EXCLUSIVE SMALL BATCH
MATER CHOCOLATE
Our collaboration with MATER introduces a brand new collection of craft chocolates made with esteemed Peruvian Chuncho cacao–the first origin of all fine cacao varieties worldwide.
OUR CHOCOLATE
Native to the Cusco region, Chuncho cacao is known as one of the most prestigious varieties of cacao in the world. Recent genetic evidence suggests it is the first origin of all fine cacao varieties worldwide. We sourced our esteemed Chuncho cacao from one of the top cacao-growing families in the secluded Andes mountaintops of Peru to bring you an exclusive, small batch of single-origin Peruvian craft chocolate.
Developed by MATER, the world-renowned research and innovation arm of Central, No. 2 World’s Best Restaurant located in Lima, Peru, our craft Chuncho Chocolate is a vessel for understanding the complexity behind each bar: where it comes from, how it's grown, and who grows it. Our strong alignment of values and ethical sourcing practices brought this partnership to fruition, and the result is extraordinary.
This prized Chuncho cacao was grown by the award-winning Puma Champi Family. The cacao for this batch comes from the family’s 2022 early harvest. It was collected and fermented in Quillabamba, a high-altitude forest, then delicately transported to Lima by hand where MATER’s cacao expert crafted each bar’s recipe which was then produced by a renowned chocolatier.
Each chocolate bar uniquely expresses the flavor profiles that characterize the family’s prized Chuncho cacao: remarkable sweetness, fruity notes of berry, and warm notes of nuts and spices.
True to the Chuncho cacao’s nature, these chocolates are low in bitterness, which is the result of good genetics, rigorous post-harvest practices, and a delicate roast. To highlight the exceptional flavor of some of the finest and purest cacao in the world of chocolate, no additional ingredients are added, except for high-quality cane sugar and cow's milk in the milk chocolate.
Sweet and delicate with fruity cocoa notes, this luscious bar is reminiscent of strawberry custard. The sweetness of the sugar is balanced by notes of berry, raisin, and cinnamon with a finishing note of creamy pecan.
Nose: Strawberry
Palate: Raisins, Cinnamon
Finish: Pecan
Predominately fruity and slightly woodsy, the nibs in this bar highlight the cocoa flavor and give a sensation of dried fruit, contrasting with the prominent cherry and blackberry notes. Brown raisin and stone fruit seed linger in the background, with hints of cinnamon and cherimoya to finish.
Nose: Cherry, Blackberry
Palate: Brown Raisin, Plum
Finish: Cinnamon, Cherimoya
Complex with fresh dark fruit notes, the prominent notes in this bar—cherry and blackberry—are balanced by rich caramel and panela. Notes of warm clove and plum create a velvety bitterness for a delightful aftertaste.
Nose: Cherry, Blackberry, Caramel, Panela
Palate: Clove, Plum
Finish: Dark Fruit (Date, Fig, Black Cherry, Currant)
Rich in cocoa and berry notes, the subtle bitterness in this bar is balanced by complex notes: hints of blackberry, cherry, brown caramel, and warm spices like cloves. Delicate notes of almond and pink flowers offer a softness at the finish.
Nose: Cocoa, Blackberry, Cherry
Palate: Caramel, Cherry, Clove
Finish: Almond, Pink Flowers
EVALUATION
Built upon years of research and experimentation, MATER’s cacao expert Nilver designed the recipes for our chocolates. Nilver worked hand-in-hand with our chocolatier to fine-tune each recipe, resulting in four exceptional chocolate bars.
After the chocolates were developed, they were rated using the Cocoa of Excellence rating system. 10 is the highest score on the global quality scale that can be achieved, representing a high bar that very few chocolates ever receive.
Each of our dark chocolates scored nearly perfect at 9/10, indicating the outstanding attributes of the chocolate’s composition. The combination of flavor complexity, uniqueness, harmony, brightness, and a clean finish manifest in one-of-a-kind chocolates that are sure to be enjoyed by chocolate lovers around the world.
We are honored to offer our interpretation of the Puma Champi family’s Chuncho cacao and share it with the world.
the story of our chocolate
PERUVIAN Cacao Chuncho
Cusco’s native Chuncho cacao has sent ripples throughout the craft chocolate world for its low bitterness and range of flavor profiles. From notes of nuts and spice to floral undertones, the prized Chuncho is a chocolate lover’s dream.
SOURCING
MATER works directly with the producers, developing strong relationships, visiting them before and after harvest, and buying from single fields owned by families that have grown and harvested the fruits of their land for generations.
PUMA CHAMPI FAMILY
Our Chuncho Cacao comes from the award-winning Puma Champi family who have long been developing and innovating their process of growing and harvesting cacao from the trees that grow across their 12 hectares in La Convención, Peru.
MATER
Mater Iniciativa was developed to provide resources for deep research into Peru’s culture and its bounty of natural resources through travels with experts across a variety of disciplines: biology, anthropology, geography, and history.
MATER has evolved into a research center that represents the philosophy that our experiences in nature are connected to ingredients, and we must understand their respective contexts through a deep connection with producers. By engaging in projects that give value and context to their stories and learning directly from them, we can create better products in partnership with communities, artists, and regional artisans.
MATER is led by Malena, and supported by esteemed chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, who was voted as The World’s Best Female Chef 2021, of Central, which recently claimed the second spot on the prestigious list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The research findings are incorporated into dishes across Virgilio and Pía’s portfolio of restaurants to be shared with the world.