Cacao

VehGro is your wholesaler if you are looking for high quality cocoa. The cocoa beans and powders you will find here are grown organically in areas around the equator. Here the climate and environment are perfect for the pure ripening of the bean, which gives the cocoa its distinctive flavour.

The countless tasty uses of cocoa powder

Vehgro is your address for organic cocoa powder. All our cocoa powders and beans are cultivated in a natural way, with care for people, animals and the environment. The cultivation of cocoa takes place mainly in areas around the equator. In these areas, the climate is optimal for the ripening of the beans. At Vehgro you can buy cocoa butter and cocoa beans.

The unequalled taste of cocoa

Cocoa is one of the most recognisable tastes in the world. When the cacao beans are grown on the cacao tree, they are raw and still bitter. The taste only becomes sweet when they are ripened.

You will find cocoa powder in numerous food products. The best known is of course chocolate, which is available in black, milk and white. In white chocolate you will only find cocoa butter. Raw cocoa powder can be added to numerous products, savory or sweet.

The origin of cocoa

Buy cocoa? Where does cocoa come from and how is it grown? Cocoa is grown in the regions around the equator. Cocoa beans grow on the cocoa tree. The cocoa offered by Vehgro is organic in nature. It comes from Africa and South America, amongst others.

The taste of the cocoa can vary from year to year. This is partly due to the growing conditions which the cocoa tree experiences during the season.

The supply of cocoa

Cocoa is offered as raw cocoa powder, as cocoa beans or cocoa butter. Buying raw cocoa powder is recommended if you want to use cocoa powder for multiple purposes.

The production method of cocoa powder is special. First of all the bean is squeezed. This creates organic cocoa powder. If the powder is also separated from the cocoa butter, you are left with dark cocoa powder. Stronger in taste and bitter. Cocoa beans are roasted and then ground. At Vehgro, you will find a wide range of products from the cocoa fruit. You can also buy organic cocoa butter and organic cacao nibs. Unfortunately, you cannot buy white cocoa powder at VehGro.

What are the requirements for a cocoa bean?

Cocoa is a pure flavour that comes directly from nature. Cocoa is widely consumed worldwide. A cocoa tree can grow to be many decades old and reach a height of at least 10 metres. The tree has a dense foliage crown, which protects the cocoa from excessive sunlight. You will find the most delicious varieties of cocoa at Vehgro.

Cocoa bean varieties

There are different varieties of cocoa beans. Each type of bean has its own unique flavour. The best known cocoa bean is undoubtedly the Forastero bean. This bean is extremely popular because it has a very high yield. The plant is well protected against all kinds of plant diseases, so that the cocoa tree often reaches a high age. What also greatly influences the flavour of the cocoa is the soil in which it is grown.

The uses of cocoa powder

Cocoa powder can be used in many different ways. Initially you think of chocolate, but you can also use the powder for other sweets, such as cake, brownies and savory tiramisu. Cacao has a dominant flavour, which is delicious even in dishes without sugar. So you can eat well without gaining too much weight. raw cocoa where to buy? You can buy raw cacao at VehGro.

Two variations of cocoa

Wholesaler Vehgro offers two different types of cocoa: alkaline cocoa and natural cocoa. The alkaline cocoa has a flavour reminiscent of the familiar chocolate. Natural cocoa has a more bitter taste: this is more suitable for the real bitter lover. Dark chocolate is generally chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa.

Organic cocoa

A big advantage of organic cocoa is that it is fairly produced, tastes better and is healthier. It is ideal to use for sweet and savoury dishes. Looking for a wholesaler with a fair cocoa price? Then Vehgro is the right place for you. You can buy cocoa from us in large quantities, as a company, but also as a private person. Vehgro also enables you to have your own private label.

Criollo Cocoa

The ancient Mayas of Central and South America considered the fruit of the cacao tree as the fruit of the gods. Cacao was the food eaten by gods. Criollo cacao is cacao from a wide range of plants with white seeds and fruits. The plants are genetically very different from each other. In Spanish, Criollo means "indigenous".

What is Forastero cocoa?

Whereas Criollo means 'indigenous', Forastero means 'foreign' or 'non-indigenous'. Forastero is also a broad name for different genetic plants with their own colours and flavours. The idea is that Criollo cocoa is better than Forastero cocoa but this is partly a myth. Criollo is more exclusive than Forastero cocoa, which accounts for 80% of the world's production.

What is cocoa butter?

Cocoa butter is the naturally occurring fat in the cocoa bean. When the cocoa bean is roasted and ground, a fatty paste is formed. This is the cocoa mass. The cocoa mass is mostly used for the production of chocolate.

If the raw cocoa mass is separated by pressing, you are left with two products: cocoa powder and cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is usually refined, soaked and deodorised. This makes the taste of the cocoa butter less intense.