. Theo takes its premium quality, delectable chocolate and combines it with some bold and traditional ingredients to conjure the 3400 Phinney fantasy flavor assortment. The chocolate for this bar line is made with organic, Fair Trade certified cocoa beans from Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic. The dark chocolate has a minimum 65% cacao content; the milk chocolate has a minimum 40% cacao content.
Unique flavors include the ‘Chai' which is a warming blend of chai spices and milk chocolate, ‘Bread and Chocolate' featuring dark chocolate with buttery, toasted artisan breadcrumbs and the perfect amount of salt.
POSTED: Thursday, April 26, 2007