Meet the Teachers - Bean to Bar Workshop 2024
Sophie Jewett
York Cocoa House founder
York Cocoa House founder
Sophie Jewett is the founder of York Cocoa House, a chocolate company opened 2011 in York, England, a city pivotal in the growth of the global chocolate manufacturing industry. Arriving in York in 1999 the city smelled of chocolate and caramel, with 2 large chocolate factories, confectionery factory and sugar refinery all based in the city.
Over the 10 years that followed the factories closed and production relocated, seeing the wealth of expertise and the camaraderie and connections left behind Sophie went on a journey to bring modern chocolate making back to York. In 2012 Sophie created the now annual York Chocolate Festival.
Embarking on their own chocolate making journey the York Cocoa Works Chocolate Manufactory and Academy opened in York in 2018, just opposite the site of Rowntree's first chocolate making facility. As well as making their own craft chocolate Sophie works alongside retailers, manufacturers, ingredient providers and research partners to develop innovative chocolate products, solutions, training and education. Sophie regularly speaks at international cocoa and chocolate industry events and recently contributed to the 5th Edition of Beckett's Industrial Chocolate Manufacturing and Use.
Dr. Balu Balasubramanian
CocoaTown Co-founder
CocoaTown CEO
Dr. Balu Balasubramanian is highly knowledgeable in various processes involved in the Bean to Bar small-batch chocolate making, such as roasting, cracking/winnowing and grinding/refining. In the business side, he is responsible for strategic business development and operations of CocoaTown.
By closely working with CocoaTown customers, Dr. Balu understands the questions from those who want to start "bean to bar" business and provides business and technical support. He understands craft chocolate makers’ pinch points and develops simple and effective tools and solutions to customers’ needs and also for the craft chocolate industry.
He travels around the world to help customers. In Feb. & Mar. 2020, he trained the technicians at Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana in Accra Ghana, and CNRA in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) both projects under World Cocoa Foundation.
He also teaches as part of the CocoaTown Bean to Bar workshops, a three-day intensive course to empower chocopreneurs (chocolate entrepreneurs).
Andal Balu
CocoaTown Co-founder
Dr. Balu Balasubramanian is highly knowledgeable in various processes involved in the Bean to Bar small-batch chocolate making, such as roasting, cracking/winnowing and grinding/refining. In the business side, he is responsible for strategic business development and operations of CocoaTown.
By closely working with CocoaTown customers, Dr. Balu understands the questions from those who want to start "bean to bar" business and provides business and technical support. He understands craft chocolate makers’ pinch points and develops simple and effective tools and solutions to customers’ needs and also for the craft chocolate industry.
He travels around the world to help customers. In Feb. & Mar. 2020, he trained the technicians at Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana in Accra Ghana, and CNRA in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) both projects under World Cocoa Foundation.
He also teaches as part of the CocoaTown Bean to Bar workshops, a three-day intensive course to empower chocopreneurs (chocolate entrepreneurs).
Andal Balu
CocoaTown Co-founder
CocoaTown President
Andal Balu, President and Co-founder of CocoaTown, is a visionary leader whose contributions to the world of chocolate have been transformative. Through CocoaTown, she has played a pivotal role in the global bean-to-bar revolution. CocoaTown's impact extends to over 100 countries, where it has empowered countless chocopreneurs through Equipment, Education, Exposure, and Expertise.
Her dedication to sharing knowledge extends to international chocolate festivals and events, where she has presented seminars and workshops since 2012, spreading her expertise and passion for chocolate worldwide. She came up with the idea of Empowering Chocopreneurs webinar series during the 2020 pandemic to help all the stakeholders in the cocoa value chain. In the past 3 years, more than 5000 participants from 60 countries have benefited from these webinars.
She has also been a key educator as part of the CocoaTown Bean to Bar workshops since their inception in 2014.
At CocoaTown she oversees customer service, accounting, sales and marketing functions.
Andal Balu, President and Co-founder of CocoaTown, is a visionary leader whose contributions to the world of chocolate have been transformative. Through CocoaTown, she has played a pivotal role in the global bean-to-bar revolution. CocoaTown's impact extends to over 100 countries, where it has empowered countless chocopreneurs through Equipment, Education, Exposure, and Expertise.
Her dedication to sharing knowledge extends to international chocolate festivals and events, where she has presented seminars and workshops since 2012, spreading her expertise and passion for chocolate worldwide. She came up with the idea of Empowering Chocopreneurs webinar series during the 2020 pandemic to help all the stakeholders in the cocoa value chain. In the past 3 years, more than 5000 participants from 60 countries have benefited from these webinars.
She has also been a key educator as part of the CocoaTown Bean to Bar workshops since their inception in 2014.
At CocoaTown she oversees customer service, accounting, sales and marketing functions.
To learn more or register - Bean to Bar Workshop 2024