SPAGnVOLA Press Kit - May, 2014
SPAGnVOLA Press Kit - May, 2014
SPAGnVOLA Press Kit - May, 2014
2014 - Edition
Media Press Kit
SPAGnVOLA
Chocolate Gourmet Artisan
SINGLE-ESTATE
PREMIUM CHOCOLATES
SPAGnVOLA (pronounced as spangvola): The name is derived from a 16th century voyage map of the island
of Hispaniola, known today as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. In honor of the island Hispaniola, its people
and culture, Crisoire and I dared to achieve the impossible. We have realized our dream - Hacienda de SPAGnVO-
LA - where the soil, seed, rain and sun consistently produce exquisite cacao beans. We utilize only the finest beans
grown from our estate in Hato Mayor Del Rey, located on the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. It is there
that you will find the purest environmental conditions resulting in the richest organic soil found on mountain
slopes that are endowed with plentiful rainfall.
We cultivate and process our own cacao beans the traditional way, by hand-picking perfectly ripened pods, fer-
menting them, drying them and grading them ourselves. We do this is to insure that only the finest make their way
to our artisan factory in Gaithersburg, Maryland (USA). Here, the cocoa beans are roasted and refined in small
batches bringing out the flavor of the most exquisite premium chocolate.
Today, SPAGnVOLA represents the finest single-estate chocolates derived from the hands of farmers. We believe
that the finest chocolates in the world can only be produced by cacao growers, such as SPAGnVOLA, and from
their respective geographical locations. It is with this commitment that we have established a meticulous quality
assurance through which SPAGnVOLA chocolate is processed. Evolving from that process is a brand of choco-
late that is specifically designed for the most demanding customers -- you.
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Our Unique Story
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Corporate Social Responsibility Core Values
A Focus on Quality & Values
In Three Fields of View
In our pursuit of the best premium chocolate, we are focused on the question: What will our grandchildren
think? It is through this enlarged lens that we consider the long-term implication of every business decision we
make. We are constantly studying the impact on quality and how SPAGnVOLAs values are reflected and magni-
fied.
At every step, our values guide all of our decisions and we are as intentional about responsible practices as we are about pre-
mium quality. In addition to making the best premium chocolate, we are building a business based on values that we hope
will serve as a model and an inspiration to current and future entrepreneurs. From sustainability and premium quality to eco-
nomic opportunity, education and community, we make all of our decisions based on our values and long-term vision, not
our short-term gain.
In the Environment
We practice sustainable farming.
Because we the earth and our farmers, we grow our cacao trees without pesticide. As such, our premi-
um quality chocolate is not contaminated with chemicals.
We Provide Economic and Empowerment Opportunities
Because we value honoring our employees with empowerment opportunities, we encourage our farm-
ers to grow shade crops under the fruit trees for their own profit in addition to their salary.
Because we value treating our employees with respect and acknowledge their critical role in our mis-
sion, we have an open book and door policy to our chocolate factory and boutique.
Our farmers and employees are invested in the quality of SPAGnVOLA chocolate and the success of
our business.
Through Relationships
Our transparency shows our pride in the natural resources, people, and artisan processes that yield SPAGnVOLA
premium chocolate. Accordingly, we invite everyone to visit our factory and enthusiasm.
Our Core Values
Page 4 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Dear SPAGnVOLA Customer,
Regardless of age and culture, chocolate is one of the most common
expressions of love. It is from this adoration that the story of
SPAGnVOLA chocolate began and in 2006: a new genre of carefully
handcrafted chocolate emerged.
Out of a love for agriculture, we converted our not so viable farm-
lands of exotic fruits in the Dominican Republic to a farm that pro-
duces some of the best quality cocoa beans in the world. This is the
beginning of our own chocolate making process. We are able to ex-
tract the best aroma and flavor from our homegrown cacao beans
and to create new blends of chocolates such as single-source and sin-
gle-estate.
The fairytale of SPAGnVOLA continues with our very first chocolate
manufacturing facility and retail boutique which is located in the heart
of Kentlands, in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA. This is where
Crisoire and I endeavor to share our magical experience with like-
minded chocolate lovers. Our store is designed to match the aroma
and taste of our freshly made chocolate. With our catering services
we offer an opportunity for you to share this unique experience with
family and friends.
I am very confident that SPAGnVOLAs foundation is exceptionally
strong. We have the best team of professionals working to maintain SPAGnVOLAs premium and exquisite quali-
ty chocolate. With our loyal dedication to our craft and vision, we are committed to meet the growing market de-
mand for gourmet chocolate confections and bring forth value, taste and customer service like no other.
Our love story with chocolate shall continue to evolve through our passion, dedication and care. We look forward
to sharing with you.
Eric Reid
President / Founder / Owner
Letter From The CEO
Eric Reid President / Founder / Owner
When you embark on a journey, you put your heart and your soul into it, and
youre doing everything for the right reasons, and youre making modifications to
ensure the quality of product, the end result is a foregone conclusion.
Page 5 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Crisoire is a true nature-lover hav-
ing been raised in her ancestral haci-
enda in Hato Del Rey, Dominican
Republic. With her passion in land
cultivation and agriculture, she be-
gan to focus her interest in improv-
ing the quality of their crops, partic-
ularly, the cacao. She later devel-
oped an understanding of the im-
portance of cacao in the chocolate-
making business and was certain
that with the proper skills and
blends, she could bring forth the best from the beans. Crisoire then enrolled herself at the Barry Callebaut Choco-
late Academy in the United States to become a professional Chocolatier. Today, she has brought with her not only
the skills of a professional Chocolatier, but also the passion to share to the world her own Caribbean blends of
flavorings and recipes. Crisoire is poised to make SPAGnVOLA the Dominican Republics finest premium choc-
olate.
Our Head Chocolatier
Crisoire Reid Co-Owner
Page 6 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Our Executive Team
Justin Brooks Marketing Director
Justin, having moved to Maryland in 2004, joined SPAGnVOLA at its very inception. Since
coming on-board in the early discovery years in which SPAGnVOLA was founded, Justins re-
sponsibilities have included many operations and at the core, always insuring SPAGnVOLA was
on the correct path with its public relations, brand awareness and community marketing.
Laura Brooks Event Coordinator
Laura Brooks, a native of Maryland, joined SPAGnVOLA to head our events and serve as our
Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator. Lauras critical responsibility has not only been to
ensure SPAGnVOLA is positioned to support these initiatives, but also insuring that the custom-
er is treated with the utmost care and concern.
Lic. Isabel Zorrilla Vice President / Farm Management
Isabel Zorrilla is a native of the Dominican Republic, a graduate from the University Central Del
EsteUCE with a Bachelors Degree in International Business. Isabel heads all aspects of Haci-
enda de SPAGnVOLA farm management. Since 2001, she has been a pioneer in the develop-
ment of AgroCriso, known today as Hacienda de SPAGnVOLA. Isabels skills have been instru-
mental in developing our cacao bean cultivation, harvest and post-harvest process and in guaran-
teeing that our quality assurance is sound and guaranteed throughout its lifecycle.
Francisco Lopez Vice President / Global Farm Management
Francisco Lopez is a native of the Dominican Republic, and has spearheaded our agriculture initi-
atives since 1999. Mr. Lopez is an expert in plant propagation and is leading our efforts on the
ground with genetic diversity research. Mr. Lopez skills have been instrumental in developing our
cacao bean cultivation, harvest and post-harvest process and in guaranteeing that our quality as-
surance is sound and guaranteed throughout its lifecycle.
Eduardo Garcia Social Media / Business Development
Eddie settled in Maryland in 1994 and met Eric in 1998. Through business and personal collabo-
ration, they formed a connection that has cultivated "el Amor del chocolate." With Eddie's suc-
cessful start-up and collaborative experience, he provides strategic business relationships and part-
nerships.
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Luzette King - General Advisor
Ms. King is a Vincentian (native of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) who lives in Washington,
D.C. Prior to relocating to the United States she lived in London, United Kingdom for most of
her adult life. Among other community activities, she has combined her nursing experience
with her studies in public international law and previous experience in active politics to produce
a weekly radio show, Global Highlights. Ms. King is a personal advisor to Eric Reid - CEO and
Founder of SPAGnVOLA. Providing advise and guidance on strategic relationships throughout
the Caribbean.
Board of Advisors
Page 8 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Board of Directors
Eric Reid- CEO / Chairman of the Board
Mr. Reid was born in Panama; his great-grandparents came from the island of Marti-
nique and Jamaica as many within the Caribbean Diaspora in support and construction
of the Panama Canal. Educated in the United States, Mr. Reid followed his passion of
agriculture which lead him to the Dominican Republic where he met his wife Crisoire
and ventured into agriculture investments. Mr. Reid provides decisive leadership, man-
agement and guidance with a proven ability to foster project success and company
growth. He is a strong organizer, motivator and team leader with an established record
of success in directing a broad range of organizational initiatives while participating in planning and implementa-
tion of solutions in direct support of business objectives.
Mr. Reid's track record covers over 18 years of increasing responsibility in providing business financial manage-
ment services. Demonstrated capacity to lead implementation of new technologies that drive awareness, decrease
exposure, and strengthen organizations. Mr. Reid is adept at developing effective policies and procedures, project
documentation, milestones, and technical/business specifications.
Mr. Reid has extensive farm management experience, managing over 450 acres of private farmland cultivated with
Mango, Oranges, Tangerines, Papaya, Avocado and Cacao trees. Mr. Reid has extensive knowledge in cacao bean
fermentation and drying. In addition, to the post harvest process, Mr. Reid has pioneered a quality assurance pro-
cess (Fine Flavored Quality Assurance Circle of Excellence) which brings forth the best aroma and flavor from
cacao beans. Mr. Reid is a graduate of the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy, and continues to immerse himself
in the world of chocolate confections. An expert in building relationships within the cacao community, Mr. Reid
has build great relationships with scientist, growers, cooperatives and industry experts.
Mr. Reid is an expert in designing small scale chocolate manufacturing facilities and Chocolatier artisan workshops,
and is currently working with the Department of Agriculture (ARS) and MARS, investigating cacao bean flavor
and aroma which are directly linked to genetics and genotype cacao trees. Mr. Reid is an innovator who simply
uses reverse engineering methodology to bring forth best-in-class solutions.
Crisoire Reid - Head Chocolatier / Co-Chair
Crisoire was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Hato Mayor Del Rey. Crisoire Reid
is co-founder, owner and Head Chocolatier of SPAGnVOLA. Mrs. Reid has a natural instinct
and passion which brings forth unique blends of tropic fruit, together with chocolate, creating
the worlds best truffles and bonbons. Mrs. Reid has successfully graduated from the Barry
Callebaut Chocolate Academy in 2009 and also completed the Professional Chocolatier course with Ecole-
Chocolat Academy. Mrs. Reid pioneered the SPAGnVOLA signature blends and understands chocolate manu-
facturing and operations. Mrs. Reid is a key asset to our operations in the United States and leads our chocolate
manufacturing and artisanal creation of chocolate products. Mrs. Reids passion is chocolate and sharing her
knowledge with others is paramount to her success.
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The Most Common Expressions of Love is Through Chocolates
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Premium Chocolate
When Spagnvola Chocolatier opens in Kentlands in early 2011 it will be the culmination
of a five year dream for local couple, Eric and Crisoire Reid. Located at 360 Main Street,
Spagnvola will offer premium quality chocolate bars, truffles and bon-bons which will
be made in their factory downstairs, from cacao beans grown on their own farm in the
Dominican Republic.
