BIG INTERVIEW flavour FINE AT SCALE


Simon Brayn Smith and Irene Ter Laak tell Kennedy’s Confection Editor, Kiran Grewal, all about how ofi is redefining “fine flavour” cocoa liquor, combining origin selection, tailored fermentation and batch-style roasting to deliver artisan-level nuance at industrial volumes.


Simon – The industry often treats “artisan” and “industrial” as opposing concepts. How did ofi technically define “fine flavour” for this range, and what constraints did scale place on that ambition? Fine flavour can mean different things to


different people. For us, it’s about revealing the true depth and character of cocoa. By highlighting the flavor volatiles that create its distinctive aromas and taste, from bright fruity notes to subtle nutty and woody tones - qualities that can easily be lost in bulk or blended liquors. While fine flavour can be achieved more


easily in very small batches, the real challenge lies in scaling up while maintaining consistency. It requires rigorous protocols from farm to factory: selecting the right origins, ensuring well fermented beans, and applying tailored roast profiles for each origin. It’s this combination of origin selection, roasting precision and sensory rigour that allows us to preserve those nuanced flavours in larger volumes.


Irene – From a development standpoint, how do tailored fermentation, adapted batch- roasting and sensory science interact to deliver flavour precision, rather than working as isolated interventions? Fermentation, roasting and sensory science


aren’t separate steps, they’re interconnected parts of a single flavour-development system. At ofi, we treat each with the same level of care, because each one shapes the next. For our new cocoa liquor range, we began by carefully selecting the origins; the Dominican Republic, Uganda and Papua New Guinea, based on their unique growing conditions and sensory potential. From there, tailored fermentation


protocols set the foundation for flavour development. Our trained sensory panels guide these decisions by helping us understand how variables like temperature,


10 • KENNEDY’S CONFECTION • FEBRUARY 2026


FINE FLAVOUR CAN BE ACHIEVED IN SMALL BATCHES — BUT THE REAL ACHIEVEMENT IS PRESERVING THAT


DEPTH, CHARACTER AND CONSISTENCY AT SCALE


time and airflow influence outcomes. We then refine flavour through adapted batch


roasting, using bespoke profiles developed for each origin. This allows us to bring out specific characteristics with precision. Together, these elements create the consistency and flavour definition needed to deliver fine flavour at scale.


Irene – Batch roasting is well established in coffee but less so in cocoa. What specific roasting parameters or philosophies were adapted, and what were the biggest technical challenges in making them reproducible at industrial volumes? Batch roasting is well established in coffee,


where origins and roast profiles are integral to flavour. We wanted to bring that same philosophy to cocoa, where terroir and roasting decisions are equally powerful drivers of taste. At our innovation centre in Koog aan de Zaan in the Netherlands, we developed a specific roasting profile for each origin. This allows us to highlight the natural character of each cocoa; whether that’s bright fruit notes, deeper roasted flavours or more subtle nutty tones. The biggest challenge was enabling the


flavours to shine while maintaining food safety and processing efficiency. We achieved this through a gentler, longer roast that protects delicate flavour compounds, supported by additional validation steps to ensure safety. We also enhanced our drying, roasting and cooling processes to enable these profiles to be executed consistently at large scale production.


Simon – Consistency is critical for manufacturers. How does ofi manage origin variability and batch-style processing while still delivering tight flavour tolerances year-round? Consistency is essential for our customers, and at ofi we take a holistic approach to achieving it. It starts at origin, where we work


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