Composed of top experts in the cacao sector, its members possess extensive knowledge and experience enabling them to assess the overall quality of diverse cacao beans and establish accurate flavour profiles for each sample.
Additionally, TC members advise on all technical processes and contribute to the continuous development and improvement of international standards for assessing cacao quality and flavour.
Meet the members of the Technical Committee
ED SEGUINE - In Memoriam
DARIN SUKHA, Chair
Research Fellow/Food Technologist
CARLOS FAJARDO
Food Technologist
ARIZA SARI
Research Scientist
ADRIANA ARCINIEGAS
Research Scientist
BRAD KINTZER
Chocolate Maker
DORINE KASSI
Cacao Quality Flavour Expert
FABIEN COUTEL
Cacao Flavour Quality Expert
FLORENT COSTE
Cacao Evaluation Expert
JOHN KEHOE
Director of Sustainability
KARIN CHATELAIN
Food Sensory Scientist
NAAILAH ALI
Food Technologist
NUBIA MARTINEZ
Cacao Researcher
REGIS BOUET
Chocolatier
STEPHEN YAW OPOKU
Plant Physiologist / Research Scientist
Latest News
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As cacao-producing countries increasingly seek to strengthen their own capacity around flavour evaluation, processing innovation and quality… [+ more]
What NPR’s feature reveals about the future of cacao quality
NPR recently featured the work of Cacao of Excellence in a story exploring one of the central challenges facing the cacao sector today: while cacao… [+ more]
First Seguine Cacao Auction Confirms Premium Value for Recognised Quality and Flavour
First Seguine Cacao Auction Confirms Premium Value for Recognised Quality and Flavour Amsterdam, 20 February 2026 - The inaugural Seguine Cacao… [+ more]