Eric hails from Panama, and Crisoire is from the Dominican Republic. When they met
fifteen years ago, they realized that they shared a love of farming. In 2006 they began
purchasing farmland, including a 1,000 -acre farm in the Dominican Republic that had
every type of exotic fruit one can imagine, in addition to about 5,000 cacao trees. We realized we didnt know
how to manage such a large farm, said Eric. When they looked into exporting their fruits, they realized there was
a lot more to it than they had ever dreamed. We tried to sell our cacao beans, but we werent successful at that. So
we decided if we couldnt sell our beans wed make our own chocolate, he said.
Together, he and Crisoire researched and learned everything they could about making chocolate. They bought
some small-grade equipment and set up a chocolate lab in their home. For five years they learned, experimented
and practiced. They realized that the cacao beans need to be fermented and dried before they are roasted, ground,
tempered and made into chocolate Crisoire said, I was trying to so hard to figure out how to make it smooth.
Then we tried a malanguer (a type of grinder used in India) and the chocolate came out so smooth. I told Eric, We
got it!
Once they learned how to make their own chocolate, they went to Chicago where they took a professional course
at the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy and plans for opening Spagnvola were within sight. Together with two
good friends, Justin Brooks and Ed Garcia, they have attended to every detail of the business from cultivating and
processing the cacao beans in the Dominican Republic, to shipping them to the United States, and finally pro-
cessing and handcrafting the chocolate to its finest form. Crisoire is the resident choclatier and has been honing
her skills over the past several years. She says she is trying to talk her five sisters into moving here from the Do-
minican Republic to become choclatiers as well. The Spagnvola name chosen for the chocolate shop was found in
the 16th century voyage maps of the Caribbean. It was the original name for the Dominican Republic.
Eric explained that most chocolate companies extract cacao butter from the coffee beans and replace it with other
types of oil. We dont extract the cacao butter, so our cacao content is seventy to eighty percent. When you eat
our chocolate, you get to see what chocolate really tastes like. Youll never go back to eating any other chocolate!
The team is very excited to see their dreams come to life. Eric says he doesnt know exactly when the shop will be
open, but he definitely wants to be selling chocolates by Valentines Day. The shop will feature exquisite cherry
wood cabinets in which the chocolates will be displayed. Plenty of seating will provide a relaxing atmosphere for
customers to enjoy the fare, and free Wi-Fi will be available. Additionally, they will offer Dominican coffee, espres-
so, tropical drinks,
(Continued on page 29)
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Chocolate at its Finest Comes to Kentlands
By Gina Dropik
Spring is in the air, and it
smells like chocolate!
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
opened its doors in Kentlands
Downtown on Feb. 12, and the
scent of bon bons and truffles
now wafts down Main Street.
A line of customers was wait-
ing for owners Eric and
Crisoire Reid to open their
doors at 2 p.m. on the Saturday
before Valentines Day, and
the shop was packed through-
out the weekend.
Pronounced spang-vo-la, the
name comes from a 16th cen-
tury voyage map upon which
the island of the Dominican
Republic is labeled Isola
Spagnvola. The cacao beans
used to prepare all of SPAGn-
VOLAs creations are grown in
Crisoires homeland of the
Dominican Republic and then
shipped here where they are
made into chocolate in the
shops lower-level factory.
The Reids and their two busi-
ness partners, Justin Brooks
and Ed Garcia, first purchased
land in the Dominican Repub-
lic to grow tangerines and pas-
sion fruit, which they sold in-
country.
When they began farming ca-
cao, they initially sold it for
export through local coopera-
tives.
They soon realized they had a
good product, said Reid, and
sought a separate market for
their high quality beans. After
attempting to sell to large
chocolate companies and man-
ufacturers in New York, they
ultimately chose to focus on
making their own chocolate.
The Reids attended the Barry
Callebaut Chocolate Academy
in Chicago to become artistic
chocolatiers. Crisoire also
took several additional courses
while Eric worked on the busi-
ness development plan.
Manufacturing the chocolate in
the Dominican Republic and
selling the finished product
from there would have re-
quired the family to relocate
with their two daughters from
their home in the United
States. Deciding they were not
ready to do this, they chose to
grow the beans on their farm,
then make the chocolate in
Maryland.
Their AgroCriso farm estate
now encompasses about 350
acres and includes cacao sur-
rounded by fruit trees or-
anges, tangerines, plantains,
passion fruit, avocados and
more creating flavors Reid
said are picked up by the cacao
beans.
The cacao pods are harvested
by hand in the Dominican
Republic, cut with machetes,
and the beans inside are pulled
out and placed in fermentation
baskets for about a week. They
are then moved to dryers,
which look like large tents,
where they are rotated regularly
using a wooden rake so they
reach the right consistency.
This process usually lasts an-
other week, but can take longer
in the rainy season since hu-
midity impacts drying time.
Once dry, the beans are sorted
by size and bagged for ship-
ment to the Gaithersburg fac-
tory.
We own the entire process,
said Brooks. We have people
down there who can ensure the
quality of our product.
That is the SPAGnVOLA dif-
ference, said Reid.
The true flavor of chocolate is
developed at the fermentation
stage, said Reid. When peo-
ple buy beans, they often dont
know the quality. We control
that fermentation, which is
what gives you your flavor
profile.
Crisoire is the chocolatier, cre-
ating special blends and over-
seeing the production process
of all the companys chocolate.
The beans are roasted, then go
through winnowing, in which
they are cracked to separate the
inner nibs from the outer shell.
Page 12 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Chocolate Factory Now Open on Main Street
March 2, 2011
By Claire Fleischer
SPAGnVOLA owners Crisoire and Eric Reid
create single source chocolate in Market
The true flavor of
chocolate is
developed at the
fermentation
stage
Page 13 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Community was on our minds when we
designed our boutique, wonderful earth-tones
and cherry-wood, decorates the entire store.
A wonderful place to hold meetings, socialize
with friends, or enjoy reading a newspaper. We
also offer free WIFI.
Our boutique features Artisan Gelato, two
cases of Premium Chocolates, Mediterranean
desserts and an in-house Barista for your cus-
tom drinks.
The nibs are then ground, and the liquor that comes from the cocoa butter in the beans is put into
a machine called a malenguer, where Reid said it is refined to perfect consistency.
SPAGnVOLA uses only natural ingredients, adding organic cane sugar, vanilla bean, additional
cocoa butter (to make the chocolate silky and fruit, depending on the item.
The end result: mouth-watering, single source chocolate in many signature blends. In addition to
hand-dipped and molded confections, SPAGnVOLA sells chocolate bars that are 70, 75 and 80
percent cacao. The higher the cacao content, the less sugar is used to make the chocolate.
The higher the percentage, the more intense the chocolate flavor, said Reid. Some people really
like the high intensity.
To complement its chocolates, SPAGnVOLA also sells Palazzolo sorbet and gelato, from Chicago,
and has an in-house barista who can create any drink you want, he said, from premium coffee to
lattes and espressos to hot chocolate.
Free WiFi is available in the shop, which has a caf feel with tables and chairs in which to relax.
Reid and Brooks are thrilled with their Kentlands location. We wanted to integrate in an area
where others could share our love of chocolate, said Reid. A family shop needs to be in a community, not a shopping center.
The two say they want to tailor everything they do to the community, even the shops hours. This is a
very tight-knit community, said Brooks. We want people to feel proud that they have a chocolate fac-
tory in their neighborhood.
SPAGnVOLA is now open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, and from 10 a.m. to 10
p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The shop is normally closed on Mondays.
A grand opening celebration is planned for April 2, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a ribbon-cutting cere-
mony, special treats and giveaways, and tours of the chocolate factory.
(Continued from page 12)
We want people to
feel proud that they
have a chocolate
factory in their
neighborhood.
The only chocolate shop
that comes with its own
basement factory in the
Washington, DC metro-
politan area has come to
Kentlands.
SPAGnVOLA, which
refers to Hispaniola, the
name of the island on
which the Dominican Re-
public is located, opened
a month ago. The choco-
late shop will carry 65
varieties of truffles by the
time it has reached its full
potential. Its current se-
lection is nothing to sneer
at, to say the least! With
26 different truffle fla-
vors, chocolate bars and
boxed sets, this local
chocolaterie will be hav-
ing its official Grand
Opening on April 2,
2011.
Eric and Crisoire Reid,
the owners, met while
Eric was on a business
trip to The Dominican
Republic. They fell in
love, got married and de-
cided to go into farming.
Starting with a small tan-
gerine farm, they quickly
upgraded to a larger tropi-
cal fruit farm that also
had cocoa trees in Hato
Mayor del Rey. The cocoa
trees took soon prece-
dence, and the couple
starting selling cocoa
products in The Domini-
can Republic.
After a few unsuccessful
ventures to export cocoa
beans, the Reids decided
to move their business to
the United States, where
they could get better re-
turns for their high quali-
ty products.
"We looked for a com-
munity-based area for our
business," said Eric, who
is originally from Mont-
gomery County, Mary-
land. "Opening our facto-
ry and store in a strip mall
was not an option. We
wanted to demonstrate
our love for chocolate
and share it with a com-
munity that would appre-
ciate our beans as much
as we do."
With a fully equipped
basement factory,
SPAGnVOLA's staff
roast the beans on-site.
Saturday and Sunday
tours of the factory are
free and open to the pub-
lic weekly. The tours pro-
vide insight into the long,
multi-step process that
produces quality choco-
late.
"Making the chocolate
begins on the farm," ex-
plained Eric who knows
he can stand behind his
final product with confi-
dence because he over-
sees the entire growing
and manufacturing pro-
cess himself. "We have to
harvest, ferment and dry
the cocoa beans before
shipping them to
Gaithersburg twice a year.
Once they get here we
roast them, shell them,
and once we make the
chocolate from the cocoa
liquor, we let it age for
several weeks and prefer-
ably a month."
Reid gives a comprehen-
sive tour of the machin-
ery, going through each
step that yields the truffle
varieties in his chocolate
shop.
How does one become a
chocolatier? Eric and his
wife Crisoire attended a
Exquisite chocolate bon-
bons.
Page 14 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
SPAGnVOLA Boutique
Kentlands and The Chocolate Factory
SPAGnVOLA, a chocolate shop and factory in Kentlands will be hosting its grand opening on
April 2, 2011.
By Bora Mici | Email the author | March 11, 2011
chocolate academy in Chicago to perfect their product line. Nominating his wife head chocolatier, Eric focused on
setting up the business and ensuring quality control from harvesting to SPAGnVOLA.
"Crisoire took more courses than I did, while I developed the business," he said. "Our original plan was to target
3.5 million tourists in The Dominican Republic, but my background and our confidence in our product brought us
to the US in Kentlands, Gaithersburg."
Although the Reids and their staff, including Justina Funes, Josue Barahona, Eduardo Garcia, and Justin Brooks,
cut lots of chocolate corners to mold their truffles into delectable forms, they don't skimp on quality. They make
their own chocolate Ganache, with a variety of fresh fruit purees.
Having invested in a 5-ton air conditioning system and air purification system, the owners of SPAGnVOLA can
rest assured that their chocolate always stays fresh.
"Chocolate is very absorbent, and we want to make sure that it always smells like chocolate. We don't cut corners.
When you try this chocolate, it is so silky, it melts in your mouth," said Reid.
In addition to a state-of-the-art factory, SPAGnVOLA features a chocolate shop with cafe-style seating, Art Deco
signage with a Southwestern spin by Etch Glass, and white plastic business cards with a transparent film design
that you will want to keep by Teresa Hopkins.
SPAGnVOLA is open Tuesday - Thursday, 11 am - 9 pm; Friday - Saturday, 11 am - 11 pm; and Sunday 11 am - 7
pm.
The company's website is still under development.
For now, you can find it on Facebook.
(Continued from page 14)
Page 15 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Premium chocolates laid out for sampling dur-
ing factory tours.
SPAGnVOLA has over 15 varieties of
Truffles and Bonbons available all year round.
