The Seguine Cacao Auction is a new initiative that connects exceptional cacao producers with buyers seeking verified quality, provenance and flavour. Created by The Company Behind Chocoa, the Cacao of Excellence programme and Daarnhouwer & Co., the auction features a rigorously curated selection of eight lots processed, analysed and evaluated by Cacao of Excellence.
Named in honour of Ed Seguine, a leading voice in cacao flavour and quality, the auction recognises the expertise and commitment of producers whose work elevates the global understanding of fine cacao.
HOW THE AUCTION WORKS
Register
Receive Your Kit
Review the Lots
Bid in February 2027
Email: send your maximum price by noon
Telephone: auction staff call you when bidding for your lot begins
If You Win a Lot
BIDDER AUCTION KIT
Registered bidders receive a comprehensive kit designed to support accurate and informed evaluation of all eight lots.
Technical Information
- Full description of each lot
- Complete bean physical analysis
- Cacao mass sensory description
- Cacao mass flavour graphs
- Lot size and farm details
- Producer and origin profile
Tasting Materials (per Kit)
- 8 mass samples – one per lot, processed by the Cacao of Excellence R&D Laboratory
- 32 chocolate bars – four per lot, produced by the Cacao of Excellence R&D Laboratory
- Cacao of Excellence Flavour Wheel
FAQ
A curated platform offering premium buyers access to high-quality cacao lots evaluated under Cacao of Excellence standards.
Edward Seguine devoted his career to advancing cacao quality, mentoring generations of chocolate makers, and championing the skill and expertise of producers. The auction carries his name in recognition of his impact on how exceptional cacao is understood, evaluated, and valued.
Buyers, chocolate makers, manufacturers and traders authorised to commit their company.
Technical documentation, bean physical analysis, sensory notes, jury comments, 8 cacao mass jars, 32 mini bars, bidding instructions and a paddle number.
Submit your maximum price per kg by a few days before the Auction. You pay only the amount required to secure the lot.
The earliest email timestamp wins.
Yes. Register one week before; staff will call when bidding begins for your chosen lot.
Invoice issued by Daarnhouwer & Co.; beans must be collected within the agreed timeline.
Future editions are under consideration and depend on sector interest and feasibility.
Sponsors
Supporting excellence in cacao quality.
Latest News
Indonesian Researchers Strengthen Capacity Around Cacao Flavour Evaluation and Quality Assessment
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]