Grenada, which is known as the spice island of the Caribbean, will be hosting its 10th annual week-long Grenada Chocolate Festival. The festival will take place from May 16th until the 21st. The festival celebrates Granada’s rich history and culture of chocolate production. Festival attendees will be given the opportunity to experience a variety of activities. There will be tours of cocoa fields that will include visits to Granada’s sustainable chocolate factories. Lessons will be given about Granada’s ethical tree-to-bar chocolate-making process.
This year’s festival will revolve around a rum theme and will be titled the Rum Edition. Festival goers will be entertained by the history of rum and chocolate production. Various rum-related activities will be available with rum tastings and tours of distilleries offered to festival attendees. Since the festival will be focused on rum, mixologist competitions will be offered at Mount Cinnamon, a resort and beach club on the island. The Festival will be split into six days with each day offering a different set of activities and events.
“The Grenada Chocolate Festival has become a highlight for chocolate lovers and budding chocolatiers from around the world. With a variety of fun and delicious experiences, from exploring the cocoa farms to tasting premium high-quality chocolate to chocolate-based wellness experiences, the festival welcomes visitors to explore our beautiful island and celebrate this significant element of Grenadian culture with locals,” said Petra Roach, CEO of Grenada Tourism Authority.
“Since its inception in 2014, the Grenada Chocolate Fest has witnessed and has been part of the blossoming of the cocoa and chocolate industries on the island. Our objective is to awaken a deep pride and love for cocoa and chocolate among Grenadians of all generations and to share the cacao love with the world,” said the Chocolate Festival’s website.
As previously stated, Grenada has a rich tradition of chocolate production. According to The Chocolate Journalist, cacao, the crop that chocolate is made from, is limited in Grenada when compared to other countries in Central and Latin America. The advantage that Grenada has in regard to the growing of cacao is the quality of the crop. 100% of the cacao the country produces is a fine flavor, meaning it is of high quality. Grenada’s high quality of cacao is attributed to the volcanic soil, warm weather, and rainforest-like climate. Roach said that Grenada produces 800 tons of cocoa annually, which contributes to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product. Grenada is home to six chocolate-producing companies which are: Tri-Island Chocolate, Belmont Estate, Crayfish Bay Organic Chocolate, Jouvay Chocolate, Taste ‘D’ Spice Chocolate, and the globally famous Grenada Chocolate Company.