City of Gaithersburg proclaims April 2nd,
SPAGnVOLA Day
Eric Reid has overseen a variety of
businesses in his career mobile car
wash, computer services, pig farm.
Now he is in the midst of his sweet-
est enterprise, SPAGnVOLA Choco-
latier a chocolate factory and re-
tail shop that recently opened on
Main Street in Gaithersburg's Kent-
lands community. Although not as
large as Willy Wonka's facility, the
2,200-square-foot shop and factory
impress visitors.
"Chocolate is loved by everyone.
When people see the kind of care
and quality we put into making our
chocolate, and how we own the pro-
cess from the farm to the factory to
the shop, they are blown away," Reid
said.
Reid, 40, said he knows of no other
chocolate company in the Washing-
ton, D.C., region that owns the entire
process, from farm to factory to
shop.
"We have a truly unique operation,"
he said.
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier is one of
a small but growing group of busi-
nesses across the nation involved in
the bean-to-chocolate bar process,
said Mary Jo Stojak, executive direc-
tor of the Fine Chocolate Industry
Association.
Alan "Patric" McClure, founder of
Columbia, Mo., bean-to-bar compa-
ny Patric Chocolate, said it is rare for
a chocolate maker to own both a ca-
cao farm and the bean-to-bar busi-
ness. Owning more of the process
has the potential to allow a company
to obtain the best results, but the
quality of the end product also is re-
lated to the owner's skills.
"Chocolate is actually a very tricky
beast to tame," McClure said.
Laura Rowles, director of events and
marketing with the Gaithersburg-
Germantown Chamber of Com-
merce, said the April 2 ribbon-
cutting ceremony was well-attended
by local officials, customers and oth-
ers. The chocolate is delicious and
operation unique, she said. "Seeing
the whole enterprise downstairs with
the factory, it was like being in Willy
Wonka's," Rowles said.
Dominican Republic farm
SPAGnVOLA gets its name from
Hispaniola, the Caribbean island
home of the Dominican Repub-
lic and the home country of
Reid's wife and co-owner,
Crisoire.
The Reids met in the Dominican
Republic in the 1990s when Eric
was working in information tech-
nology. After they married, they
decided they wanted to build a
vacation home there and invest
in a farm.
"We started with a pig farm and
then cattle," Reid said. "But we
didn't really like tending to live
animals. So we started a tange-
rine orchard, and that branched
out into other fruit."
The Reids own AgroCriso Farm
in the Dominican Republic and
employ more than 20 workers
during harvest season. They have
about eight employees at the
Gaithersburg operation.
A few years ago, the Reids decid-
ed to produce their own choco-
late and enrolled in the Barry
Callebaut Chocolate Academy in
Chicago before opening the
shop.
"I knew it would be challenging,"
Reid said. "Banks were not will-
ing to lend money."
He received a $10,000 loan from
Superior Financial Group
through his Sam's Club member-
Page 16 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Business is sweet for Gaithersburg Chocolatier
Ownership of cacao farm, factory key to quality
by Kevin James Shay | Staff Writer
Page 17 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
ship, but most of the startup funds have come from his own resources. About
20 percent comes from investors, he said.
"We wanted to be in a community that appreciated what we are doing," Reid
said. "We believe we have found that here."
Crisoire is the head chocolatier, overseeing the creation of truffles and bon-
bons flavored with a variety of fruits and nuts such as raspberries, strawber-
ries and mangoes. "Without her, we aren't in business," Reid said.
Diverse roots
Reid was born in Panama but moved with his family to Maryland as a child.
His father was in the military, so he moved around the nation before settling
in Gaithersburg and later graduating from Wheaton High School. He attended Montgomery College for a few se-
mesters before getting the entrepreneurial bug. The mobile car wash business led to computer services when a cli-
ent had a computer in his car that needed to be fixed.
A typical day has Reid waking up at 4:30 a.m. to drive to Laurel for information technology work, then heading to
the chocolate shop by mid-afternoon. "I usually don't get to sleep before midnight," he said. The IT work is not
as gratifying lately as it used to be, while the chocolate enterprise gets him going, Reid said. "It's exciting to see cus-
tomers so happy about what we're doing."
Chocolate process
Cacao pods weighing almost 3 pounds are hand-harvested by workers using machetes. The cocoa beans are fer-
mented and dried an important part of the process that goes a long way toward determining their quality and
flavor. That can take a few weeks until they are bagged. The beans are shipped to Gaithersburg in 175-pound
bags. Beans are roasted for an hour at 300 degrees, then put into a machine to separate the husks from the inner
nibs that make the chocolate. It takes about four days to process the cocoa liquor into rich, silky chocolate, which
is aged for three to four weeks. Bonbons are poured into molds, while truffles are hand rolled. The finished prod-
uct can last up to three months, Reid said, but the store doesn't sell anything older than three weeks old.
"We want to sell only the best product," he said. The high level of cacao his company's bars include 70 per-
cent, 75 percent and 80 percent reduces the sugar content, making it a more healthful snack, Reid said. "The
purer it is, the more healthy it is for you," Reid said.
[email protected]
(Continued from page 16)
Crisoire and Eric Reed
Photos by Kathy McKee
Page 18 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
There is a manufacturer of exquisite chocolate in Maryland that
hovers a fine line between fantasy and reality. A place where pas-
sion, desire, and finely developed chocolate is waiting to be dis-
covered. I never in my life thought I would experience chocolate
that was so refined in taste that I had to pinch myself to ensure I
wasn't dreaming. SPAGnVOLA is a romantic Chocolatier full of
life that beckons your inner taste buds to run wild. When you
bite into one of their breathtaking bonbons or truffles you won't
be able to leave without a box to take home. I must caution,
each piece is so ravishing and full of brilliant colorful detail you
will hesitate to put it in your mouth.
When was the last time you walked into your local chocolate store and were encouraged to take a tour of the factory? As if
you're Charlie heading into Willy Wonka's Wonderland, SPAGnVOLA offers in depth tours of their Truffle Factory. Getting
an immersive look into how the glorious all natural chocolate is made will make you fall in love with the entire business. I
had the pleasure of taking a tour by one of the co-owners Eric Reid, and since then I have proceeded to encourage everyone
I know in Maryland to do so as well. I'm not sure there are enough words to describe the deeply rooted desire and pure love
Eric has for SPAGnVOLA Chocolate. His excitement and knowledge is electrifying and will have you wanting to sport
SPAGnVOLA apparel and buy one of every truffle and bonbon they make on the way out. Note, there are 65 delectable va-
raties of SPAGnVOLA truffles so make sure you pace yourself and schedule some gym time!
All of the cacao beans SPAGnVOLA uses to make their chocolates are cultivated, produced, and processed on farms they
own in the Dominican Republic. You're not just getting a chocolate fix when you consume SPAGnVOLA, you're getting a
one of a kind indulgence your taste buds will never let you forget. The artisan behind the chocolate is Head Chocolatier and
Co-Owner, Crisoire Reid. I'm seriously hoping she releases a SPAGnVOLA Cookbook, I will be the first one on line to pur-
chase it! Better yet, I would love to attend a truffle making class! I look for-
ward to having SPAGnVOLA chocolate in my life for years to come.
I can't emphasize this enough, on your next trip to the DMV area (DC, Mar-
yland, Virginia) take a drive to the Kentlands in Maryland. A close knit hap-
pening place where a sense of small town community charm exists alongside
hip restaurants and shops. Besides, after dinner you can grab some truffles,
artisan gelato, or some coffee from SPAGnVOLA. Or you know, you could
always liven things up and eat backwards!
Follow SPAGnVOLA on Facebook and Twitter. If you live in the DC Metro
area then be sure to stop by SPAGnVOLA's Grand Inauguration on April
2nd. With a ribbon cutting at 11:30 am, there's no better way to spend a Sat-
urday!
Opportunity LOL takes pride in promoting great businesses, so stay tuned for future SPAGnVOLA features.
Opportunity LOL Reviews: SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
in Gaithersburg, MD
Page 19 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Bites Nearby: SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
The soul of chocolate is unveiled at this unique Kentlands Chocolatier
By Maria Martin | Email the author | April 22, 2011
Heres hoping the Easter Bunny finds SPAGnVOLA, a new chocolatier
in the Kentlands, before the baskets get filled.
At SPAGnVOLA (pronounced spang-vola), the chocolate experience
pinnacles in the perfect blend of art, science, and well, religion. Even
SPAGnVOLAs business partner, Justin Brooks, owns up to the fact
that his cacao confections penetrate the soul.
SPAGnVOLA has assumed the auspicious mission of bringing its cus-
tomers the freshest, purest, most exquisite quality chocolate that simply
cannot be duplicated or found anywhere else. Owners Crisoire and Eric Reid have accomplished this by procuring
and cultivating farmland in the Dominican Republic, where the most fertile and optimum conditions exist for
growing cacao plants. The cacao beans are hand-harvested, fermented and dried, then shipped directly to the
Gaithersburg truffle factory. On site locally, the beans are submitted to numerous phases of processing from
roasting, winnowing, picking, grinding and finally the cocoa melangeur and tempering machine.
As you choose from SPAGnVOLA's tantalizing array of bonbons and truffles, you will know why chocolate was
referred to in ancient times as food of the gods.
Indulge yourself with a Champagne or Passion Fruit Bonbonexotic flavors molded into elegant exterior designs.
Perhaps you cannot pass on the White Peach, Mango or Lemcello Bonbons. Too beautiful to eat? The taste ex-
ceeds expectation.
Invigorate your taste buds by sampling a truffle filled with ganache or fruit puree, such as the Coconut or Pistachio
Truffle. Amaretto, Chipotle and Dominican Rum Raisin Truffles tempt from behind the glass.
If you like your chocolate straight from the bar, that is 70, 75 or 80 percent cacao, then select one of SPAGnVO-
LA s bars.your spirit will soar.
SPAGnVOLA caf also offers fresh gelato and sorbetto, and a variety of beverages latte, espresso, cappucchi-
no, mocha. Special weekend tours of the Truffle Factory are available.
With zero preservatives and the finest quality ingredients, SPAGnVOLAs consistent production of its premium
quality product is due, largely, to the companys unique ability to nurture the cacao bean from the ground direct to
its Gaithersburg storefront. Stop by for one of these earthly-good treats and youll taste a bit of heaven.
SPAGnVOLA chocolatier, at 360 Main St. in the Kentlands, is open Tue. - Thur. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11
a.m. - 11 p.m., and Sun. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Page 20 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Sweet Dreams
By Diane Bosser
When Eric Reid 92 and
his wife, Crisoire, began
farming their 300 acres in
the Dominican Republic,
their dream was to build a
business that would sus-
tain their families, both in
the United States and the
Dominican Republic.
Over several years, they
raised crops and live-
stockpapayas, tange-
rines, pigs, and cattle
and with each ag-venture,
they learned more about
large-scale farming and
international markets.
Farming is not easy,
says Reid, who manages
the business overseas
while working his day job
with an IT contractor in
Maryland. A truckload
of tangerines got us
around $350$400 at the
local market, which is a
lot of money in the
Dominican Republic, but
not enough to build the
business.
While investigating the
export markets, Reid was
approached by a local
land owner looking to sell
his property. Reid knew
the fertile mountaintop
parcel was ripe with po-
tential: the groves were
newly established and just
beginning to produce.
What interested him most
were the cacao trees.
We knew the cacao
beans would be a success-
ful commodity, says
Reid. Cacao is a com-
modity used around the
world; and it is newly in-
demand in developing
countries like China and
India, he says.
While the cacao, or co-
coa, beans grew and ma-
tured, Reid ran into an
unexpected roadblock in
the supply
chain: cooperatives. Es-
sentially, cooperatives are
highly structured financial
arrangements between
large international corpo-
rations and local growers;
they effectively block new
businesses from getting
into the game.
