The Gusu Head Factory blog,chocolate factory machine.

A chocolate affair

I've walked an interesting road with chocolate, much as I have with wine. My relationship with chocolate began with the cheap-and-cheerful brands, and I just couldn't get enough. I tried anything I could get my sticky fingers on, but my palate remained underdeveloped as a result of the brands I was choosing. The moment I realised that there was a world of chocolate out there that I was missing out on was when a family member brought a selection  of chocolates back from Europe. Since then, I still enjoy my cheap-and-cheerful cocoa fix, but nothing can beat the texture, flavour and feelings of happiness that are wrapped up in premium,chocolate production machinery proper chocolate - it's a passionate love affair. This week, I had the opportunity to indulge in my guilty pleasure when I was invited for a tour of CocoáFair, Africa’s only organic bean-to-bar chocolate factory.


The operational area of the factory is behind glass panels, allowing visitors to see exactly what takes place in the chocolate-making, process whilst browsing the huge array of decadent chocolate products on offer. Meghan Werner, Head of Communications and Social Enterprise, took me behind-the-scenes for a custom tour. They begin with roasting their cocoa beans, a process which takes place in a large machine that resembles a huge coffee roaster. Once roasted, the shells are removed - called winnowing - to reveal the nibs (the beans inside). At this stage, the hard nibs need to be turned into a smooth, rich liquid. This is done with a process known as conching, where the nibs are rolled and kneaded into this consistency. The next process is one which I am sure all Masterchef Australia fans are familiar with - tempering! Many of the contestants found tempering to be their shortfall on the show and I can understand why, what with having to bring the chocolate up to a precise temperature and then down again. Thankfully, CocoáFair have special machines to do this for them - chocolate that will be used for dipping or coating must be tempered, which also makes it beautifully glossy and streak-free. After that, it's up to CocoáFair's artisan chocolatiers to decide what to make with the delicious white, milk and dark chocolate - truffles, moulded chocolates, slabs... there's no end to their creativity.

CocoáFair offer daily factory tours for visitors (including tastings), and they also offer an exciting training class called "Bean to Bar Chocolate Intro Course". You'll make your own chocolate from scratch in this interactive and educational course, with your own pile of freshly roasted cocoa beans. Apart from the fun you'll have in learning to make and temper chocolate, as well as creating your own truffles and other treats, you'll also learn about the environmental and social aspects of the chocolate business. At the end of the evening, you'll receive a certificate, an exclusive CocoáFair apron, and you'll get to take home a goodie bag of delicious products. Even better, there's a courtesy bar available throughout the evening, as we all know that chocolate and wine are a match made in heaven! It sounds like a brilliant way to spend an evening with friends, and would make a great birthday or bachelorette event! If you have little ones, they're a very popular venue for kiddie's parties, and I don't think you need me to explain why!

Chocolate flakes

Just when I thought that it couldn't get any better, Meghan handed me a tub of Chocolate Body Polish. After chatting with her, it's clear that her passion lies in sustainability. As such, she wanted to explore a way to use the by-product of the chocolate making process, namely the roasted organic cocoa bean shells. She simply mixes these shells with rice bran oil, known for its soothing and moisturising properties, and pure Epsom salt, which draws toxins out of the body, relaxes muscles and soothes the nervous system. The rice bran oil is not sticky, and does not leave your skin feeling clogged or coated with a film. The result? An utterly decadent shower scrub experience, with the rich smell of chocolate and the gorgeous feel of soft, smooth skin. She describes it as "eco-friendly indulgence" and that's absolutely spot on. I've used it twice already and am totally addicted. Meghan is making under her own brand name, Theonista - she explained that Theobroma is the official name of the cocoa tree, meaning "food of the goods". Theonista is her "chocolate revolution" for socially and environmentally conscious chocolate products! If you'd like to get your own tub, please check out Meghan's website.

Showertime just got a whole lot more fun!

Thanks so much to Meghan and the rest of the CocoáFair team for inviting me for such a wonderful experience. I'll be heading back there next week to stock up on chocolates for Christmas, as well as a slab or three for my personal stash. I couldn't think of a better place to get my chocolate fix - guilt free!