TSU, Japan - A food maker and pastry chef in central Japan on Wednesday showcased chocolates made entirely from domestically grown cacao, amid declining crops of the tropical tree seeds and their hiking prices.
Tsuji Oil Mills Co., a vegetable oil maker in Matsusaka, Mie Prefecture, began growing cacao in a greenhouse on the premise of a resort facility in the prefecture in 2021. The maker said it plans to sell the chocolates made from the cacao at a nearby shop though it has yet to decide a launch date or the prices.
"If cacao can be produced in bulk (in Japan), it would lead to stability" in chocolate prices, an official from the maker said.
Hironobu Tsujiguchi, the pastry chef who supervised the roasting of the cacao and the production of the chocolates, said they were made from three kinds of cacao blended to offer a genuine cacao taste and a rich aroma reminiscent of passion fruit and banana.
"I am glad that we could show the result of our five-year project thanks to many people," said Tsujiguchi, during the unveiling event at the Vison resort facility in Taki, Mie Prefecture.
