The Northwest Chocolate Festival 2026: Full Schedule

10:00am PDT

Taste Fresh Cacao from the Pod and Learn The Story of Chocolate

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

I will walk through the entire process of creating chocolate starting at the farm with the beans, collecting/processing beans, drying, roasting, grinding, mixing, conching, molding. Then we will open fresh cacao pods and distribute the fruit for audience sampling.

Speakers

Bill Fredericks

Owner, Chocolate Man LLC

Bill Fredericks, Chocolate Man, has been educating and consulting on all things chocolate for three decades. Few chocolatiers in the Pacific Northwest have not benefited at some point from his expertise. His shop, Chocolate Man, opened in 2012 in Lake Forest Park, where Bill teaches... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

10:00am PDT

The Case for Cacao Lavado: Reclaiming Mexico's Drinking Chocolate Tradition

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Main Stage

Fine chocolate has largely centered fermented cacao, while the rise of "ceremonial cacao" has created a second, very different narrative around chocolate. Yet Mexico has a long history of producing and consuming cacao lavado - a traditional unfermented cacao that has shaped its drinking chocolate culture for generations. In this session, Ashley and Mariana explore the history, process, and sensory...
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Speakers

Ashley Ugarte

Founder/CEO, Hijita

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

10:00am PDT

Chocolate 101: What Every Craft Chocolate Lover Should Know

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

FCIA Stage

Lauren Adler has spent years introducing people to the world of craft chocolate, and she knows exactly where to start. In this Chocolate 101 session, the founder and Chief Chocophile of The Chocolate Explorers Club walks you through everything you wish you'd known before walking the festival floor — why cacao origin matters, what happens between the farm and the bar, how to taste with intention,...
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Speakers

Lauren Adler

Chief Chocophile, The Chocolate Explorers Club™️

Lauren Adler is a pioneer in the craft chocolate industry with over a decade of experience introducing consumers to fine chocolate. She was the founder of Seattle retail store Chocolopolis and she currently serves as a Board member and the co-Executive Director of the Fine Chocol... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

11:00am PDT

Polycarbonate Molds for Confections

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

I will demonstrate how to use polycarbonate molds and how to decorate them using multiple techniques. These methods and techniques can be used on other molds as well.

Speakers

Bill Fredericks

Owner, Chocolate Man LLC

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

11:00am PDT

TBD

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Main Stage

Speakers

Susana Cardenas

Founder, Cardenas Chocolate

Susana Cárdenas A. is the founder and curator of Cárdenas Chocolate. She comes from Manabí Province in Ecuador, a cacao-growing region with a longstanding history of Nacional cacao cultivation. Susana has been a journalist for many years, writing for Spanish and Latin-American... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

11:00am PDT

Enduring Knowledge: Artisan Chocolate from Rural Women of Central America

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

This talk focuses on the work of women living in rural areas and their deep connection to cacao and chocolate. Through this session, we aim to highlight their knowledge, practices, and the essential role they play in transforming cacao.The experience includes a guided tasting of chocolates made by these women. These are artisan products, created using methods passed down through generations, with...
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Speakers

Maria Jose Tejero

Founder & Director, Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate

It is remarkable how connecting with the land and the cocoa producers directly influences the quality of the chocolate we create.

Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate has established six School Laboratories in Nicaragua's cocoa-producing regions, offering producers, cooperatives... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

12:00pm PDT

The Liquid Legacy of Cacao: Reclaiming the Art of Drinking Chocolate

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

For most of its history, cacao was consumed not as a solid confection, but as a dynamic, culturally vital beverage. This session provides a complete overview of drinking chocolate, tracing cacao's horticultural journey and its cultural interpretation as a drink from the Upper Amazon to Mesoamerica, leading to its culinary explosion throughout the Americas and beyond in colonial times. In...
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Speakers

Dr. Maricel E. Presilla

president, Gran Cacao Americas

Dr. Maricel E. Presilla is a James Beard award-winning author, culinary historian, and
cultural anthropologist specializing in Latin American cuisine, cacao, and chocolate.
With a Ph.D. in history from New York University, she bridges academic rigor with
culinary creativity, designi... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

12:00pm PDT

Communicating the Value of Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Through Storytelling

