My story with the Central Highlands, the land of coffee and cocoa, especially Da Lat, is not simply a choice of place to live, but also a deep connection with passion and personal journey. Since childhood, I have always loved the special taste of chocolate - a sweet, fatty but charming candy made from cocoa. The years of studying in France made that passion grow even more when I had the opportunity to enjoy and learn more about chocolate in a country famous for its leading chocolate brands. That journey begins here...
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After completing my study abroad program, I returned to Vietnam and chose Da Lat as my destination. Da Lat is not only a peaceful city with beautiful natural scenery, but also reminds me of France, where I have been attached for a long time. The cool climate and fresh air of Da Lat make me feel close to France, and at the same time help me reconcile my nostalgia for my homeland Vietnam. This is the reason why my husband and I decided to stay in Da Lat - a loving choice between two memories.
However, life does not always go as expected. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, everything in my family's life was turned upside down. At that time, I was still pursuing my doctoral thesis. Throughout my work and study, I have always cherished a dream of developing projects related to coffee and cocoa - products that I love very much. I once shared this plan with my French supervisor. He advised me that before thinking about any project, I should finish my PhD thesis. He was very adamant that it was the first and necessary step.
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But my passion for coffee and cocoa grew to the point where it became an integral part of my life. I began to feel the need to make a change, and regretfully, I decided to give up my education to pursue my dream. It was not an easy decision, but I knew that if I didn't do it, I would always regret it later.
My husband, a long-time coffee enthusiast, played a key role in bringing us closer to the coffee industry. With his professional chef skills, he has a great ability to control the temperature and fire, which is essential when roasting coffee. We started experimenting with small batches, hoping to bring out the most delicate and original local coffee flavors. Step by step, we learned, adjusted and perfected our roasting techniques. As a result, we gradually became more confident in producing and delivering high-quality coffee.
As for me, I still cannot give up my passion for chocolate. Although Da Lat is not a place where cocoa can be grown due to climate and soil conditions, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and the southern part of Lam Dong – the neighboring land – are famous for quality cocoa. This has motivated me to learn and find ways to cooperate with cocoa farmers in the Central Highlands. My goal is to produce chocolate from Vietnamese cocoa and bring this product closer to consumers, especially foreign friends.
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The first steps were not easy, but fortunately, the relationship with cacao was not just a random choice but also closely related to the story of my husband's family. My husband's maternal grandfather, known as "Muoi Cacao," was a famous cacao grower in Tien Giang during the French colonial period. His family owned a large piece of land, specializing in cacao cultivation and producing quality cacao powder.
However, over many generations, no one in the family pursued cacao farming anymore. This left me with a deep regret, and I always wanted to restore some of that family tradition. My husband's maternal grandfather was invited by experts from Belgium to be a cacao consultant in the 2000s. Although the family does not remember the name of that company, it was probably Puratos - a famous chocolate and cacao corporation worldwide. The memory of my maternal grandfather has always been a driving force for me to not only develop coffee but also focus on cacao.
My chocolate story is not about building a big industry or big projects, but simply about sharing my passion with my friends, especially foreign friends. I want them to know about the products we are making – from Central Highlands coffee to Vietnamese cocoa products. Each product carries the love and passion that we put into each stage of production.
I don't set too big a goal, but just hope that international friends will feel the sincerity in what we do. From the meticulousness in each batch of coffee that my husband roasts, to each product from Central Highlands cocoa, all are the result of a process of constant effort. We not only want to bring quality products, but also want to convey our story – a story about love for Da Lat, about passion for coffee, cocoa and connection with family.
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In the future, I hope to have more opportunities to introduce pure Tay Nguyen cocoa to more people, not only in the country but also around the world. My story is not a great journey, but it is a connection between personal values, family traditions and deep passion. For me, creating these products is not just a business, but a way for me to convey my passion and love for what I am doing.
Source: www.opetitmaison.com ; https://opetit.com
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