The course cost includes

• Lunch during the two full days of the course
• Program activities

The course cost does not include

• Transport
• Accommodation
• Alcohol

The following itinerary is provided as an example for what to expect of your day to day during the Sourcing Masterclass. Certain aspects of the itinerary are subject to change.

Day 1

9:30-10:00
Arrival and Introductions
- Welcome participants to the sourcing course.
- Brief introductions of attendees.
- Overview of the agenda for the day.

10:00-11:15
Botany (Lead by Sarah Bharath)
- Presentation on botany related to cocoa.
- Activities including passing around cacao pods, tasting fresh pulp, and viewing fresh beans.
- Visual presentation on the evolution of cacao on trees.

11:15-11:30
Break

11:30-12:30
History (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Presentation on the history of cocoa.
- Tasting traditional cocoa drink from Mexico.

12:45-13:45
Lunch

13:45-14:45
Plant Management (Sarah Bharath)
- Presentation on plant management related to cocoa.
- Activities focusing on quality evaluation and physical characteristics.

14:45-15:00
Break

15:00-16:30
Quality (Kate Cavallin and Valentina Bosia)
- Quality evaluation exercises with stations focusing on bean weight, moisture reading, and cut test.
- Introduction to quality evaluation forms.

Day 2

9:30-10:00
Welcome Back
- Introduction to intensity blind taste test focusing on bitter and acid intensity in water.

10:00-11:30
Post Harvest Processing and Methodology (Lead by Sarah Bharath)
- Presentation on post-harvest processing and methodology.
- Activities including quality evaluation sheet review and cut test practice.

11:30-12:45
Futures and the Cocoa Market (Lead by Neil)
- Presentation on futures and the cocoa market.
- Activity with incoterms sheet exploring responsibilities in different scenarios.

12:45
Lunch

14:00-15:00
Logistics and Transport
- Presentation on logistics and transport in the cocoa industry.
- Outline of cocoa value chain and example contract.

15:15-16:15
Certifications (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Presentation on various certifications in the cocoa industry.
- Quiz in groups to review certification requirements.

Day 3

10:00-11:15
World Production (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Lecture on world production of cocoa.

11:30-12:30
Semi-Finished Products (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Tasting session of deodorised and natural butter, origin artisan cocoa powder, and industrial & Dutch processed powder.
- Overview of standards in butter and powder.

12:30-13:30
Exam
- Final exam to assess understanding of course material.