Product description
Mascao is the world's first fair-trade chocolate. It is a 100% natural product: all ingredients originate from controlled organic farming. Its exquisite flavour is the result of a perfect combination of fine cocoa and cane sugar. No vegetable fats other than cocoa butter are employed for the preparation of Mascao. This chocolate does not contain soy lecithin.
The cocoa is grown in Bolivia and in the Dominican Republic by small-scale farmers with the use of organic farming methods. Cane sugar comes from the Philippines.
Mascao chocolate is manufactured in Switzerland with traditional methods and with extreme care. All ingredients are mixed for several hours in big pots. Chocolate quality and thickness depend on conchage (a flavour development process): a mixing and kneading-troughs where paste is mixed and stretched several days. Mascao black chocolate is conched for 78 hours, whereas Mascao with pralines- milk and hazelnut - for 54 hours. This process reduces moisture, drives off any lingering acidic flavours and coats each particle of chocolate with a layer of cocoa butter. The resulting chocolate has a smoother and mellower flavour.
Percentage of fair trade ingredients: 58%
Producers
CONACADO (Confederacion Nacional de cacao Coltores Domenicanos) – Dominican Republic: more than 9000 small-scale producers work in this non-profit co-operative since 1989, and represent at the present moment 25% of the entire cocoa production in the Dominican Republic. Its main goal is to improve the local living standards and to develop the cocoa sector with particular attention to organic farming methods. Conacado is supporting small enterprises held by women that work with cocoa rejects, as this activity represents an important additional income source for their families.
ALTER TRADE – Philippines: the organisation was established in 1986. Its headquarters are located in Bacolod City on the island of Negros, famous for the production of sugar cane. Alter Trade’s main purpose is to free local small cane sugar producers from the exploitation of intermediaries. The organisation stems from a community based organisations network (NCPD), and it involves nowadays more than 500 small-scale cane sugar producers. All Alter Trade member producers are paid for their products almost twice the cane sugar price practiced on the local market. The organisation is offering credit on special rates to farmers who decide to engage in organic farming.
El CEIBO - Bolivia: El Ceibo co-operative is named after a tree, which provides shade to cocoa trees. It is a very resilient tree and it is considered immortal. The co-operative was founded in 1977 in La Paz with the goal of improving the living conditions of its members and free them from the exploitation of intermediaries.
Specific information
Mascao is registered in AIC reference books (Associazione Italiana Celiachia- Italian Celiac Association) as it does not contain gluten.
Mascao wrappings are made of 100% recyclable materials.
Mascao is a guarantee for Pure Chocolate.
All ingredients are imported through Claro, a fair trade organization from Switzerland. Mascao is manufactured by Chocolat Bernrain, a Swiss chocolate manufacturer since 1933. Bernrain operates with environment oriented production facilities and is certified by ISO 9001. Ctm is in charge of import, product distribution and information. Mascao chocolate is certified by IMC (Istituto Mediterraneo di Ceritificazione).