We start with the bean

Like wine grapes, cocoa beans have different flavour characteristics depending on variety, area of origin and processing. We start by sourcing premium quality cocoa beans from cocoa growing regions around the world. In 2014 we were the first Australian owned chocolate manufacturer to achieve international Rainforest Alliance Certification for the use of ethically and sustainably farmed cocoa beans. This puts Haigh's Chocolates at the forefront of sustainable production with a program that spans cocoa-growing countries from Ghana in West Africa to Peru in South America. Currently we source 80% of our cocoa from Rainforest Alliance certified farms and expect to source 100% Rainforest Alliance certified beans within the next two years.

Cleaning & Roasting 

The first step is to clean the world's finest cocoa beans.  The beans are put through a classifier which uses sieves, magnets, and aspiration to clean the cocoa beans. 

Then it's on to roasting. The beans are carefully roasted at 120 degrees Celsius for 30 to 90 minutes. The addition of heat enhances the colour and flavour and removes moisture from the beans. 

Crushing (Winnowing) & Grinding

Using the Winnower, the outer husk of the bean is cracked and then blown away to release the internal cocoa nib bursting with that full chocolate flavour and aroma. The nib, part of the cocoa bean, is the only part of the bean pod that is used to create chocolate.

The cocoa nibs are then ground up under heat and pressure in a grinder to form a brown mixture called liquid cocoa liquor - warm, dark and still very bitter, it is blended and placed into holding tanks before being pumped into the mixer.

Mixing & Refining

Now it’s time for mixing. The cocoa liquor is blended with cocoa butter, vanilla and sugar, as well as milk powder if we’re making milk chocolate. This mixing creates a chocolate paste. The paste is then put through a series of large stainless steel rollers that are located within the refiner. It reduces the particle size, turning the paste into an extremely fine powder. This critical stage helps to give our chocolate that wonderful smoothness on the palate.

Conching

The conching machine is a large deep heated mixing vessel in which the chocolate undergoes hours of aeration and mixing. Cocoa butter is added and the chocolate paste turns back into liquid form.  It’s the right combination of aeration, mixing and time that allows the complex flavours and silky texture to develop. Now that we have our smooth liquid chocolate, the real fun begins as we use it to make our many delicious products.

Tempering

To make great tasting chocolates tempering needs to happen first - the chocolate mixture is allowed to cool slowly while being gently mixed, it is then brought back up to temperature making the chocolate tempered. Tempering preserves the chocolate's appearance helping to maintain its shiny look. 

Moulding & Dipping

The tempered chocolate is moulded into various shapes such as our delicious chocolate Frogs and Pastilles.  Our artisan chocolatiers also use the chocolate to hand-dip and create a variety of chocolates such as truffles.

What is small batch making? 

We’re committed to using our traditional chocolate making methods and producing high quality chocolates. One way that we do this is by using small-batch method cooking. This means we can make up to 20 different different products in small quantities each day, ensuring a high level of freshness across our wide range of chocolates.

The finishing touches

Many of our chocolates are hand finished by skilled artisans and then carefully hand-packed or wrapped. The beautiful packaging and gift ranges that are found in our stores and online are also created in-house.

New product development 

Every year our team of confectioners create and develop new chocolates, sometimes also fine-tuning old favourites. The new chocolates are released during major gift giving seasons and for World Chocolate Day. The best way to find out about product releases is by following our social media accounts or signing up to receive our email newsletter.