The only way for the
Reids to bring their cocoa
to market was to manu-
facture chocolate them-
selves.
In addition to building
the infrastructure for har-
vesting, processing, and
importing cocoa into the
United States, the Reids
attended culinary school
to learnand perfect
the art of making choco-
late.
In February, the Reids
opened SPAGnVOLA
Chocolatier, a factory and
retail shop in
Gaithersburg, Md. Visi-
tors can tour the factory
downstairs, where they
learn how cacao beans
become the irresistible
confections Crisoire cre-
ates upstairs: bonbons,
truffles, and bars.
Visit www.spagnvola.com to learn more
about SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier.
Photo caption of Eric and Crisoire Reid:
Husband and wife team, Eric and Crisoire Reid,
build their chocolate empire truffle by truffle.
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier's Choice - Bonbons and Truffles
Page 21 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Vendor Voices: SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
Every other week, Patch spotlights the vendors at your local farmers markets.
By Matt Cruz | Email the author
October 5, 2011
SPAGnVOLA is not your typical vendor at a farmers market, but Eric
and Crisore Reid's chocolate have become very popular at the Bethesda
Central Farm Market. They use cacao beans and organic sugar from Ha-
to Mayor Del Rey in the Dominican Republic to create their assortment
of bars, truffles and bonbons.
Patch stopped by to talk to the Reids about their chocolates and other
sweet treats they may be whipping up for market patrons in the future.
Page 22 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Hands off the Hershey
bar. Get away from the
Godiva. Leave the Lindt.
If you want real chocolate
in its simplest form, head
to Spagnvola Chocolatier
in Gaithersburg. At the
small boutique you can
indulge in premium bon-
bons and truffles, tour the
factory where the cacao
beans are processed, learn
about the chocolates' ori-
gins and visit the kitchen
where the delicacies are
made fresh by hand.
Husband-and-wife team
Eric and Crisoire Reid
and two business partners
opened the boutique in
February with the desire,
Eric says, to create and
sell "the purest of the
purest" chocolate. To ac-
complish this, the compa-
ny manages the entire
process from the farm to
the store. They specialize
in making 54 percent milk
chocolate, 62 percent
semisweet chocolate and
70 to 80 percent dark
chocolate bars.
Walking into the bou-
tique, the first thing you
notice is the warm atmos-
phere. The staff greets
you, the walls are painted
cozy autumn browns and
oranges, and rows of
chocolate treats beckon
from under glass coun-
ters. Regulars with read-
ing materials in hand
lounge at tables with cof-
fee and sweets; the shop
also sells gelato and pas-
tries.
Fifteen- to 20-minute
tours of the small factory
and kitchen are free and
given upon request on
weekends.
As the door to the factory
swings open, it's hard to
miss the aroma - a pun-
gent and slightly bitter
chocolatey scent that
makes your mouth water.
Business partner Justin
Brooks fills the tours with
educational and edible
tidbits. On a recent tour,
he explained that the ideal
climate for growing cacao
is 20 degrees above and
below the equator.
Spagnvola gets all its
beans from the Domini-
can Republic, the home-
land of Crisoire Reid. Her
sister runs the family's
350-acre farm on the
slope of a mountain,
where workers pluck ca-
cao pods, scoop the
beans out of the pulp,
ferment them with bana-
na leaves, and package
and ship the dry beans to
Baltimore. Everything
else happens within the
walls of Spagnvola.
In the first room, the ca-
cao dries in a modified
commercial chicken
roaster. A machine called
a winnower separates the
shells from the nibs, also known as the seed. Then the
nibs are ground with pure cane sugar for days until the
concoction runs smooth.
Of course, the highlight of any food tour are the tast-
ings, and Spagnvola doesn't disappoint.
Visitors get to nibble a nib, take a lick of the chocolate
as it is mixed with cane sugar and sample the final prod-
uct.
The second stop on the tour is Reid's haven, the immac-
ulate kitchen with bonbon molds stacked high, fridges
full of ganache and a large granite table where Reid and
her small staff work.
"It made me really appreciate fine quality chocolate,"
said Gaithersburg's Jin Wang, 28, after a recent tour. "I
don't
want to
eat Snickers
any- more."
Spagnvola produces delicious treats from farm to finish
By Amy Orndorff
Friday, Oct. 14, 2011
Crisoire Reid Head Chocolatier temper-
ing chocolate.
Page 23 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Spagnvola
Gaithersburg, MD
This MoCo chocolatier is creating a buzz with its delicious artisanal bonbons and
truffles, crafted from cacao beans processed in-house, right in the Kentlands. But
Spagnvola brings the same devotion to quality
and flavor to what it serves by the cup: hot co-
coas that feature the same 70 percent dark choco-
late used in its confections, and a stick of cinna-
mon for good measure.
Best hot cocoa
Lavanya Ramanathan | Updated 12/31/2011
When the temperatures drop, nothing can warm
you up again like a sip of creamy hot cocoa. But
you can forget about the Swiss Miss-and-
marshmallow concotion of your youth. In the
Washington area, cocoa comes spiked with
cinnamon or sprinkled with sea salt, stirred up
with creamy peanut butter or poured so thick and
dark, it's best sipped slowly from a demitasse. Go on, indulge.
Page 24 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
While others were indulging in traditional desserts last Thursday, at my table an Aegean pistachio chocolate tart and upside-down three-
chocolate brownie pie won the day. They were the creations I fashioned from goodies acquired at Zoes Chocolate, in Frederick and
Waynesboro, Pa., and Spagnvola Chocolatier in Gaithersburg.
Cacao beans obviously are not indigenous to this region they grow within 20 degrees north or south of the equator so chocolate
gets a pass where the strict definition of locally produced is concerned.
Sourced: Of chocolate makers and chocolatiers
By David Hagedorn, Published: November 29 2011
Difference between being a chocolate maker and a Chocolatier:
A word on the difference be-
tween being a chocolate maker
and a chocolatier. Bean-to-bar is
a popular term among the choc-
noscenti that refers to operations
that buy beans from a distributor,
farm or cooperative and turn
them into chocolate. A chocolati-
er works with chocolate.
The Tsoukatises are chocolatiers;
Eric and Crisoire Reid, the mar-
ried owners of Spagnvola Choco-
latier, are chocolatiers and choco-
late makers. More than simply
bean-to-bar producers, the cou-
ple, both in their early 40s, are
farm-to-bar producers. They cul-
tivate, harvest, ferment and dry
six to 10 tons of cacao beans an-
nually on their 350-acre farm in
the Dominican Republic, ship-
ping them to their Gaithersburg
shop and factory.
There, the Reids make chocolate.
They roast the beans, separate
the nibs from the husks and
grind the nibs into a pourable
mixture of cocoa solids and co-
coa butter. This chocolate liquor,
which resembles what we recog-
nize as melted chocolate, contin-
ues to be ground and refined for
at least eight hours, at which time
sugar, Tahitian vanilla and extra
cocoa butter are added. The
chocolate is then aged for 15 to
20 days to allow its full flavor to
develop.
Once Spagnvolas chocolate is
ready, Crisoire, the head choco-
latier, and her assistants use it to
make a line of bars ranging from
54 percent to 80 percent cacao.
They cover their ganache-based
flavored truffles and bonbons
with 70 percent cacao. Percent
cacao is the percent of cocoa sol-
ids (powder) plus the percent of
total cocoa butter, so equal per-
centages do not necessarily mean
equal amounts of cocoa.
The Reids chocolate is whats
known as single-origin, meaning
that it is fabricated with beans
from only one region: in this
case, their farm. Some chocolate
aficionados say thats a plus, ex-
haustively debating the virtues of
one regions beans over another;
others claim that blending for
optimal flavor is what distinguishes
great chocolatiers.
At Spagnvola, we oversee 100 per-
cent of the chocolate making process,
employ fair-trade practices start to
finish and make everything by hand,
says Eric. The name Spagnvola
(pronounced span-vola), he explains,
derives from a 16th-century Spanish
word for Hispaniola, the island occu-
pied by Haiti and the Dominican Re-
public.
As eager as the Reids are, they are new
to the chocolate game. Eric is an in-
formation technology data security
engineer whose income feeds his am-
bitious entrepreneurial spirit.
When he married his Dominican-born
wife in 1997, the plan was to invest in
the Dominican Republic and eventu-
ally retire there. They bought a farm
and backed ill-fated ventures such as
farming pigs, raising cattle and grow-
ing fruit before turning to cacao as a
cash crop.
They had intended to sell the beans to
manufacturers, but they hit a snag.
Large chocolate companies had pre-
Page 25 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Sourced: Of chocolate makers
and chocolatiers
set deals already, and small ones only needed one
or two [155-pound] bags at a time. We had a pre-
mium commodity that no one wanted, Reid says.
So in 2007, they set out to make chocolate them-
selves. They consulted experts, did research
online, experimented in their Montgomery Village
home and attended classes at the Barry Callebaut
Chocolate Academy in Chicago. Crisoire wanted
to sell her bonbons and truffles, so they bought
equipment and set up shop in Kentlands, opening
last spring.
Their boutique and production room are sumptuously outfitted, and their chocolate bars are, in my decidedly lay-
mans opinion, well crafted. They have a nice snap, a smooth texture and no hint of graininess or waxiness. If I
have a quibble about them, it is that they play one note, whereas the Zoes bars possess a symphonic complexity.
Thats not necessarily a shortcoming. Spagnvolas 80 percent bar and 54 percent milk chocolate bar (made by add-
ing nonfat powdered milk and organic Dominican cane sugar to the companys 70 percent blend) inspired me to
create the brownie pie. The 80percents coffee notes enhanced the filling, while the milk chocolates chestnut col-
or and molasses flavor note conspired to form a luxurious ganache coating.
Alas, Spagnvolas bonbons and truffles, many with visible air bubbles and
uninspired flavors (an olive oil-rosemary experiment I sampled signals
hope), reveal the missing vital ingredient: experience. I did enjoy the Reids
blueberry bonbons and used them to add oomph to blueberry scones I
adapted from a Marion Cunningham recipe.
Zoes Chocolates are exceptional in every way: look, mouth-feel, flavor. I
melted down a Harvest Bar (with caramelized sunflower, pumpkin seeds,
sea salt), then coated toffee popcorn with it. For a decadent, elegant choc-
olate tart filling, I stirred 32 dark chocolate and pistachio bonbons into hot
cream, melting them only halfway so silken white chunks were visible in
each slice.
At my table, nobody missed the holidays pumpkin pie.
(Continued from page 24)
Our customers favorites are Honey and Banana Car-
amel Truffles.
Page 26 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Our Customers 2011 - 2012
Bob L. (Rockville, MD) 5-Starts 8/9/2012
We learned about this shop from their stands at the Rockville and Bethesda farm markets. They provide free tours of their chocolate
factory in Gaithersburg (Kentlands, near the Whole Foods). Seehttp://spagnvola.com/en/. Our kids were intrigued; so we called and
and went up for the tour. It was excellent. We and the kids had a great time. It was lead by the owner. He truly loves his work and tells
a very interesting story about how he and his wife got involved in the chocolate business, how they grow there own pods, how they are
processed, and how the chocolates and truffles are made. The smells were intoxicating down in the factory rooms. And the samples
were heavenly.
The one downside is that I am now addicted to their chocolate nibs. They have no sugar, are full of antioxidants and are great for throw-
ing into my yogurt, etc.
Christina F. (Potomac, MD) 5-Stars 11/10/2011
My sister, my daughters and I went in on a Saturday and took their tour. I was in love with their chocolate before
but I came away even more impressed. You really understand their commitment to quality afterwards. We tasted
several of the bonbons and truffles and they were all fantastic! I especially liked the honey, the rosemary/olive oil
and the cappuccino flavors. I would recommend this shop and its chocolate to anyone.
