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Fermented and sun-dried cocoa beans from Sulawesi, Indonesia's largest cocoa region, with West Sumatra and Java origins available for buyers seeking a specific profile.
HS 1801
Overview
Indonesia is among the world's largest cocoa producers, and Sulawesi carries the bulk of it. Indonesian cocoa built its reputation on a hard butter with a high melting point, a property that manufacturers in warm climates value highly, which is why a great deal of Indonesian bean has historically gone into butter and powder rather than fine chocolate. That is changing as more farmer groups ferment properly rather than sun-drying unfermented beans for the grinding trade. We supply both routes honestly: fully fermented beans for buyers who want flavour development, and the unfermented or lightly fermented material the pressing industry still buys in volume.
Grades
Fully fermented, sun-dried, with bean count and defect percentage graded to contract. Suited to chocolate and liquor production.
The standard bulk trading grade, mixed fermentation, destined mainly for pressing into butter and powder.
Selected small-volume lots from West Sumatra or Java with distinct origin character, for bean-to-bar and specialty makers.
Where it's grown
Post-harvest
Pods are opened within a few days of harvest and the wet beans are fermented in wooden boxes or heaps for five to seven days, turned partway through so fermentation runs evenly. This is the step that develops chocolate flavour precursors, and it is where quality is won or lost. Beans are then sun-dried on raised platforms down to 7.5% moisture or below, slowly enough that acidity can escape. Dried beans are winnowed, screened for flats, broken and mouldy beans, then graded by bean count per 100g before bagging.
Season
Sulawesi produces through much of the year with a main crop around September to December and a mid-crop around March to June. Year-round availability makes cocoa one of the more flexible commodities in our range for buyers running continuous production.
Who buys it
Fermented beans for grinding into liquor, butter and mass-market chocolate.
Beans supplied for pressing and alkalisation into cocoa powder and cake.
Selected fine-flavour lots for small-batch and specialty chocolate makers.
Packing, shipping & documents
Cocoa is packed in 60kg or 65kg jute bags, the trade standard, which breathe well enough to keep moisture stable across a long ocean route. A 20ft container carries roughly 12 to 14 tonnes and is usually loaded on pallets or with dunnage to protect against container sweat. Shipments carry certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, weight and quality certificate, fumigation certificate where required, and on request a cut test report plus moisture and free fatty acid analysis. Samples of 1kg to 2kg allow a proper cut test before contracting.
Questions buyers ask
Standard lots are fully fermented and sun-dried to specification. Unfermented or lightly fermented beans can be arranged for buyers pressing for butter and powder, where flavour development matters less.
Yes. Beans are screened and graded by count per 100g and by defect percentage to match your production requirement, and a cut test report can travel with the shipment.
Traceability to cooperative level is available for Sulawesi lots. Sustainability certification can be arranged for qualifying volumes with advance notice.
Indonesian beans yield a harder butter with a higher melting point than most origins, which manufacturers in warm climates specifically seek out for heat stability.
Largely yes. Sulawesi has a main crop around September to December and a mid-crop around March to June, which supports continuous monthly shipping.
Let's talk tonnage
Tell us your grade, volume, and destination port. We reply within one business day with an offer, samples, and lead time.
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