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Main Stage

This talk explores how bean-to-bar chocolate makers can better communicate the depth and value of their work through social media and storytelling.Bean-to-bar chocolate holds an incredible amount of value — from sourcing and traceability to craftsmanship and flavor development — yet much of this is often not effectively translated to the consumer.The goal of this session is to bridge that...
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Speakers

Elena Pujol

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

12:00pm PDT

The Science of Chocolate Making - From Bean to Bar

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

Chocolate is an amazing food and there are so many wonderful details that are not generally known. Let’s explore the science of chocolate and chocolate-making and try to turn you into a true chocolate expert. We'll explore the transformational steps used to turn cocoa beans into silky smooth chocolate. We'll dig a little deeper into the physics and chemistry involved in making chocolate. Find...
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Speakers

Nate Saal

CEO, CocoTerra

Nate has had a lifelong interest in technology, food science and DIY food making. His “hobbies” include beekeeping, making wine, olive oil and vinegar, growing exotic fruits, and a host of other weekend farming fun. Professionally, Nate has spent his career as a serial entrepreneur... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

1:00pm PDT

Light Roast to Dark Roast: A Chocolate Tasting

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Just like coffee, chocolate flavors changes dramatically with cocoa roasting. In this guided tasting, we’ll explore a range of roast levels using the same cacao and uncover how subtle shifts in roasting create entirely different flavor experiences. A great session for anyone curious about how chocolate is crafted.

Speakers

Rob Anderson

Chocolate Maker, Fresco Chocolate

An engineer turned chocolate maker, Rob Anderson has been exploring the science of flavor since 2003. By fine-tuning roast and conche temperatures and times, he reveals unique flavors hidden in each cacao origin. In 2010, Rob and Amy founded Fresco Chocolate, dedicated to dark chocolate that’s nut-, dairy-, soy-, and gluten-free. Their bars showcase how process, different roasts and conches, can transform the taste of the same cocoa beans... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

1:00pm PDT

The Craft Chocolate Movement: A retrospective.

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Main Stage

Many would argue that the two earliest brands that helped nudge many small American makers to try their hand at small batch quality chocolate were Scharffen Berger Chocolate (1996) and Dagoba Organic Chocolate (2001). In this retrospective, we will take a look at the earliest craft chocolate makers who took inspiration from these two makers, and reflect on what their hopes were, consider how they...
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Speakers

Sunita de Tourreil

Founder and Owner, The Chocolate Garage & Happy Chocolate Experiences

For over 20 years Sunita has been curious about how chocolate can be a vehicle to increase empathy, engage customers around global supply chains, find business models that implicitly are a win-win for every member of the cacao-to-chocolate supply chain and HAVE FUN while doing it... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

1:00pm PDT

Latest & Greatest in Chocolate Science

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

I plan to talk about the most recent developments in the world of science as they relate to chocolate and cacao. The audience members will have an opportunity to learn about the latest developments across the various scientific disciplines and also to develop some insights into determining the limits and reality to what they might read in the headlines. I have found the general...
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Speakers

Romi Burks

Professor, Southwestern University

Dr. Romi Burks started using chocolate to teach about the connections between disciplines around 15 years ago. As a Biology Professor at a small liberal arts college (Southwestern University), Burks teaches a multi-disciplinary First Year Seminar examining the subtleties of the "dark... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

2:00pm PDT

Chef Demo TBD

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Speakers

Stephen Durfee

Director of Chocolate Curriculum, Dandelion Chocolate

Stephen Durfee is the Director of Chocolate Curriculum for Dandelion Chocolate in San Francisco, where he works with the Education team to craft exquisite chocolate experiences. Chef Durfee was a Professor of Baking and Pastry Arts at the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

2:00pm PDT

Flavor, Memory and Culture in Fine Chocolate

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Main Stage

An immersive presentation exploring how flavor, memory, and cultural ritual can be reinterpreted through fine chocolate. From regional inspirations to layered tasting experiences, this session invites guests into the creative process behind each collection — where ingredients, storytelling, and craftsmanship come together in contemporary Indian confectionery.

Speakers

Foram Vyas

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

2:00pm PDT

Women of Cacao - A female-empowered lens on history, culture and industry.