Annie A. (Rockville, MD) 5-Stars 6/13/2011
So as my husband and I are taking a beautiful weekend stroll we hit somekind of a chcoclate shop, I am lost so I fail to see where we
enter to cool off the summer heat. I request for a mango sorbet ad the guy asks me if I ve also tried their chocolates and I say a confi-
dent 'yeah' . My husband asks me "When? We are here for the first time!" My confident reply is "Oh Honey, I dont about you but I ve
had Godiva soooo many times before!"
That was it ... I mentioned a taboo word and even before I know I am shaking hands with Jim and being transported to a private
chocolate factory down in the basement. Where I am being educated on everything from Cocoa beans to the Chocolates. I get to taste
some and its 100% organic pure chocolate straight out of one of those blenders. I am amazed and surprised as I learn more and more
about chocolates and as I walk out I am thinking SpagnVola and not Godiva :).
Manfred W. Smith / June 1, 2012
After having tasted SPAGnVOLA chocolate, I tried other leading brands and have decided
that once you've tasted the best, forget the rest!
I would like to go further about SPAGnVOLA chocolate and say that I plan to
ONLY purchase their products because their chocolate is far superior to the rest. Yes, their
chocolate is more expensive initially, but when one considers the extraordinary smoothness,
aroma, and flavor of their product, buying inferior chocolate is a waste of money, making
inferior chocolate much more expensive in comparison. CONSUME ONLY THE BEST,
IGNORE THE REST!
Nancy De Luca Stempel / April 20, 2012
Crisoire, Eric and the whole SpagnVola family are just as amazing as their
chocolates!
Renee Ruggles / September 7, 2012
My favorite is the Limoncello Bonbon. The flavor is an amazing blend of that lemon
liqueur and your wonderful dark chocolate. It also reminds me of my Italian heritage
and the movie "Under the Tuscan Sun"
Mary Ellen Stone / February 2012
If you're anywhere near Gaithersburg, MD, you must try this
wonderful Chocolatier. From handmade truffles to smooth,
creamy gelato, this is the place for chocolate in the greater DC
area.
Maria Celina Andrieu McElhenny / February 2012
Amazing place and unreal chocolate. If you love fine choco...this is a
MUST!
Stew and Elisa October 10, 2011
Excellent place! My husband & I were at Oktoberfect in Gaithersburg-Kentlands today
and met the owners..then went over to their location and loooooved it! Exquisite
products, beautiful warm decor...courteous and professional staff...and the owners are
great! I'm very proud of my fellow Dominicans (Eric&Crisoire Reid)..and we wish them
much success in their business. Regards, Stew & Elisa,~
Page 27 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Annie Yu - Holiday Chocolates
Updated: Monday, 19 Dec 2011, 11:49 AM EST
Published : Monday, 19 Dec 2011, 9:53 AM EST
WASHINGTON - The holiday season is a time for treats, so we
sent FOX 5s Annie Yu to Spagnvola Chocolatier in
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Handmade Treats
By Yolanda Vasquez
A local chocolatier is giving popular-brand chocolates a run for
their money with his island-grown cocoa beans and mouth-
watering, gourmet goodies. Yolanda Vazquez shows us how his
handmade treats are turning into a "sweet" success story in this
week's "Made in Maryland."
Watch Video:
Page 28 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Calling All Chocoholics: Go Ahead and Indulge in the
Organic Joy of SPAGnVOLA
By Molly Golubcow | Photography by PhWFabrizio
January / February 2012
In the past, you would have had to fly to Paris to sam-
ple such to-die-for chocolates. Think truffles filled
with ganache so smooth they send your palate into
orbit, or mouthwatering bonbons as delicious as they
are beautiful. So if not Paris, where can you go to get
your hands on such delectable morsels?
The answer to your chocolate dreams is the SPAGn-
VOLA Chocolate Boutique in Gaithersburg. Yes, its
true. Chocolate ecstasy now exists right on Main Street
in the heart of the Kentlands!
As soon as you enter the
shop, you are welcomed by
the soft scent of chocolate.
Stylish glass cabinets display
the precious, mouthwatering
jewels like so many museum
pieces. They come in all man-
ner of shapes and shades of
chocolate. Some are round
and delicately laced with col-
or. Others are shiny and pyr-
amid-shaped. All are made by
hand as a labor of love, using only fine and organic
ingredients.
This concept of creating fine chocolate is the brain-
child of Eric and Crisoire Reid, SPAGnVOLA propri-
etors and chocolate mavens. Although the chocolate
boutique has been open only since February 2011, the
Reids have been busy for yearsstudying at the Barry
Callebaut Chocolate Academy, experimenting with
exotic ingredients like passion fruit pulp, and perfect-
ing what they call a unique and exquisite chocolate.
To ensure that every step of their chocolate making is
perfect, the Reids believe in quality as opposed to bulk
production. For example, SPAGnVOLA only uses
cocoa beans grown and cultivated from their own
farm in Crisoires homeland of the Dominican Repub-
lic. Once the beans arrive in the U.S., the Reids and
their carefully selected staff painstakingly process them
into the chocolate silk that they then transform into
bonbons, bars and truffles.
Eric is proud of SPAGnVOLA. By slowly and care-
fully overseeing the process with our own eyes and
hands, he says, we strive to control the aroma and
taste of our chocolate from the soil on our farm to the
final product that we label as
SPAGnVOLA Chocolates.
Crisoire, the head chocolatier, is
the creative genius behind each
delectable morsel. She uses only
the highest quality and organic in-
gredients to create her masterpiec-
es. One of her personal favorites is
the popular BlackBerry Truffle.
But Crisoire is also an adventurer
who enjoys experimenting with
bold and unusual ingredients like
adding olive oil infused with rosemary or jasmine to
her chocolate.
In addition to a shop filled with chocolates, gelato like
you can only get in Rome, and baristas ready to make
your favorite coffee or chocolate beverage, SPAGn-
VOLA offers tours of their Truffle Factory located
downstairs from the boutique. The 20-minute tour is
yummy as well as educational. You learn about cocoa
plants, the processing steps needed to perfect the
beans and the exact temperatures needed to chill choc-
olates setting in molds. If the scent of the chocolate is
not enough for you, the tour concludes with samples
of just-made chocolates so fresh that they melt, slowly
and sensually, in your mouth. The tours are free and
are given only on the weekends.
Page 29 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
All sorts of special equipment are being delivered to the factory, including roasters, grinders, and a granite table. A
special air conditioning unit and humidifier will maintain a constant temperature of sixty-five degrees that is neces-
sary for the production of the chocolate. We will have the capacity to make 5,000 truffles and 500 bars of choco-
late a week, said Eric.
Business partner Justin Brooks said, Our choice to open Spagnvola in the Kentlands was not a difficult one. We
enjoy working in the atmosphere and look forward to meeting the entire community. As we continue to build-out
and prepare for opening day, everyone has been incredibly excited and supportive. Future plans include factory
tours, chocolate tasting events, special events and custom orders. We hope that this will be a life-long business.
We are here in Kentlands for as long as youll have us! said Eric.
(Continued from page 11)
Educating our customer is extremely important
to us, from agriculture to finished product.
During our factory tours, guests are offered
tastings of our chocolates.
We offer free factory tours as a way to educate
our customers about the origin of cacao.
SPAGnVOLA also offers chocolate making classes twice a week. Crisoire, the master herself, instructs up to 15
people per class in the art of making her special ganache and truffles. The best part? Participants get to take home
the gems that they create.
After tasting SPAGnVOLAs creations, youll never again want to eat that stuff masquerading as chocolate at your
grocery checkout counterand you can skip the trip to Paris, too. Treat yourself to ultimate chocolate bliss,
SPAGnVOLA-style right here in Gaithersburg.
(Continued from page 28)
Page 30 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
30 de marzo de 2012
Endulzan el area con sus chocolates
El panameno Eric Reid y su esposa Crisoire,
dominicana, fabrican dulces en Gaithersburg
Por Ana C ubfas
El Tiempo Latino
Cuando Eric Reed, originario de Panam, conoci a su esposa Cri-
soire en Republica Dominicana, en seguida se enamoro de ella
porque compartan la misma pasin: el amor por la agricultura.
Antes de conocernos ninguno de los dos quera matrimonio. A
las tres semanas nos casamos", dijo riendo Crisoire Reid, de 40
anos, a El Tiempo Latino el lunes 26. Das despus en 1997, emi-
graron a Gaithersburg, Maryland en donde emprendieron una dul-
ce pero difcil aventura, abrir una tienda de chocolates finos.
Los comienzos de la chocolatera Spagnvola que significa La Espa-
ola en latin ubicada en el coraz6n de Gaithersburg, se remontan a
Republica Dominicana, cuando los Reed decidieron comprar una
finca en donde al principia tenan ganado, cerdos y chivos.
Eric y su esposa decidieron vender los animales e invertir en una
finca de 470 acres que nombraron AgroCriso que tenia muchas
frutas exticas y entre ellas el cacao.
La idea original era hacer barras de chocolate en Dominicana y
venderlas en los aeropuertos, pero en el ano 2008, los Reid hicie-
ron su propia investigacion y
descubrieron que el mercado del chocolate negro estaba creciendo rpidamente en los Estados Unidos.
En ese momento pensamos que triunfamos la materia prima el cacao y el reto para mi era hacer nuestro propio
chocolate negro orgnico y de primera calidad", expreso Eric, de 41 anos.
Fue all que compraron la maquinaria para hacer el chocolate y comenzaron a estudiar como sembrar y procesar el
cacao.
En 2010, Crisoire y Eric sacaron su certificado de chocolatero profesional en la academia Barry Callebaut en
Chicago.
Un da me met a la cocina de mi casa y experimente con varios ingredientes y cuando prob el producto final le
EMPRENDEDORES. Crisoire y su esposo Eric Reed
hacen chocolate en su tienda Spagnvola en
Ga ithe rsbu rg e I 27.
Page 31 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
dije a mi esposo 'ya tenemos la formula perfecta para
nuestro chocolate'", conto Crisoire con una sonrisa de satisfaccin. En un lapso de nueve meses los esposos Reid
fabricaron sus propias recetas, productos, empaques y un plan de trabajo para tener una tienda con su propia fabri-
ca de produccin en el mismo local.
El 11 de febrero de 2011 Spagnvola abri las puertas al publico ofreciendo trufles y bombones de coco, caramelo,
arandano, maracuya, fresa y hasta de chipotle. Adems han incorporado chocolates calientes con sirope de lavanda
que ellos mismos fabrican en el stano de la tienda ubicada en el 360 de la Main Street en Gaithersburg.
Todo lo hacemos con ingredientes frescos diariamente y tenemos todo el cuidado para que cada chocolate tenga la
mejor calidad con los ingredientes en su punto exacto", afirmo Eric. Nosotros tenamos que demostrarle a la gen-
te por que nuestro producto era fino y adems justificar por que nuestras barras de chocolate valen $8", agrego.
Por eso los Reid han implementado tours gratuitos en donde explican desde el proceso de cultivacin, maduracin
y conservacin del cacao, hasta demostraciones y clases de como se hacen sus bombones y trufles. El periodo des-
de que la semilla del cacao llega de Republica Dominicana a Spagnvola hasta que se convierte en un suculento cho-
colate, puede tardar varias semanas.
Cuando la gente ve el proceso y prueban nuestro producto se dan cuenta del por que vale la pena y por que es de
primera calidad", afirmo Eric. Hay clientes que vienen casi todos los das a la semana a comprar religiosamente sus
bombones", aadi. Desde que abrieron Spagnvola, la finca ha producido unas 8 toneladas de cacao y unas 15 mil
personas la han visitado. Nuestra siguiente meta es abrir otra tienda en DC o VA para seguir endulzando la vida
del rea", concluyo Eric.
