WE ARE THE ORIGINAL
COCOA TRADERS.
Here’s the story of how we moved from one bean to another.
In the early days, we were invested in Melbourne’s Third Wave Coffee scene, serving several thousands cups a week in the CBD’s bustling laneways.
The FB70 La Marzocco was humming, the extractions were perfectly timed, and the superior quality of our espressos had customers coming back for more…
which was more than we could say for the subpar hot chocolate on the menu, comprised of 21% cocoa solids, cornstarch, and artificial flavouring.
So we decided to experiment – importing cocoa powder from around the world, mixing it out the back with Australian castor sugar, and steaming it directly in the milk jug – and the results spoke for themselves.
What started as a simple plan to make a better-tasting, more decadent cup of chocolate quickly caught the attention of our barista friends, and morphed into an epic quest to source the best cocoa beans ourselves.
Our travels brought us to the northern Amazon basin in Peru, where we connected with farmers, visited local manufacturing plants, and soon after, The Original Cocoa Traders was born.
For over two decades now, we’ve been committed to ethically sourcing all of our ingredients, and supporting cocoa-growing communities across the globe.
We proudly support the Melbourne-based charity I Am Someone, who lifts orphaned children out of poverty, providing access to education, shelter, and healthcare.
WHAT COFFEE INDUSTRY FOLK SAY
“We've been drinking and selling cocoa from The Original Cocoa Traders since before we started our roastery. It's always been the tastiest hot chocolate on the market, and that's without going into everything they do on the sustainability side. When you know about their relationships with growers and commitment to the environment, there's no other option.”