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

What role have women really played in the story of chocolate—and where are they shaping its future?In this dynamic three-part workshop, cacao educators and Women of Cacao co-founders Ava J. Holmes and Fiorella Richter invite guests into an interactive conversation around gender, leadership, and opportunity across the cacao and chocolate value chain.(This could also be presented as a panel if...
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Speakers

Fiorella Richter

Ava Holmes

Saturday October 3, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

3:00pm PDT

Flavor Development - Designing Chocolate with Intention

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

How to intentionally build flavor from cacao through ingredients, formulation, and technique. Exceptional chocolate doesn't happen by accident. Every ingredient, percentage, process, and finishing detail influences the flavor journey from the first aroma to the final lingering note. This session explores how chocolatiers intentionally build flavor by understanding the interaction between cacao,...
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Speakers

Karen Neugebauer

Forte Chocolates

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

3:00pm PDT

The Complexity of Direct Trade in Cacao

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Main Stage

I plan on talking about how much work goes in to sourcing specialty cacao beans so that we can make chocolate in its purest possible form. My talk will focus on the complexity of direct trade, drawing from my experience working directly with farmers under different conditions in different regions of Peru. The topics I plan to touch in include: logistical and human challenges, like navigating...
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Speakers

Jose Visconti

Chief Cacao Officer, Cacao Adventures

I source cacao from unique places in Peru and mostly focus on the High Amazon Basin, in Amazonas Peru where I work with Awajun communities who cultivate a genetically varied assortment of cacao in a relatively small geographical area, which are likely the precursors to Nacional C... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

3:00pm PDT

Making Good Trouble in Cacao and Chocolate

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

Verticalized chocolate operations in Hawaii can be seen as acts of decolonizing resistance, rooted in John Lewis' idea of Good Trouble. This talk will discuss Lonohana's efforts to use commerce to drive meaningful local and regenerative change, from agriculture to finished products, and everything in between. The audience should learn about recent history of cacao and chocolate in Hawaii, and how...
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Speakers

Seneca Klassen

Founder and Chocolate Grower, Lonohana Chocolate

Seneca Klassen has the unusual distinction of being both a farmer and a chocolate maker. He brings a decade of knowledge about sourcing, propagating seedlings and farming cacao in Hawaii, as well as crafting award-winning small batch fine chocolate. He was co-founder of Bittersweet... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

4:00pm PDT

Chocolate Drink Masterclass - The Ancient Art of Mixing Cacao

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Prophecy Chocolate proudly presents the ultimate hands on chocolate drink making workshop led by founder, Mateo.In this workshop, you will learn about the history of chocolate drink making and learn the ancient art of mixing Cacao and Pataxte (Theobroma bicolor) into amazing drinks! Leave with the knowledge and confidence to create EPIC chocolate drinks to WOW your friends and family,...
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Speakers

Mateo Block

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

4:00pm PDT

Ecuador, Cradle of Cacao: Archeology and Civlization

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Main Stage

The presentation examines the scientific and archaeological evidence positioning Ecuador as the earliest known center of cacao domestication, with data dating back approximately 5,500 years. Demonstrating early human interaction with Theobroma cacao.The presentation will contextualize these discoveries within broader discussions of plant domestication in the Americas, pre-Columbian trade networks,...
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Speakers

Daniel Pinto

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

4:00pm PDT

Connection through Cacao

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

I will communicate how to integrate cacao into your wellness routine as a tool to connect with yourself and others. I will highlight its nourishing health benefits as well as nourishing energetic benefits.

Speakers

Kaysee Hill

Founder, Panthera Collective

Hi! I'm Kaysee Hill, founder of Panthera, a bean-to-bar chocolate maker and educator based in Savannah, Georgia. My favorite part of chocolate isn't just how it tastes (an obvious first choice), it's how it brings people together. My session, Connection Through Chocolate, explores... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

5:00pm PDT

Uncommon Cacao × Silva Cacao: A New Era for Craft Chocolate Sourcing

Saturday October 3, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Big news travels fast in craft chocolate: Uncommon Cacao and Silva Cacao are now one team. So what does that actually mean for the makers, buyers, and cacao nerds of North America? Join Emily Stone and Katrien Delaet for a candid (and fun, we promise) conversation about how two companies -- one built in the Americas on radical transparency, the other in Europe on deep care for planet and people --...
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Speakers

