KOCHI: Last Xmas, a new brand of chocolate invaded a couple of shops in Kochi - a gift box containing coconut truffles coated with dark chocolate priced at Rs 115. A fair number of those who bought it came asking for more. And that has already set Kuruvilla, ex-commander in the Navy and the man behind the yummy delight, thinking about expanding the business.
“When the price of cocoa plunged and everybody was talking about how impossible it was to make profit out of cocoa cultivation, we decided to venture into the field. That’s the history behind Cocoacraft,” says Kuruvilla. After considerable research, the husband- wife duo bought beans from estates on a large scale to make chocolate based confectionery. The beans are roasted and winnowed at their factory in Kakkanad.
“Initially, we were apprehensive about how successful a venture it would be. We also heard that the equipment was quite expensive.
Nevertheless, we are happy that our effort has borne fruit,” the couple says. Their daughter Sanjana is the managing partner of the firm. When friends and relatives who had a taste of their chocolate gave positive feedback, Kuruvilla and Rosemary decided to expand their business. “Last Christmas, we had our product on sale at nine outlets of a supermarket chain in the city. The sales were reasonable and now we are told that the gift box with the truffles has many takers though Xmas is long gone,” says Kuruvilla.
So what’s special about Cocoacraft? “We don’t alkalise our product.
Cocoacraft uses natural processes to make couverture (French for coating or covering) without any added vegetable fats. It retains all the health benefits of chocolate manufactured through the conching process and contains no additives.
All the ingredients are sourced directly as natural products _ even the emulsifier. Our couverture has an extended conch time which ensures that the chocolate constituents are well homogenised.
Conching retains the flavanoids contained in the cocoa and so the couverture has numerous health benefits. Further, Cocoacraft is made from premium quality dark couverture chocolate and pure cocoa butter; so it has an exquisite texture and the flavour of the cardamom tinted coconut centre merges with the chocolate perfectly.” Their firm Kuruvilla and Sons has also been involved in the manufacture of bamboo products for the last two decades. “Our two product categories are bamboo blinds and hospitality products.
The latter includes toothpicks, skewers, chopsticks, cocktail umbrellas, stirrers and picks, table mats and coasters,” explains Kuruvilla.
The couple are already into their next venture _ manufacturing coconut vinegar. “We have many variants of vinegar available in the market including imported apple cider vinegar, wine and balsam vinegar. But coconut vinegar is not a common commodity.
We have started making the mother vinegar and are awaiting excise clearance from the ministry to market it,” says Kuruvilla. And that’s not all. By February, the Cocoacraft range will have a new addition _ dark chocolate bars with whole peanuts. “I’m in the process of importing some polycarbonate moulds to make them,” says Kuruvilla.
Sweet, sweeter, sweetest! Kuruvilla and Sons can be contacted at 98466 03372.
parvathynayar@gmail.com