How Artisanal Chocolate is Made in Nigeria: A Conversation with Loom Craft Chocolate's Uzoamaka Igweike
February 14th is a great time to talk about chocolate. But when I say that, you most probably immediately think about a box of Ferrero Rocher or a bunch of Kit Kats in an edible bouquet. There’s a lot going on in the chocolate-making industry in Nigeria though, with a new wave of chocolatiers who are well on the way to creating world-standard products that can rival counterparts anywhere on the globe.
Loom Craft Chocolate is one of those brands. Its Founder, Uzoamaka Igweike is on the ball, innovative and determined to be a part of the change and put Nigerian chocolate on the map — for good.
In this interview, we chat about the perception of locally-made chocolate, that all-important bean-to-bar process and what really makes artisanal chocolate special.
EatDrinkLagos: Why did you decide to go into chocolate-making?
Uzoamaka: At the start, I just wanted to make great quality chocolate to use for my home baking business, but I soon realised that there was actually potential to do more in cocoa processing.
What country/region do you source your cocoa from?
We currently process only Nigerian-grown cocoa. We source mostly from Ondo and Osun states, but we also work with cocoa beans grown in Cross River and Edo States.
Image: instagram.com/loomchocolate
What qualities do you look for in a cocoa farming partner?
We want high-quality cocoa beans because that’s perhaps the biggest factor affecting the quality of the end product. So, we look out for farmers who use the best practices for farming and post-harvest processing. We ask about their fermentation and drying processes, pests and disease interventions.
Tell us a bit about Loom Craft Chocolate’s personal bean-to-bar process.
The process begins with sourcing great beans. When they arrive at the factory, we sort through them to remove damaged bits and foreign materials. The next step is roasting: We roast the cocoa at a specific temperature and for a specific duration and this process helps sterilise the beans and develop unique flavours. We then allow the beans to cool, after which we crack them and separate the kernel (known as cocoa nibs) from the husks.
Next, we do something called ‘refining’. The cocoa nibs are ground into a flowing liquid state in a piece of equipment called a Melanger. At this point, we add other ingredients like sugar or milk, depending on the type of chocolate we’re making. When the chocolate is smooth and ready, we ‘temper’ it, taking the temperature down and slightly back up. Tempering is what gives chocolate that smooth, shiny look and that satisfying snap when you break it. After tempering, the chocolate is left to cool and set before being packaged and shipped.
This is a simplified, end-to-end description of the bean-to-bar process.
What makes producing artisanal chocolate different from making standard chocolate bars?
Craft chocolate is characterised by simple, high-quality, natural ingredients used in a simple formulation to make the most flavourful chocolate. Generally, what differentiates the two is: The process and the way ingredients are used. One is more thoughtful, transparent and prioritises the consumer’s eating experience.
There’s a lot of compromise with mass-market chocolate, especially in the quality of ingredients used because massive profit is a major motivation.
Image: instagram.com/loomchocolate
Image: instagram.com/loomchocolate
What’s the most tasking or time-consuming part of making artisanal chocolate?
The refining is almost always the most time-consuming bit of the process. We grind each batch for approximately forty-eight hours. Sometimes as well, tempering can be a nightmare and at other times, it’s prepping inclusions (these are ingredients other than cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar and milk).
For example, we sun-dry bananas we use for our Brown Banana Dream for a week. Also, zesting lots of oranges and limes, or taking out cardamom seeds from their pods.
How long did it take you to perfect the flavour of the product?
We made our first bar of chocolate in 2017 and found a confident stride by 2020.
What’s the current demand for the product like?
Let’s just say… it’s at a level that keeps us motivated, inspired and working six days a week!
Image: instagram.com/loomchocolate
Looking back, what’s something you wish you did differently when starting out?
Other than sometimes wishing I started taking the business seriously earlier than I did, I love everything about my journey. The pace, the pains and the wins. No regrets.
What do you think it’ll take for Nigerian chocolate brands to really begin to compete on a global scale?
I think we can make a name for ourselves by staying true to our local food and using them to make our products unique — distinctly Nigerian. Also, it’s important to understand that cocoa is much more than just chocolate, and we need more cocoa processors to explore the endless opportunities — for instance, cocoa wine made from the pulp of cocoa fruit.
The quality of our packaging could use some work, in terms of innovative design and the quality of the packaging material itself.
What’s something more people need to know about the chocolate-making industry in Nigeria?
More people need to know that we even exist! They’ll find some of the most enjoyable chocolate made right here in Nigeria. People in Nigeria also need to know that they can make delicious chocolate at home, with just a blender and a handful of items.
“The quality of our packaging could use some work, in terms of innovative design and the quality of the packaging itself.”
What other flavours are you working on/hoping to launch?
We just launched three new limited-edition flavours! A triple-chocolate bar with pistachios, oat milk, black pepper and pink salt; a sweet dark chocolate bar with dried figs that have been basted with balsamic vinegar; and an exquisite vanilla white chocolate, finished with the most delicious sea salt harvested here in Nigeria.
We’re also working on featuring the incomparable Atili oil in our chocolate.
