The course cost includes

• Lunch during the two full days of the course
• Program activities
• Transportation to farm only

The course cost does not include

• Transport (to and from the course)
• Accommodation
• Breakfast
• Dinner
• 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 - 11:00
History (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Presentation on the history of cocoa.
- Tasting traditional cocoa drink from Mexico.

11:00 - 11:15
Break

11:15 - 12:30
Botany (Lead by Colin Hart)
- 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.

12:45 - 13:45
Lunch

13:45 - 15:15
Quality (Kate Cavallin and Greg D’Alesandre)
- Quality evaluation exercises with stations focusing on bean weight, moisture reading, and cut test.
- Introduction to quality evaluation forms.

15:15 - 15:30
Break

15:30 - 16:30
Certifications (Lead by Kate Cavallin)
- Presentation on various certifications in the cocoa industry.
- Quiz in groups to review certification requirements.

Day 2

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

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

11:15 - 11:30
Break

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

12:45 - 13:45
Lunch

13:45 - 14:45
Logistics and Transport (Lead by Kate Cavallin and Greg D’Alesandre)
- Presentation on logistics and transport in the cocoa industry.
- Outline of cocoa value chain and example contract.

14:15 - 14:30
Break

14:30 - 15:30
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.

Day 3

09:30 - 10:00
Greeting on the farm

10:00 - 11:00
Plant Management (Lead by Colin Hart)
- Presentation on plant management related to cocoa.
- Activities focusing on quality evaluation and physical characteristics.

11:00 - 12:30
Post Harvest Processing and Methodology (Lead by Colin Hart)
- Presentation on post-harvest processing and methodology.
- Activities including quality evaluation sheet review and cut test practice.

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