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Goa’s only woman cacao farmer, Alvinia Desouza , is living every chocolate lover’s dream. A first-generation farmer, she learnt the art of making chocolate before deciding to grow her own cacao. Inspired by a chance visit to a pastry school in Switzerland, where she realised that cacao could be grown in India, she returned home, transformed a barren 10-acre plot in Dodamarg into a thriving farm, and created Goa’s first bean-to-bar chocolate .

A LONG JOURNEY TO A CACAO FARM

Before becoming a trained pastry chef in Switzerland, Alvinia studied pharmaceutical chemistry. “My sister studied Pharmacy and so did I. I wanted to help in my family business,” she says. But baking was always her first love. “December was my favourite month because there was so much baking and sweets to be prepared for Christmas. I loved making cakes at home and trying my own combinations.”

Her life changed after discovering that cacao could be be grown in India. “I was shocked and surprised that cacao could be produced in India,” she recalls. “I came back, visited a cacao farm in Kerala and found my direction. I wanted to plant cacao.”

FROM BEAN TO BAR

With the support of her father, Johnny Desouza, Alvinia bought farmland in 2020, researched cacao cultivation, visited ICAR and planted around 400 cacao trees. Her first harvest came in April 2025. Today, the farm follows natural farming practices and also grows mangoes, chikus, pepper and chillies. From those homegrown beans, she now crafts chocolates, experimenting with everything from fruit-infused bars to ice cream made using cacao husk.

For Alvinia, making great chocolate is about creating the right balance of flavours. “True craft chocolate is built on balance over intensity. It is the harmony between bitterness, acidity, sweetness, texture, roast and finish that creates a memorable chocolate experience,” she signs off.