Emily Stone

CEO & Founder, Uncommon Cacao

Emily has 15 years of experience building and running four companies in four different countries that work across the specialty cacao value chain, from post-harvest processing and export operations in Central America to cacao import and distribution offices in the U.S. and Europe... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

5:00pm PDT

The Dark Side of Chocolate

Saturday October 3, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT

Main Stage

Every Halloween, Americans buy 90 million pounds of chocolate bars and candy — but few of us stop to ask where the chocolate actually comes from. Behind the shiny wrappers of your Snickers, Reese's, and M&M's is a supply chain built on the backs of West African laborers, including children who handle chainsaws and machetes, carry hundred-pound sacks, and breathe in herbicide fumes — all so...
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Speakers

Birgitte Rasine

Chief Storyteller, LUCITA

Birgitte Rasine is an award-winning author, essayist, journalist, and speaker who has worked with Fortune 100 and 500 companies, NGOs, non profits, educational institutions, and government bodies for over two decades. Her introduction to the world of cacao and chocolate took place... Read More →

Saturday October 3, 2026 5:00pm - 6:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

10:00am PDT

Making the Link from Soil Health to Fine Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Cacao Stage

Making the link between soil health and fine flavor chocolate

Speakers

Ruth Moloney

Floreo Belize

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

10:00am PDT

Agroforestry as Stewardship of Cacao in Guatemala

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Main Stage

This talk will explore how regenerative agroforestry can protect cacao genetics while restoring degraded land and strengthening rural communities in Guatemala. Drawing from the experience of Kampura and Finca Nahuatancillo, I will share how a former cattle pasture has been transformed into a biodiverse, productive system that supports high-quality cacao alongside other tree crops. The presentation...
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Speakers

Nicholas Silverman

Kampura

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

10:00am PDT

Crafting the Future of Cacao: Empowering Communities at Origin

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

FCIA Stage

This talk focuses on the educational work we carry out at Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate to train chocolatiers in cacao-producing countries.We explore how education becomes a key tool to create added value at origin, by training a new generation of chocolatiers who not only master technique, but also deeply understand the origin, quality, and potential of the cacao they work with.The...
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Speakers

Maria Jose Tejero

Founder & Director, Semilla Escuela de Cacao y Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

11:00am PDT

The Lost Custom of American Drinking Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, we'll take a look back at the important role chocolate played in colonial and even Revolutionary times, including the forgotten social custom of drinking chocolate being served and shared amongst adults.

Speakers

Victoria Kichuk

Chocolate Sommelier/Founder, Cocoa Beantown

A chocolate educator, writer, and tour guide for almost 15 years, Victoria Kichuk, as founder of her company, Cocoa Beantown, brings a truly unique blend of engaging storytelling abilities with an accessible approach to food education that ushers audiences toward a new appreciation... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

11:00am PDT

Taste Fresh Cacao and Learn The story of Chocolate from Tree to Bar

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

Main Stage

I will take you on a journey to produce chocolate starting with the trees in the jungle, progressing through all the steps to final production resulting in a chocolate bar. You will sample fresh cacao that we split open in the lecture.

Speakers

Bill Fredericks

Owner, Chocolate Man LLC

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

11:00am PDT

A Journey Through 100% Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

100% chocolate offers a rare opportunity to experience cacao without distraction. In this session, we’ll taste a range of single origin chocolates and examine how growing region, post-harvest practices, and roast profiles influence flavor. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of how chocolate can express notes of fruit, florals, earth, and nuts—all from just one ingredient.

Speakers

Rob Anderson

Chocolate Maker, Fresco Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

12:00pm PDT

Chocolate as a Passport: Crossing Cultures, Categories, and Palates

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

In this 50-minute presentation and tasting, I will share how KESSHŌ uses Asian-inspired bean-to-bar chocolate as a medium for collaboration, storytelling, and sensory exploration.Rather than treating collaboration as simply putting two brand names on one product, I will talk about how we approach it as co-storytelling: finding the shared language between cacao and another brand’s world. Through...
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Speakers

Liang Wang

Co-Owner, Kessho LLC

KESSHŌ was founded in 2019 by Mark Huetsch and Liang Wang. Liang, who was born and raised in Beijing, studied pastry in Tokyo. Additionally, Liang has 14 years of experience in running a baking company in China. Liang moved to the United States in 2023 and started operating the Kessh... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

12:00pm PDT

Cacao, Beyond Your Wildest Bean

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

Main Stage

The plant behind our favorite chocolate is bursting with extraordinary flavors, textures, and sensations beyond its beloved bean. In this session, we will meet the makers from origin unlocking cacao's full potential and experience a range of products that explore the world of possibilities waiting to be discoveredin the rest of this fabulous fruit.