1150 15th Street, NW-Washington, DC 20071
Tel: 202.334.9100 FAX: 202.496.3599.
(Continued from page 30)
Page 32 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Cocoa Rebels
How SPAGNVOLA REINTERPRETS CHOCOLATE
Story by Nevin Martell | Photography by Lisa Helfert
Of course I love chocolates,
says SPAGnVOLAs co-owner and head
chocolatier, Crisoire Reid, as she brings some
heavy cream to a boil.
Doesnt everybody?
She has just begun making a batch of her sig-
nature rosemary-olive-oil truffles in the kitch-
en downstairs from the booming bonbon
boutique that she and her husband, co-owner
Eric Reid, opened last year in Gaithersburg.
Racks of finished treats line one side of
SPAGnVOLA (pronounced spang-vola),
cacao-pod outlines are painted on the floor,
and the rich scent of chocolate fills the air.
Over the course of an average week, this
hardworking Montgomery County confec-
tioner might make 6,000-7,000 truffles,
though she cranked out almost 60,000 last
December in order to keep up with holiday
demand.
Adding a sprig of fresh rosemary to the bub-
bling pot, Crisoire begins stirring slowly to
help the flavor evenly infuse the cream.
One day, I was at the grocery store and I
smelled the rosemary, she explains. I imme-
diately thought, Oh, my god, maybe I can
work this flavor into a chocolate, though you
dont expect to find that flavor in something
sweet.
A few minutes later, she strains out the herb
and adds in a mound of hand-shaved choco-
late, which turns the mixture a lustrous ma-
hogany.
The process for making this chocolate began
thousands of miles away. The cacao was raised on the Reids
3,200-acre mountain farm in the Hato Mayor region of the Do-
minican Republic.
The couple now divides their time between this sprawling ven-
ture and their home in Gaithersburg. Crisoire is a native of the
Caribbean isle, and she met Eric when he was there on vacation
in 1995. Their courtship was lightning fast; they were married less
than a month later.
It turned out that they had a mutual love of the farming life. Ulti-
mately, they bought the plantation that they still own today,
which was already under cultivation. After trying their hand at
everything fro passion fruit to papaya, they realized their best bet
was to concentrate on the cacao tree that occupied a small corner
of their property.
The first plan was to simply sell the crop to a global chocolate
company, but that proved to be more difficult than expected. So
they shipped a few bags of cacao beans back to the States and
Page 33 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
began experimenting with them in their basement. Eric was an IT specialist with no culinary background, but
Crisoire had worked as baker back in her home country. She specialized in rum cakes and meringue-topped Do-
minican cakes, but she had never explored chocolate. So, after self-educating themselves about chocolate-making
as much as they could, the enterprising duo enrolled at the Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Chicago to fine-
tune their technique.
Now they import beans from their farm, which is still run by Crisoire 's extended family, once the cacao is state-
side, they transform it into five different chocolate: 70-, 75-, 80-percent dark; a 62-percent semisweet; and a 54-
percent milk. SPAGnVOLA sells bars and handmade chocolates from this
tasty quintet, including the rosemary truffles the Chocolatier is whipping up now. She finishes her preparations by
adding a final dash of rosemary olive oil, then pours the chocolate into a bowl and refrigerates it. Four house later,
patting her gloves in a mound of unsweetened cocoa, powder, Crisoire
takes a spoonful of the cool chocolate and rolls it between her palms
until its a perfect ball. Placing it on the tray, she inspects her work.
Thats just lovely, she says before reaching for the spoon and starting
all over again.
(Continued from page 32)
Chocolate Making 101
Published by MarylandLife
Watch Video
Crisoire and Eric Reid on their farm Hacienda de SPAGnVOLA, Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic.
Photographed by Anfon Ha
Page 34 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
BizSmarts
Chocolate factory: The golden ticket?
Married couple cook up business plan around cocoa beans, tapping its farm to make chocolate bars
Premium content from Washington Business Journal by Ben Fischer, Staff Reporter
Date: Friday, August 3,, 2012, 6:00am EDTLast Modified: Thursday, August 2, 2012, 2:01pm EDT
Eric and Crisoire Reid didnt start out with a
plan to sell ultra-gourmet chocolates in exur-
ban Maryland. They just wanted to turn a
profit off their farm in the Dominican Re-
public.
They had tried raising pigs, but that didnt
work. Nor did cows, sheep or goats. And the
couple didnt generate anywhere near the
revenue they needed when they sold trucks
full of the tangerines, avocados and oranges
already planted on the 448-acre mountain-
side farm when they bought it for $375,000
in 2007.
The first shipment of tangerines a sum-
mers worth yielded less than $500 at a
local market. A devastated Eric Reid, who
also runs an information technology compa-
ny, reconsidered the situation from a techies
perspective. And his analysis of the farms
system? It was flawed, big time, Reid says.
But in IT, when something breaks, you
learn to fix it. You fix it very quickly, says
Reid, describing his work flow as break, fix,
break, fix, upgrade.
So my strategy was, here in the Dominican
Republic, this is the value [of the produce],
but in the international world, it has a differ-
ent value, he says, so how do I get my
product to the international community?
The answer is a long story, fraught with cost-
ly trial and error, but today there are cocoa
beans on the farm
and in SPAGnVOLA, a
2,200-square-foot
Gaithersburg factory
and boutique that sells
chocolate bars for $8
and tiny truffles for $2.
To make the figures
work, the Reids had to
bring the farms cocoa beans to the U.S., learn to make choco-
late and chase a luxury market.
SPAGnVOLA isnt yet profitable, but the sales figures are
climbing, and in February, Eric Reid stepped away from his IT
company, Reids and Associates, to focus on the chocolate busi-
ness full time. After booking $215,000 in sales during its 10
months of business in 2011, the store has pulled in $154,000 in
sales halfway through 2012.
The Reids have taken the traditional business model of choco-
late that of a virtually fungible, worldwide commodity sold in
bulk by farmer cooperatives to manufacturers to be blended in-
to various products and turned it into a small-scale, vertically
integrated operation that sells luxury and prestige alongside the
chocolate.
SPAGnVOLA started as a passion for farming, which the mar-
ried couple had shared even before Panama-born Eric and Do-
minican-born Crisoire bought a small plot from her family,
which led to the acquisition of a larger piece of farmland.
Eric Reid estimates he and his business partners, Justin
Brooks and Eduardo Garcia, spent $1.1 million on the large
farm purchase, experimentation, research and building up the
retail business. And it happened with little outside investment. A
Ben Fischer
Staff Reporter Washington
Business Journal
Email | Twitter | LinkedIn
Photo by Joanne S. Lawton
Eric and Crisoire Reid turn cocoa from their farm in the
Dominican Republic into chocolate truffles at their factory
in Gaithersburg,
Page 35 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
meager $10,000 loan backed by the Small
Business Administration, obtained
through Sams Club, was the closest the
farm got to commercial bank support.
Even after they finally realized cocoa could be the
ticket, it took years to get to the retail shops open-
ing day. First, they called large-scale buyers to take
their cocoa, but their Dominican farm is too small to
matter much to the Hersheys and Mars of the world.
They decided to make the chocolate themselves, ini-
tially planning to manufacture it near the farm. But
the cost was untenable, so they chose to ship the
processed beans to the United States and make the
chocolate there.
Crisoire went to a school in Chicago to learn how to
be a chocolatier, and Eric dug
into a research project, testing
nearly 250 premium chocolate
bars to figure out how his could
stand out.
Meanwhile, the clock was ticking.
The Reids were willing to play
for the long haul with their land,
considering it a generational fam-
ily investment. But for years it
mostly generated expenses, not
revenue. And Eric Reids only
reliable source of outside revenue
a subcontract his technology company had
with CACI International Inc. on a project for
theOffice of the Comptroller of the Currency
was set to expire in the coming fall with no guaran-
teed follow-up.
By early 2011, their efforts paid off. When the store
opened, the Reids knew two things: The chocolate
was good- really good. And they could market
the concept of vertical integration, thanks to the
emerging farm to table and sustainable food
movements.
Nevertheless, the Reids had to persuade people to
spend $8 for a chocolate bar, causing Eric to since
turn his attention to serious marketing and business
development. Every bit of the store is devoted to
(Continued from page 34)
emphasizing the premium nature of the product
expensive gelato, free factory tours, free tastings and
farmers market appearances.
On the surface, its all about quality and exquisite-
ness, he says. From the farm perspective, all the
way through the boutique perspective, everything
has to resonate quality and premium. We do that
very well, in every aspect of what we do here.
SPAGnVOLAs success relies on customers viewing
chocolate as they do wine, willing to pay a premium
for single estate chocolate in a world of blended,
mass-produced Hershey bars. The next chocolate to
be developed isnt just from the single
farm, but from a single varietal of co-
coa trees.
In the end, Reid isnt the entrepreneur
with the perfectly thought-out, fine-
tuned plan executed to perfection. He
works from a different mindset, one
that dove into a big decision and then
almost reverse-engineered a business
model to make it work. But 18 months
in, he is optimistic and has put his
products quality on the line.
When you embark on a journey, Reid says, you
put your heart and your soul into it, and youre do-
ing everything for the right reasons, and youre
learning about the industry, and youre making mod-
ifications to ensure the quality of product, the end
result is a foregone conclusion.
Photo by Joanne S. Lawton
Eric and Crisoire Reid turn cocoa from their farm in the
Dominican Republic into chocolate truffles at their factory
in Gaithersburg,
Page 36 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Among the tradi-
tional fruit and
vegetable vendors
at the Bethesda
Central market, one stand stood out,SPAGnVOLA
Chocolate. After one sample, I was on my way to
Gaithursburg for a taste of real chocolate.
Few chocolatiers can claim they grown their own ca-
cao. But SPAGnVOLA can. No big money or world
distribution, just a farm in the Dominican Republic,
which directly sources to their Gaithersburg, Truffle
Factory via the Baltimore Harbor.
For the owners, Eric and Crisoire Reid, the journey
began with AgroCriso organic farm, just a few miles
outside of Crisoires hometown. With two large
mountains, the operation organically produces cacao,
as well as tangerines, avocado, mangos and papayas.
Like the Big Tobacco companies that once dominated
the world tobacco industry, today, Big Chocolate
corporations dominate world chocolate sales. Her-
shey, Nestle, Mars and Craft (after buying Cadbury)
are recognizable as the largest distributors of choco-
late, processing a huge percent of the worlds choco-
late.
The average consumer chocolate bar is only 10% actu-
al cacao. In order to cut costs, companies often use
vegetable fats and sugars to make up the majority of
the bar. In the European Union, labels must now dis-
close whether chocolate contains vegetable fats other
than cacao butter. Even commercial dark chocolates
only reach about 25% cacao. According to my fac-
tory tour guide, chocolate, for the most part, is treat-
ed as a commodity.
SPAGnVOLA makes single-estate chocolate. That
means one farm, one factory, and one product. For
SPAGnVOLA, that translates into maximizing vol-
ume and quality. Larger producers of chocolate bars
usually buy cacao from many different farms. Cacao
from all over the Southern Hemisphere can be
found in the chocolate coating of one single Kit
Kat bar.
Where as, when eating a single-estate chocolate
product, the origin of the chocolate can be traced
back to one farm.
My tour guide at the factory likened single-estate
chocolate to the concept of a winery. Just as in
wine, cacao beans reflect their surroundings in taste.
Though the Dominican climate suits chocolates
growth, the small country produces less than one
percent of the world cacao. Cacao only grows in the
southern hemisphere, now mostly in Cote dIvoire,
Indonesia, and Ghana. However, the most sought
after cacao bean, Criollo, originates in Central Amer-
ica.
