From Bean to Bar to Story

There’s something deeply grounding about tasting chocolate

Especially when you know the story behind it – the soil it grew in, the farmers who tended the trees, and the makers who transformed it from cacao to something extraordinary.

At the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival 2025, the free workshop lineup goes far beyond tasting notes and tempering demos. These sessions dig into the roots of chocolate – its farms, people, and global journey – bringing the human side of cacao right to the heart of Indiana.

Hosted by cacao growers, chocolate makers, and industry leaders from around the world, each one offers something different – from bean-to-bar stories and sensory tastings to cultural deep dives and farm-to-flavor lessons.

Why We Love These Sessions:

• Explore chocolate from its origins in Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia, and Madagascar
• Learn directly from the farmers and makers redefining craft chocolate
• Taste single-origin bars and hear the stories behind them
• All workshops are free with your festival admission

So check the schedule, mark your favorites, and get ready to experience chocolate from the ground up.

Origin Stories & The Global Journey of Chocolate at the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival.

If you’ve ever wondered what “bean to bar” really means, these are the sessions to mark on your map:

1. It All Started with the Farm: A Generational Cacao Story Rooted in Ecuadorian Soil

Host: Cocoa Supply – Leila Carvajal Erker

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 10:30 AM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

Leila Carvajal Erker’s story begins long before a single bean is roasted. As part of Ecuador’s renowned Cocoa Supply, her workshop traces chocolate back to its beginnings – the farms and families who’ve cultivated cacao for generations.

Expect to learn how heritage, soil, and careful fermentation shape flavor long before a chocolate maker ever touches the beans. It’s a powerful reminder that “craft chocolate” isn’t just about small batches – it’s about the people and places that make each origin distinct.

Insider Tip: Keep an eye out for Leila’s Closing Reflections: From Farms to Future, Your Chocolate Journey Continues at 4:30 PM

Photo courtesy of Cocoa Supply – Leila Carvajal Erker

2. Madagascar: The Farmers, Land, & Flavors We Grow

Host: Eka Chocolate – Fanjainaina Fawbush

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 3:30 PM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

When you think of Madagascar chocolate, you probably picture bright fruit notes and a red-berry tang – but this session goes deeper.
Fanjainaina Fawbush of Eka Chocolate takes you into the island’s cacao-growing communities to reveal how climate, terroir, and local farming traditions define the island’s unmistakable flavor profile.

This one’s a sensory and cultural experience rolled into one – perfect for anyone who wants to connect the dots between the farmer’s hands and what’s melting on their tongue.

3. A Honduran Farmer’s Journey from Cacao to Award-Winning Chocolate

Host: Yojoa – Elmer Pineda

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 9:30 AM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

Elmer Pineda’s story is one of transformation — from tending cacao trees in Honduras to creating chocolate that’s earning international recognition.
In this intimate talk, he shares how education, local innovation, and determination are helping farmers move up the value chain — turning cacao producers into chocolate makers.

It’s the kind of session that makes you see a chocolate bar differently. Not just as a product, but as a passport to the people and persistence behind every bite.

4. From Farm to You: Taste Fine Cacao from Colombia

Host: Cacaitos – César Aguilar

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 2:30 PM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

Few things tell a story like a side-by-side tasting.
César Aguilar from Cacaitos Chocolate brings Colombian cacao to life, guiding attendees through what makes his region’s beans so distinctive — from post-harvest practices to ethical sourcing. Expect to leave with a new appreciation for how “fine flavor” isn’t a label, but a reflection of care at every stage.

Photo courtesy of Cacaitos – César Aguilar

5. Cacao Use in Mesoamerica

Host: Codice Cacao – César García

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 11:30 AM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

Before chocolate was a bar, a confection, or even a commodity, it was sacred.
In this session, César García takes us back to where it all started — Mesoamerica, the birthplace of cacao culture. He explores how ancient civilizations like the Maya and Aztec used cacao in rituals, trade, and daily life, long before it ever reached Europe.

Expect to come away with a deeper understanding of chocolate’s original role as a food of community and ceremony — a perspective that adds depth and reverence to every modern bite.

6. Before the Bar: The Plant Behind Your Chocolate

Host: Opening Chocolate – Karla Schade

When: Saturday, 22 November 2025 12:30 PM

Why It’s Worth a Stop:

What happens before the bean-to-bar story even begins?
Karla Schade of Opening Chocolate leads this fascinating deep dive into the cacao plant itself — its anatomy, growing conditions, and how each part of the fruit contributes to the final flavor profile.

Through imagery, sensory exploration, and a bit of science, Karla reminds us that great chocolate starts long before roasting and refining. It starts in the pod — with a living plant, a farmer’s care, and the environment that shapes every single bean

Photo courtesy of Beanstalkr

Why These Workshops Matter

Craft chocolate isn’t just a treat – it’s a movement rooted in transparency, sustainability, and sensory connection. The Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival does something few events manage: it brings the global chocolate world directly to the Midwest, creating space for farmers, makers, and chocolate lovers to meet eye-to-eye. These workshops are free to attend with your festival pass, but their value is immense. They’ll deepen your understanding of what goes into each bar – and why the future of chocolate depends on stories like these being told, shared, and savored

For More details:

1. See our headline article here: The Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival 2025: Small Batch, Big Flavor
2. And this article here details the full Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival 2025 schedule – and check out their website for more details: Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival Schedule

So check the schedule!

Pick your sessions, secure your pass – let us know what you get up to!

Want More Like This?

Want more tasting guides like this? Check out our Midwest Craft Festival dedicated page and sign up as a chocolate eater for insider picks, single-origin deep dives, and chocolate reviews from every corner of the craft world. Thanks for traveling with us — see you on the festival floor.

Where to next?

If you’re off to the Midwest Craft Chocolate Festival 2025, we recommend:

And if you’re curious, we recommend:

And if you’re still not so sure, check out what events or makers are in your area:

Talk Beans with us!

Got any questions? Feedback? Want to hi say? Reach out below – we’re always happy to chat!

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