Speakers

Kim Wilson

Co-Founder, Cocoa Future Collaborative

Kim Wilson is the co-founder of Cocoa Future Collaborative, a Seattle-based organization dedicated to empowering cacao origins by creating innovative, locally made cocoa products that significantly increase farming community incomes.

With a background spanning both corporate strategy and entrepreneurial ventures, Kim has leveraged her expertise to champion contextually relevant product innovation and more equitable supply chains within the craft chocolate industry. Her work centers on building local economies th... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

12:00pm PDT

The 3 Things That Actually Matter on a Chocolate Label

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

Picking a great chocolate bar starts with knowing how to read the label. Lauren Adler, specialty chocolate expert and founder of The Chocolate Explorers Club, shares the three things she looks for on every bar. Walk away with a simple, practical framework you can put to work on the festival floor the same day.

Speakers

Lauren Adler

Chief Chocophile, The Chocolate Explorers Club™️

Sunday October 4, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

1:00pm PDT

Unlocking the Cacao and Chile Connection for Modern Cooks and Chocolate Makers

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Long before cinnamon and cane sugar became the default, Mesoamerican cooks engineered a botanical masterpiece: the marriage of cacao and capsicums.Moving beyond the modern novelty of "spicy chocolate," this session delves into the neurogastronomy and historical foodways of this ancient pairing. Attendees will discover the biological brilliance behind the union and extract structural lessons from...
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Speakers

Dr. Maricel E. Presilla

president, Gran Cacao Americas

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

1:00pm PDT

What happens when a Master Tea Blender and a Chocolate Maker become friends?

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Main Stage

What happens when a Master Tea Blender and a Chocolate Maker become friends? Come taste the results and learn more from the Tea Maker and Chocolate Maker of Pike Place Market

Speakers

Erin Andrews

Founder & CEO, Indi Chocolate

Erin Andrews started her journey in chocolate when her older daughter, Indi, asked where chocolate came from.

Over 10 years after teaching her daughters "how chocolate grows on trees," Erin has founded two successful bean to bar chocolate companies, in Belize and Seattle.

Erin ta... Read More →

Nelson Anthony

Nelson Anthony was introduced to his first love, tea, at the age of 5 by the San Francisco Tea Association. His life long passion became his profession in 2017, when he founded Tacoma Teas and Herbs. Nelson worked alongside indi chocolate to develop their cacao based teas well over... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

1:00pm PDT

Ceremonial Cacao — Reclaiming Meaning, Origin & Standards

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

“Ceremonial cacao” has become a rapidly growing category in global wellness and conscious consumption spaces. Yet despite its popularity, there is still no clear collective understanding of what ceremonial cacao truly means, who defines it, and how its value is created.Is ceremonial cacao defined by genetics? Processing methods? Intention? Ritual use? Preparation as a drink? Cultural lineage?...
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Speakers

Ava Holmes

Co-Founder, Cacao Center Perú + Women of Cacao

Ava J. Holmes is a cacao educator, storyteller, and co-founder of Women of Cacao, a global community connecting the worlds of cacao, chocolate, wellness, science, and culture.

Her work explores cacao as a lens through which to understand ecology, cultural history, sensuality, and human connection. Drawing from years of research, travel, and hands-on experience in cacao-growing regions of Peru, Ava bridges ancient traditions with modern science through immersive

... Read More →

Fiorella Richter

Sunday October 4, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

2:00pm PDT

Chocolate Skills: Tempering Demystified

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

This session explores the science of tempering in a practical, approachable way. I will compare hand tempering and machine tempering techniques, discuss the advantages and limitations of each approach, and share practical troubleshooting strategies for changing environments, varying chocolate formulations, production schedules, and equipment. Whether working in a small artisan kitchen or a larger...
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Speakers