At the Truffle Factory, the quality of the product
remains the most important objective. I joined 11
others for a chocolate making class, where we wit-
nessed the dedication of the chocolatiers. In order
to temper the chocolate (or bring the temperature
SPAGNVOLA chocolate: from seed to truffle
eating with a
soup spoon
A thoughtful approach to understanding
food
The roasted and un-roasted bean.
Page 37 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
When Crisoire works with her chocolate, she can tell
the temperature before using a thermometer. She
knows her chocolate, from seed to store.
For consumers like me, who know little about their
favorite chocolate check-out line purchase, SPAGn-
VOLA provides a wealth of knowledge about the
current global manufacturing of chocolate. The fac-
tory tour provides as much information about agri-
culture as the chocolate truffles.
SPAGnVOLAs vision for organic chocolate, closest
to its purest form, reminds visitors that every food
has an origin, worth knowing more about.
Always hungry,
Lauren
Real Time Farms Food Warrior DC 12
from 117 degrees to 84, and then heat it back to 89),
Crisoire pours her chocolate onto the granite coun-
ter top.
We all gasped as the liquid chocolate approached the
counters edges, but it stopped within inches of the
border.
With two metal spatulas, Crisoire worked the choco-
late down in temperature. Then she gracefully
pushed the chocolate off the edge of the counter
into a bowl. She then heated the chocolate with a
heat gun, giving the chocolate a glossy-like glow.
In larger scale operations, machines temper the
chocolate.
(Continued from page 36)
Page 38 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
By Greg B. A few weeks ago, I was approached with a great opportunity: To
tour a chocolate factory. I mean, who wouldnt love this?! Besides, I had just
watched a How Its Made show on chocolate, so I felt like I had a lot to bring
to the table in terms of discussion. Well, unfortunately, life has gotten in the
way, and I have yet to find the time to make it to the factory to check it all out.
That being said, I was able to contact the fine folks out
atSPAGnVOLA Chocolatier for a quick interview. Hopefully Ill make it out
there soon, but in the meantime, please allow me to introduce you to one of
SPAGnVOLA: A Farm to Table Chocolatier in our
own Backyard
ENTERTAINMENT, HEADLINE BY GREG ON APRIL 12, 2012 08:01
F&WB: Hi, and welcome to the Food and Wine Blog! Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions today,
were so glad we could speak with you. Tell us about yourself, how did you get into the chocolate business?
SPAGnVOLA: Everything is a long answer! (and believe it or not, this is a short version!) About 8 years ago,
Eric Reid, Ed Garcia and I started an IT business in D.C. We all built a good personal relationship along with busi-
ness. Eric and his wife Crisoire (whom he met in the Dominican Republic in the 1990s) had started building a
home down in the Dom Rep. and invited us to visit. Upon our arrival we learned of some small estate ventures
Eric and Crisoire had embarked on, and upon that visit he had presented us with an opportunity that we (as a
group) could purchase some fantastic land in San Pedro de Macoris, that was producing some beautiful tangerines
as well as early stages of passion fruit. More from excitement at a cultural expansion opportunity as well as a good
reason to visit the Dom. Rep. J , we purchased the land. Crisoires immediate family still lived in San Pedro, so we
knew we had a great family connection to maintain, cultivate and prosper the area, while we were back in the
states. Not soon after we were given the opportunity to purchase an incredibly large estate in Hato Mayor. Well
over 250+ acreage of the most beautiful organic luscious exotic land. Tangerine trees so plentiful, that they began
to split in the middle from all the weight of the tangerines. Now, a majority of this land was still uncultivated.
More with a desire to expand operations, and a love for the area, we made the purchase! (*At this point it sank
in.this is a huge endeavor!) Not soon afterwards we came across some Cacao Trees growing on the land. Beauti-
ful Pods of Yellow, Green and Red. At first when discovering Cacao, recognizing this is the source of chocolate,
understanding the fruit sides of things, makes you investigate further. How does this fruitful gorgeous Pod turn
into chocolate? Well, what we found out about the industry and the difficulty in cultivating high quality cacao trees,
we knew this was just the place for it. Proper Elevation, Cultivation Capabilities, Harvest Control, Fermentation
steps..everything the typical Mass produced Cacao process is missing.isolation and controlled integration.
Recognizing the growing need for high cacao content, high quality chocolate, we determined our original goal was
to supply the would-be premium chocolate manufacturers with these superior beans. We quickly learned that
these premium manufacturers, were not looking to purchase such beans, and were content with their commodity
level beans following by custom recipes of finding ways to make the taste better. Unsatisfied there, we began a
Page 39 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
path of deciding to make our very own chocolate. With custom made equipment and testing and tuning, we were
right. The quality of our bean process on the farm turned into the most exquisite tasting chocolate we ever experi-
enced, after comparisons and tastes tests of chocolates from around the world. This led us to open up the United
States first true from Farm to Table, vertically integrated chocolate factory, right here in Maryland. With over
25,000 visitors to our factory in the first year, we have removed the stigma of Dark Chocolate is Bitter Young
kids dont like Dark Chocolate by creating the freshest and purest possible products with no preservatives right
from our farm.
F&WB: How often do you visit the Estate in the Dominican Republic? Whats it like down there? Where do all
the avocado and other fruit sales go (probably not into chocolate, I assume!)
SPAGnVOLA: Crisoire and Eric are
actually down there right now! Obviously
with the factory and boutique opening up
last year, visits arent as often as we wish,
but for the first 5 years, perfecting the
process and farm, and with her family
dedicated to the success, (we are all a
team!) we are in constant communication
and travel as necessary. As for the other
fruit, majority goes to local market, to sell
to continue to cultivate the land. In the
future, we will look towards a puree sys-
tem to get those products here as
well..but in due time!
F&WB: How much cacao do you ship
up to Maryland a year? Is it all destined
for further processing in Gaithersburg, or
do you sell cacao beans as well?
SPAGnVOLA: Right now, we are harvesting around 22,000 trees, and over the course of the next 5-7 years it will
be upwards of 130,000+ trees (Sound like a lot? Not really, since we use SO much actual cacao in the product
*70%+ or morea whole tree even producing 60 pods, may only product 17 or so bars! ) We are Single Estate
Chocolate. 1 Cultivator, 1 Harvester, 1 Manufacturer. We are always in limited supply. So as the farm grows, the
factory and production manages that growth. All beans from our Farm come to our Factory. Each Sack (155lbs)
comes through on a Container Ship from Santo Domingo to Baltimore, then brought here to the Kentlands
(Gaithersburg). Since we have 2 harvest periods per year, it can vary on amount. For example, we shipped up 25
Sacks last shipment!
F&WB: The products from your website look stunning, where did your head Chocolatier receive training? (is there
formal training involved?)
SPAGnVOLA: Yes there is formal training. Crisoire went to the Barry Callebeaut Academy. Chocolate is incredi-
bly finicky. As most will learn when they visit the factory, not only the handling of chocolate, but temperature con-
trol, humidity, air quality and product consistency are critical to the end result. I often compare chocolate making
to a science; any little step in the wrong direction will destroy an entire batch. From our little seed on our farm in
Hator Mayor to a decadent piece created by Crisoire, can take upwards of 75 proper steps along the way. One mis-
takecan change the end result.
(Continued from page 38)
Page 40 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
F&WB: Not to change the subject away from chocolate, but do you serve coffee/espresso in the boutique? A
great espresso and some dark chocolate with a hint of fruit is one of lifes simple pleasures. If there is coffee, is
there any plan to roast your own coffee beans as well?
SPAGnVOLA: We do have a Barista on site at all times! A good Americano or Espresso is my choice, but yes
Mocha and other options are here as well. Along with some fantastic Gelato. I respect what it takes to make a fine
coffee, and we search for the best beans for our customers. Knowing the extreme steps we go for creating choco-
late, for now, we will leave that aspect up to those experts!
F&WB: How is business? Are your products only available in the boutique, or are they more widely distributed?
Are there plans for an increased distribution?
SPAGnVOLA: Business is great! We have received some fantastic exposure from Washington Post, Fox5, Chan-
nel 7, as well as Taste of Mouth (My version of Word of Mouth). I believe there is a growing trend for consum-
ers wanting to know where their food comes from, even their chocolates. We show them the path we took, and
why. Our Free Factory tours on the weekend, do just that. We even have introduced Chocolate Making Classes
(www.spagnvola.com ) to give the fans the experience of a lifetime making their own pieces will enjoying an even-
ing with a loved one or friends. Its a GREAT time. I also believe people magnetize towards quality. We are all
aware of the economy we are in right now, but our repeat customer base shows me that people appreciate what we
are doing, enjoy the end result, and love telling of their experience at SPAGnVOLAand most of all we love
sharing it. What brings a smile to my face is when a young child enjoys the chocolate. I grew up with an idea of
what Dark chocolate tasted like, and to see them turn the page in amazement, they have experienced something
they never thought possible!
F&WB: Why Gaithersburg? Its a nice area, but people look at my funny when I tell them about a chocolate fac-
tory near DC! Whats the appeal of the location?
SPAGnVOLA: Well, if you havent visited the Kentlands of Gaithersburg, it is a custom built Neo-community,
with the growing expansion of Gaithersburg that has a strong community based feel. We truly believe SPAGnVO-
LA is a community based business where people can be proud of the fact there is a chocolate factory on their
Main Street, making chocolate, while they sleep at night. They can even just walk by for a fantastic scent permeat-
ing the air. A diverse demographic as well. When you produce a new product, you like to see how different groups
react, young and old. I would say our 1st year results, its a unified Yay!
Since here at SPAGnVOLA, we believe in a good strong foundation, our expansion will be in the right places at
the right time. We have had visitors from New Jersey, North Carolina and even Australia, spend their day at
SPAGnVOLA. We think its worth the trip.
F&WB: Thanks for taking the time to talk with us here at the Food and Wine Blog! We look forward to check-
ing out the boutique and factory, hopefully soon!
(Continued from page 39)
By now, most restaurants have dabbled in farm-to-
table dining. Many are even pouring farm-to-glass
cocktails. But farm-to-junk-food is a new one for us.
The owners of the new SPAGnVOLA in
Gaithersburg create chocolate truffles and bars using
cacao from their land in the Dominican Republic.
They import the beans through Baltimore and pro-
cess the chocolate from scratch in the basement of
their small shop.
Husband-and-wife chocolatiers Eric and Crisoire
Reid create 70, 75 and 80 percent bars ($8) made
with a blend of Criollo, Trinitario and Forastero
beans. The bars aren't for wimps: Each offers deep
berry flavors along with dry coffee notes that deepen as the cacao percentages increase.
Small-batch truffles ($2) are dipped in the moderately intense 70 percent chocolate. Fillings include a potent dash
of Dominican rum, smooth honey in dark chocolate ganache, and granules of sea salt in milk chocolate, which co-
ax out the chocolate's fruit aromas and flavors.
Baristas pour expert coffee drinks using Intelligentsia beans. It should go without saying that the best choice is a
mocha ($4), which you can request with thick house chocolate syrup.
SPAGnVOLA, 360 Main St., Ste. 100, Gaithersburg; 240-654-6972 orspagnvola.com
6/14/2011
Bean There
SPAGnVOLA takes you from bean to bar
Page 41 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Churning chocolate | SPAGnVOLAS cacao beans
Page 42 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
I
N
D
U
L
G
E
N
C
E
S
CHOCOLATE 101
This year, you can make your own holiday
bonbons after enrolling in a chocolate-
making class at SPAGnVOLA in
Gaithersburg (right). The 2.5-hour lesson
($50) teaches students how to temper
chocolate, make a basic Ganache and cre-
ate their own truffles. It culminates in a
tasting of SPAGnVOLA signature choco-
lates.
