SURINAME HASA LONG HISTORY IN CACAO

Growing and processing of Theobroma cacao, this so called ‘food of

the Gods’ took place from the second half of the 17th century. While the

Dutch claim to have been the first to introduce cacao for cultivation,

the Brazilian Portuguese linguistic roots of ‘skrati’ - the Sranan word

for processed cacao and the hot drink made with it - hint at the role

expelled Jews from the Pernambuco region played during the initial

stage. Unbeknownst that a unique cacao grows native in the interior,

plant material was first imported from the Orinoco delta, then Brazil

and finally from Trinidad and Costa Rica.

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This husband-and-wife-run company specializes in small batch tree-to-bar chocolate made from garden cacao. Theirs is a story of going against the grain and persistence paying off. Of a little company with a large spin-off.

During slavery cacao was mainly grown as a side crop on coffee plantations, both coffee and cacao growing well under

the canopy of the same shadow tree called kofi mama. In these times cacao was solely consumed as a drink. Cacao

cultivation only seriously got going as late as the second half of the 19th century, when new inventions in Europe for the

first time enabled the production of chocolate bars, leading to a sharp rise in demand of cacao. Around 1895 more than

2 million trees were under cultivation, half of these planted by smallholder farmers. An outbreak of the dreaded witches

broom disease, low prices and new competition from West African bulk cacao led to the crops’ steady decline. When

Tan Bun Skrati started in 2010 cacao was no longer cultivated on a large scale. The last active plantation, Peperpot,

had ceased production 13 years before.

TEXT - RUTGER LEM | PHOTGRAPHER - SIMONE REEDER, YDA WENSVEEN-TIELEMAN, HARRY DE GROOT & TAN BUN SKRATI

TOURTONNE, PARAMARIBO IS THE HOME OF SURINAME’S ARTISANAL CACAO AND CHOCOLATE MAKERS TAN BUN SKRATI

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All this time, impervious to the ups and downs of cacao as a cash crop for export, the

Surinamese cottage industry of skrati-making remained active. For centuries, it catered

the local need for cacao, an impressive 100.000 kilo in 1920. The import of cheap mass-

produced cacao powder delivered a near fatal blow to the craft. Goods from overseas

were held in higher esteem than those made by local hands and many skrati makers

ended their businesses. The younger generations no longer grew up with mothers and

grandmothers making cacao from scratch. It was only ten years ago that the old tradition

of cacao-making had nearly completely vanished.

RAGS TO RICHES Suriname has always cultivated varieties that yield a fine flavour cacao. Despite these

good varieties, Surinamese cacao beans had a not-so-good reputation. Although the

climate is excellent for growing it, the peak of the harvest falls in the rainy season,

which made drying difficult, often resulting in produce of inferior quality.

To meet these challenges Tan Bun Skrati from the outset has been working on improving

existing post harvesting techniques. Assistance was sought from Trinidad’s Cocoa

Research Center to develop gradual indoors drying and Cyprus-born Canadian oenologist/

winemaker Elias Phiniotis helped understand and control the fermentation process at

deeper levels. Through trial and error and years of perseverance Tan Bun Skrati managed

to make Surinamese cacao shine and bring out the richness of the flavors that lay hiding

under the bitterness of freshly harvested beans. Subtle notes of fruit, spices, dairy, flowers

and nuts now all can be tasted in the cacao.

Times had changed. In the meantime a worldwide renewed interest has grown for craft

quality chocolate made with cacao which origin can be traced. By tapping into that niche

market with premium products, 72%, 80% and 100% chocolate bars and pralines, Tan

Bun Skrati has effectively turned the tale of Surinamese cacao into a true rags-to-riches-

story: the ugly duckling maturing into a beautiful swan. In the process, Suriname is being

rebranded as a desirable tourist destination for the craft chocolate lover.

Now that local Surinamese cacao is receiving more attention, new trees are being planted

and the demand for local cacao is growing again. To meet this rise in demand Tan Bun

Skrati will soon start producing the old style, more coarsely ground cacao too. And with

that, skrati’s story will have come full circle.

In weekly workshops Ellen and Rutger guide participants through the whole process of tree

to bar chocolate making. Join them to get a taste of Surinamese cacao and delve deeper into

the story of this wonderful fruit that is so deeply embedded in the country’s DNA.

Visit www.tanbun.org for more information.

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