And it's revealed a mountain of knowledge I thought I understood.. until now.

Brace yourself — you’re about to fall into a bottomless pit filled with cocoa, chocolate, and plenty of good vibes. And it’s all thanks to Cocoa Masterclass.

It’s been a wintry couple of days here in Melbourne, Australia. The mornings are crisp and the days bone-chillingly cold — we’re clearly miles away from the tropical, humid cocoa-growing countries scattered across the equator. And yet, a class of cocoa and chocolate professionals were gearing up for Cocoa Masterclass‘ Sourcing Class — two full days immersed in the complex world of cocoa. On the morning of day one, the specialty chocolate bars were already out and we were staying warm with toasty hot chocolates — a surefire way to ensure we were fueled and mentally prepared for the chocolate-laden days ahead.

And boy were we laden with chocolate and cocoa.

A Global Lens on Cocoa

From cacao farm management through to logistics and industry insights, the course deep dived into the ever changing cocoa industry.

And they did not hold back.

Cocoa Masterclass was founded by Kate Cavallin, and the Australia 2025 team brought decades of collective experience. Dandelion Chocolate’s Greg D’Alesandre, Honoli’i Cacao’s Colin Hart, and Cacao Latitude‘s Paula Navarrete made the massive trek to Melbourne — and their practical knowledge, paired with a genuine passion for transparency and an unwavering commitment to continual learning, created an experience that was both eye-opening and industry-shifting.

From this came real stories behind cocoa sourcing, sustainability, and trade. What stood out was that the team is constantly seeking new ways to support the industry. They haven’t found a comfort zone and stayed put — instead, they’ve pushed on, gaining cocoa insights from every angle. They’ve broken a well-established mold to wholeheartedly involve everyone in the chain and truly listen to their process.

The result? They’re continually uncovering new ways to support and advance every link in the farm-to-bar chain.

Transparency at the Core

The cocoa industry has long been led by companies that keep their cards — and prices, processes, and truths — very close to their chest. The Cocoa Masterclass team has gone against the curve to share it all.

It’s not something they had to do — they could have kept their knowledge to themselves. But in the spirit of increasing accountability within the industry, the team has instead opened their doors to a passionate community of cocoa farmers, chocolate makers, and industry professionals. They’re sharing their knowledge so we can dig right into the insights they’ve gained over the years.

The class is fun and welcoming, the banter is hilarious, and the dad jokes even more so. It’s run in a way that encourages conversation, invites questions, and gives everyone a voice. That means we hear insights and experiences from everyone in the room — and it’s always a two-way street. This alone is invaluable to the cocoa industry.

From the stories shared and the topics explored, you can see the team has done more than just learn the process. They’ve taken the time to deeply understand who they’re working with and what their pain points are — so they can meaningfully support every part of the farm-to-bar chain

More Than Just a Masterclass

One thing I’ve learned in my (very limited) chocolate life is that it would be so easy to come into the industry with existing knowledge and paint everyone in the chain with the same brush, with the same logic — to assume there’s a “right” way to do things. But the team’s flexibility, adaptability, and, most importantly, their willingness to listen and learn from all perspectives, means that their understanding of the chain comes with a level of wisdom that really gets under the skin of the issues.

You could say,

• Yes, the team have decades of cocoa and chocolate experience, knowledge and stories between them.
• Yes, the team has travelled the world, gaining rarely seen insights into each individual cocoa farm and really getting to know the people that are the backbone of the cocoa industry
• And yes, they’ve also got extensive experience in sourcing cocoa and managing the painstaking logistics of transporting it halfway across the world.

But what stood out most is they’re open to change and new perspectives – they see the hurdles with a lens that’s always willing to find a fair solution – and that’s something phenomenal.

What We Learned

Across two jam-packed days, here’s what we explored in depth:

• Deep dives and immersive experiences in the cocoa value chain
• Detailed insights into botany, farm management, fermentation and drying.
• Cocoa and market history
• The insane world of trade logistics
• Price analysis and cocoa futures

Why It Matters

• Invaluable conversation with experienced industry leaders
• The opportunity to meet and learn alongside cocoa and chocolate professionals, who are dedicated to gaining further insights into cocoa.
• Gaining a deeper appreciation and understanding of cocoa and chocolate.
• Being a part of the growing global Cocoa Masterclass community, who are all taking steps to improve the cocoa industry.

I Didn’t Expect This

We were told from the outset that the world of cocoa was complex – but I didn’t expect this.

By the end of the two days, what stood out most is how much work goes into a single bar of chocolate. I had visibility of the entire chain, but the way the course was presented – and the level of detail shared by cocoa farmers, chocolate makers and those working in trade logistics – shed light on aspects I hadn’t yet considered.

There are countless hurdles to overcome at every stage of the farm to chocolate bar journey. It’s borderline unbelievable that the world enjoys and consumes chocolate at such a large scale.

What Comes Next

This isn’t a one and done course. The Cocoa Masterclass team are constantly asking questions and seeking insights across the global chocolate community – with the goal of building transparent, accountable and responsible practices across the cocoa industry. And with every new session, they’re gathering feedback and sharing even more insights to make sure the cocoa community keeps evolving.

Check out their website here or the beanstalkr calendar here to learn all about their upcoming courses. From Origin Trips to Sourcing Masterclasses, this is an industry-breaking program that offers in-depth training for professionals at every stage of the farm to chocolate bar journey.

A Grateful Wrap-Up

As always, my head and heart are full – jam-packed with inspiration. It was an awesome group to be a part of and I’ll remember this for a long time.

A huge thank you to:

• Greg, Colin and Paula – You’ve created a community-driven environment while explaining the complexities of the cocoa industry and it was amazing to be a part of it. Your humor and banter make it – it’s one thing to be crammed full of information, but it’s another to deliver it with enthusiasm, laughter and good vibes. Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of a growing community and for your openness to pass on everything with zero hesitation. The cocoa industry is lucky to have you steering this container ship full of cocoa knowledge.
• Debb, Sumi and the team at Ratio Chocolate – Thanks for hosting us all and dedicating your space to this community. It’s so good see all parts of the chocolate community come together and we really appreciate your hospitality.
• Finally, to the Australia 2025 class! We made it – and I hope your cocoa cup is overflowing. I can’t wait to see everything you get up to across your farms and throughout your chocolate making journeys. Very grateful to have met you all and hopefully see you at future Cocoa Masterclass sessions.

In a world where cocoa remains both beloved and misunderstood, Cocoa Masterclass offers a rare chance to dig beneath the surface — into the roots of sustainability, community, and fairness.

A huge thanks to Cocoa Masterclass for the tickets and the opportunity to attend. It was a genuine pleasure to be there.

Have you been a part of Cocoa Masterclass? Are you thinking about Cocoa Masterclassess in 2026? Let us know – would love to hear your stories.

Where to next?

For our other reviews on Chocolate Community building, we recommend:

And if you’re new, we recommend:

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

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

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