Karen Neugebauer

Forte Chocolates

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

2:00pm PDT

Unique Richness of Peruvian cacao; Genetics, Flavor, and Craft

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

Main Stage

This presentation explores Peru as a living origin of cacao through three interconnected lenses: genetic diversity, sensory experience, and chocolate-making practice.Bringing together expertise from cacao anthropology, genetic research, and bean-to-bar production, we will guide the audience through the unique richness of Peruvian cacao. Drawing on ongoing work from organizations such as Alliance...
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Speakers

Luchi Narvaez

Ura Chocolates

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

2:00pm PDT

Selling beyond the Bar - How to Pitch, position and grow your chocolate brand

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

Learn how to sell your craft chocolate business beyond just having a great product. Join Ricardo Trillos for a practical session on creating powerful sales pitches that connect with customers and clearly communicate your value. Discover techniques to maximize your story, grow your brand impact, and turn conversations into consistent leads and sales. We’ll finish with a quick networking exercise...
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Speakers

Ricardo Trillos

Business Consultant/Coach, The Choconnector

The Choconnector is more than just a business consulting and coaching service—it’s a bridge between my passion, expertise, and success in the chocolate and food industries. The Choconnector is dedicated to helping individuals and businesses turn their dreams of starting and growing... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

3:00pm PDT

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Chocolate: a Lively Look at the Interlacing of Law and Chocolate at 250

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

America loves chocolate, and chocolate mirrors our nation back to us through law: chocolate engages human rights and environmental law, Constitutional and corporate and criminal law, intellectual property and consumer and food protections, rights of women and of indigenous peoples, and multiple additional areas along with Supreme Court and other judicial opinions, federal and state statutes, FDA...
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Speakers

Valerie Beck

Founder, Chocolate Uplift

Valerie Beck is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard College; a chocolate services entrepreneur who founded the world's first chocolate tours and grew the business to 5 cities with 50 employees; a consultant through her business Chocolate Uplift to small-batch chocolate makers... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

3:00pm PDT

From Passion to Profit: Turn Your Chocolate Knowledge Into a Business

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

Main Stage

You blew your chocolate budget — again. Your bar stash is overflowing, your chocolate certifications keep stacking, and you can't stop talking about craft chocolate to anyone who'll listen. But the idea of turning that knowledge into a side hustle or business feels like a pipe dream. Could you really get paid for your chocolate knowledge? In this session, you'll discover who is actively booking...
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Speakers

Estelle Tracy

Owner, 37 Chocolates

Estelle Tracy is a chocolate educator and speaker based in Kennett Square, PA. Originally from France, she discovered craft chocolate after reviewing 37 chocolate bars in honor of her 37th birthday on Halloween 2015. The challenge opened her eyes to the unique flavors, stories, and... Read More →

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

3:00pm PDT

Chocolate pairing (101)

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

How to pair chocolate with different drinks and other foods - beginner talk with basic tips on how to approach chocolate pairings with examples.

Speakers

Rasha Younan

Bon Chocolates

Sunday October 4, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

4:00pm PDT

Chocolate Down Under: A Taste of Australia & New Zealand

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Cacao Stage

Speakers

Giselle Weybrecht

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Cacao Stage

Room # 406

4:00pm PDT

The Future Is in the Cup: Elevating Craft Chocolate Through Café Culture

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Main Stage

Islands Chocolate is one of the speciality drinking chocolate companies asking baristas to step up their game of their chocolate drinks. Based on my experience at Islands, and our recent collaboration with Semilla Escuela Cacao, Cacao Bisiesto, and Coffee by TATE (the roastery of the most famous modern and contemporary art institution and museum in the UK who focuses on empowering women across the...
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Speakers

Jonas Rosales

Islands Chocolate

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
Main Stage

Room #403

4:00pm PDT

How To Grow Your Own Cacao Tree At Home

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

FCIA Stage

They say that cacao can only grow on Equatorial farms. Nate Saal, an avid gardener and chocolate-tech entrepreneur, wanted to see if he could grow cacao in northern California and get it to fruit. Learn about the challenges and successes of growing cacao trees in cold weather climates. From germinating cacao seeds to hand pollinating cacao flowers, learn what it takes to grow your own...
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Speakers

Nate Saal

CEO, CocoTerra

Sunday October 4, 2026 4:00pm - 5:00pm PDT
FCIA Stage

Room #404

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