In 2017, Dandelion Chocolate made our first bar with beans from Asia. The beans were grown in Tamil Nadu, one of India’s two southernmost states, an area known more for tigers than cacao.

Brothers-in-law Harish Manoj Kumar and Karthikeyan (Karthi) Palanisamy of Regal Plantations produce this cocoa just outside the settlement of Anamalai. Harish is originally from Pollachi, near Regal Plantations, and for many years his family has run multiple farms around Pollachi, focusing on cacao, coconuts, and nutmeg. In 2014, Harish took over running the family farms, and partnered with Karthi to improve the quality and flavor of the cacao growing between 30-year-old coconut palms.

The team has focused on creating a sustainable cultivation system on the farms, gradually reducing chemical use until phasing it out completely in 2017. Harish and Karthi subsequently began implementing the Korean Natural Farming method to enrich the soil with indigenous microorganisms. The method involves constant experimentation and adaptation, relying on understory and overstory crops; as well as on livestock to help manage weeds and fertilize trees. It’s easy to see this system’s success in the increasingly robust health of Regal Plantations’ trees over the years; the difference is incredible.