A pioneering new chocolate factory in Ubud offers a taste of delicious new things emerging in Bali.

Text by Katie Truman

I was always told that if something sounds too good to be true, invariably it is. But then all-new Big Tree Farm Chocolate Factory, hidden in the depths of farm land south of Ubud, might break the mold – literally. Big Tree Farm’s (BTF) artisan-style organic chocolate is not only good for you, it is manufactured in a rustic-style, environmentally-friendly building, with its cacao bean production benefitting Indonesian farming communities. It is actually all good and all true!

A premier producer of sustainably grown, organic produce in Indonesia, BTF was founded in 2000 by American Ben Ripple, joint-CEO and owner along with compatriot, Frederick Schilling. Slowly they have established themselves as producers of gourmet single ingredient and origin goodies, working with traditional farmers across the archipelago and incorporating fair trade and organic farming practices. Like a modern-day Spice Island heritage, BTF artisan products include sea salt, cashew nuts, jungle honey and coconut palm sugar. Inspired by Balinese cacao beans, which boast some of the world’s finest and highest integrity cacao qualities, it is BTF’s new premier line of chocolate bars that promises to put them and Bali on the gourmet global map.

One of nature’s best sources of magnesium, raw cacao beans carry more antioxidants per gram than red wine or green tea. However, with normal heating techniques during production, regular processed chocolate only retains a tiny percentage of natural goodness. The team at BTF have, however, developed a method of rustic-style cold-processing, keeping the cacao bean’s original high-nutritional value and superior taste intact. For their new chocolate range, raw organic cacao beans purchased from farmers in West Bali – as well as Sumatra – are blended with locally-harvested coconut-palm sugar, to create the world’s first organic chocolate bar made this way on an industrial scale.

This heavenly concoction is now manufactured in the recently launched, and quite spectacular, BTF Chocolate Factory, itself notching up some firsts. Built entirely from bamboo, one of the planet’s most sustainable and strongest natural materials, this is not only Southeast Asia’s largest all-bamboo structure (2,460sqm and 15m tall), but also the world’s largest bamboo commercial variety. This magnificent chocolate factory is also aesthetically beautiful, uses traditional Indonesian architecture and is operationally environmentally-friendly. One could almost forget that this is in fact a factory –or rather, Southeast Asia’s first ‘Bean to Bar’ artisan chocolate factory!

Daily factory tours offer a unique, up-close and ‘teasing the senses’ experience of the entire chocolate process, all under one roof. With surprisingly traditional and artisanal production techniques, the authentic vintage processing equipment includes an Italian-made winnower and a 1932-built Swiss granite bean grinder. Conveniently, the finished product, along with other cacao off-shoots and single ingredient products processed here, are available for purchase in the showroom.

“BTFs new premier line of chocolate bars promises to put them and Bali on the gourmet global map. ”

Far from a mere chocolate factory (albeit pioneering), this destination venue is also BTF’s new global headquarters and community-based resource centre. A full-commercial kitchen and café allows visitors to sample divine but guilt-free cacao-based food and beverages, plus participate in on-request cooking classes. The multi-level factory also houses an open-sided events centre, set aside for community meetings and retreats for those eco-friendly, green devotees. Field tours out to their regional cacao farms are also planned. “We always dreamed of having an HQ connected to our ideals and visions and this factory embodies the soul, mission and vision of what BTF represents and strives to create,” says CEO-founder Ripple.

It looks like Bali will not only be renowned for its spas, resorts and beach culture, but now Southeast Asia’s first organic premium chocolate as well. Devouring some of the world’s most delicious chocolate that is actually beneficial to my health and the environment, plus helping keep income generated from the beans within local farming communities, I can’t detect any bittersweet taste here. It’s just all good.

Big Tree Farm Chocolate Factory
Sibang Kaja Village
Gianyar, Bali
Tel: +62 361 461 978
www.bigtreefarms.com

Related posts:

1. A Case Study of Designer Chocolate: Chocolate Research Facility Singapore
   Singapore Correspondent, ‘Professor’ Melanie Lee comes up with some fascinating findings at the Chocolate Research Facility....