240-654-6972; spagnvola.com
WASHINGTON DC - MARYLAND - VIRGINA The Magazine of Architecture and Fine Interior
LATE FALL 2012
Featured In
Autumn 2012
SPAGnVOLA
At this Gaithersburg gem, chocolatier Crisoire Reid turn out
1,000 truffles a day made with beans from her home coun-
try, the Dominican Republic. The passion fruit packs a
sweet punch thats equally fruity and floral a perfect re-
minder of Caribbean getaways. A chocolate-pistachio core is
rolled in pale green pistachio dust to create a nutty sensa-
tion. And the Passion of the Sea truffle coats a 54% milk
chocolate ganache with a 70% dark chocolate shell, then
dapples it with hearty crystals of Mediterranean sea salt.
The Ten: Best Chocolatier
Posted by Nevin Martell on November 1, 2012
Page 43 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Community Contribution
January 23, 2012
On behalf of everyone at Neediest Kids, especially the thousands of children that we help succeed in
school each year, thank you for making Decadent Delights such a delicious success. Your amazing
chocolates were the hit of the event and my personal favorite.
Your donation was so important, and we are grateful for your support. Our300 guests loved sampling
your gorgeous chocolates, and we raised more than $141,000 to help low-income students get the basic
essentials they need so they can get the education they deserve.
Again, thank you for your time and support, and we hope we can count on you again for next years
Decadent Delights.
Sincerely,
Amy Ginsburg
President and CEO
Page 44 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Have a Sweet Saturday / Sunday
Like romantic comedies, chocolate is sweet, sugary, and sure to make you sick if
consumed en masse. Luckily, the chocolatiers at SPAGnVOLA in Gaithersburg,
Md. only dispense one free sample at a time. This and every weekend, staffers
throw open the factory doors for free tours that span the entire chocolate-making
process from roasting and winnowing to pre-grinding and refining.
Tours begin with a brief history of cacao: the very essence of chocolate and the
main reason humanity hasnt yet collapsed in upon itself. During the session, choc-
olatiers educate attendees on the growing regions and farming practices of the
worlds favorite bean before walking them through the pro-
cess. Walkthroughs occur inside SPAGnVOLAs expansive factory, giving guests
an up close view of bonbon, chocolate bar and truffle production areas.
Tours will also collide with head chocolatier Crisoire Reid as she conjures up rich confections, giving guests the
perfect opportunity to ask such brain-busting questions as, whats the right temperature for melting chocolate?
and, how many bonbons can I legally fit in my car?
Because science hasnt yet created a way to eat knowledge, the free tours conclude with a chocolate sample and an
all-you-can-hold buying spree at the front counter.
Jan. 5 and 6, 2-6 p.m.
SPAGnVOLA
360 Main St.
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Distance from Fairfax: 29 miles/38 minutes
Free / spagnvola.com
Posted by Tim Regan / Friday, January 4th, 2013
Page 45 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
By Pam Schipper
This isnt anything like Hersheys, Godiva or Lindt,SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier tour guide Jordan
Seres explains. Nineteen years old and an engineering student at the University of Maryland at
College Park, he understands the delicate, artisanal process of making chocolatefrom growing,
harvesting and fermenting the cacao beans to roasting, separating out the nibs and mixing with
organic cane sugar. Then theres the melangeur, which mixes the molten chocolate, and the repeat-
ed heating and cooling that the Chocolatier must go through to produce that delectable and shiny
morsel or bar. If this sounds complicated, well, it is.
Jordan says that he could explain the heating and cooling processes, but admits that his group
might not be interested in a chemistry lesson. Instead, he holds up a circular chunk of chocolate
and points to the puckered, fat-like deposit on top. Before people learned how to prevent the ca-
cao butter from separating out once cooled, this is what all chocolate looked like. Thats why chocolate used to be served
mainly in its molten form, he says.
The free tour, which takes place every weekend in 15 minutes increments from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Gaithersburgs Kentlands
community, is both fascinating and delicious. Youll learn about the history of chocolate and how the best beans are grown
20 degrees above and below the equator where SPAGnVOLAs cacao originates on owners Crisoire and Eric Reids 430-acre
farm in the Dominican Republic. In contrast, most mass-produced chocolate is made from cacao grown on Africas Ivory
Coast; its quality is so poor that lots of sugar must be added to the end product. Youll hold a cacao pod, maybe even take
home some beans and see what a chocolate nib looks like before its ground into cacao and mixed with organic cane sugar.
Do you know the difference between a truffle and a bonbon? And what, exactly, is white chocolate? The tour, which takes
place in the heavenly chocolate-scented basement factory of the SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier, explores the making of SPAGn-
VOLA chocolate from tree to table.
You see, these folks do it all. Chocolatier Crisoire Reids sister runs the Hacienda SPAGnVOLA in Hato Mayor del Ray, Do-
minican Republic, where cacao quality and the people who farm the land come first. In addition to green growing practices
that create an organic product, the cacao is harvested carefully and beans are hand-sorted before refinement. The fermenta-
tion process is traditional with beans placed beneath plantain leaves in wooden crates. And farmers are encouraged to grow
shade crops beneath the fruit trees for their own profit in addition to their salary.
From the one estate in the Dominican Republic, beans are flown to Maryland where they are transformed into 70, 75 and 80
percent dark chocolate, 54 percent milk chocolate and 62 percent semisweet chocolate in the SPAGnVOLA Chocolate Fac-
tory. Upstairs in the chocolate boutique, you can taste bars, bonbons and truffles. Jordan recommends the passion fruit, salty
caramel, passion of the sea and mango. My recommendation? The hot chocolate. Hands-down, its the best Ive ever tasted,
made with hints of allspice, cinnamon and lavender. And if you dont like chocolate? The gelato in flavors like chocolate
malt, white chocolate raspberry, mango and rose champagne is pretty sweet.
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier is located at 360 Main Street in Gaithersburgs Kentlands community. Register here for the free chocolate tour
or call (240) 654-6972 for more information.
*Photo Credit: Phil Fabrizio, Sugarloaf Photography
The Beltway Beat: February 2013
A fresh look at what's new in the Washington metropolitan area
Go to the Source: Take the Tour from Tree to Table at SPAGnVOLA
Page 46 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
We went to SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier after hearing about a free tour of their chocolate factory. They are an unu-
sual premium chocolate artisan factory in Gaithersburg, Maryland. They are unusual in the fact that they grow their
own cocoa on their estate located on the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. They
take pride in every step of the operation all the way from how the cocoa is grown, to the
harvesting of the cocoa at the exact time to maximize the flavor of the chocolate, and to
how it is made into the delicious final result.
The tour of the chocolate factory starts in a room where they turn the raw cocoa bean
into chocolate. They talk about how, in the Dominican Republic, they grow their cocoa
on their own land where other types of fruit trees grow alongside the cocoa trees helping
to shade the trees and enhance the flavor of the cacao beans. Most larger producers har-
vest the beans too early and the flavor doesnt have time to develop, like picking green
bananas and having them ripen during shipping. SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier, takes all
the necessary time to make sure they beans are harvested at the optimum time with the
result of having a bean full of
flavor and less bitter. We were able to sample the liquid
chocolate that was 75% chocolate and only 25 % sugar.
It had very little bitterness and was incredibly smooth.
Its also nice to know that they grow their cacao trees
without using any pesticides.
You move from the processing room to the room were
the chocolates are made. The temperature of that room
is about 67 degrees and its critical that it stay in that
zone. The liquid chocolate is turned on a marble stone
surface and made into the various chocolate bon bons
and truffles. Crisoire, the head Chocolatier and owner, is
a delightful woman who pours her heart and soul into what she does, and it shows
in the exquisite chocolate that she makes.
After the tour they take you upstairs and you can buy chocolate and drinks. We
tried the hot chocolate, AMAZING! Unbelievable!! Possibly the best ever! Highly
suggest all their chocolates, and especially the hot chocolate! Their dream is to
make the best chocolate in the world, and they are well on their way. A delightful
experience all around.
Food Knights
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier-Gaithersburg, MD
Published by Chip on February 11, 2013
Page 47 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
February 21, 2013 in Business, Life
If you love chocolate, you dont want to miss this story about a local business in the Kentlands community of
Gaithersburg. Its a premier chocolate shop with its own basement factory and people are coming from all over
the country to visit it. MyMCMedias Sonya Burke reports. Learn more at SPAGnVOLA Chocolatiers website.
A Local Chocolate Factory (Photos & Video)
By Kate Myers
Page 48 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
One day last year a local cinematographer walked into
the Kentlands chocolate shop SPAGnVOLA, and, after
poking around a bit, asked co-owner Eric Reid if he had
ever considered making a documentary about his store
and laborious chocolate-making process. The proverbial
light bulb went off in Reids head. I thought it would
be a great way to tell our storypeople would actually
be able to see our farm and cacao beans and understand
how our chocolate is made, he says.
Produced by Anfon Ha of Aha! Concepts, the eight-
minute documentary includes extensive footage of
SPAGnVOLAs breathtaking, 350-acre farm estate in
the Dominican Republic, where the shops cacao beans
are carefully extracted, fermented and raked by hand.
Watching the farms workers painstakingly sort through
each cacao pod and later rake the dried cacao beans eve-
ry three hours, from dawn to dusk, viewers get a true
sense of SPAGnVOLAs commitment to quality and
consistency. In the documentary, Reids wife and
SPAGnVOLA co-owner, Crisoire, remembers how her
husband came to her years ago and told her he not only
wanted make chocolate from their own farm, but also
he wanted to make the best chocolate in the world. The
Reids frequently express gratitude for their land in the
film and the opportunity theyve been given.
The documentary also features shots of SPAGn-
VOLAs onsite factory, where the stores truffles and
bonbons are hand-rolled and set.
We have a very unique story, and we are the only
Chocolatier in the Washington, DC Metro area to sell
chocolate that comes directly from our own farm to the
consumers hand, says Eric. When we say our choc-
olate is artisan and premium quality, we mean it.
The documentary took about four months and just un-
der $10,000 to produce. It was worth every penny
this is the story of our business, and it will always be
relevant, says Eric.
The Reids play the documentary at the store and on fac-
tory tours. Theyve also distributed it to the media, key
figures in the chocolate industry and schools, universi-
ties and other groups who are interested in farm-to-table
businesses. Eric says the initial response has been
incredible, especially within the chocolate industry. The
Reids plan to produce additional documentaries
highlighting specialty areas of their farm, workers in the
Dominican Republic and SPAGnVOLAs impact on the
chocolate industry.
Free copies of the documentary are available to all
SPAGnVOLA customers. The shop is located at 360
Main Street in downtown Kentlands.
SPAGnVOLA Produces Documentary Showcasing Its Unique Chocolate-Making Process
By Kate Myers
FEBRUARY 2013 www.kentlandsusa.com
Page 49 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Gaithersburg business aims to take over the chocolate world
Published on: Thursday, February 28, 2013
By Donna Broadway
Those who know say there is an art to eating chocolate.
Instead of biting it, one must put the whole piece in
their mouth and allow the saliva to melt the chocolate.
No chewing is allowed. The flavors are better savored
that way.
Eric Reid from SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier often in-
structs first time visitors on how to properly eat choco-
late, as many impulsively chew the tiny bonbons and
truffles.
SPAGnVOLA is a chocolate factory specializing in
gourmet chocolates. The small shop opened on
Gaithersburgs Main Street in 2011 and serves home-
made chocolate, hot chocolate, coffee drinks and pas-
tries.
Eric and Crisoire Reid, the husband and wife team be-
hind the boutique, began the journey to selling gourmet
chocolates in 1997. The Reids share a love of agriculture
and owned various livestock and orchards in Crisoires
native Dominican Republic. They decided to buy a
mountain in the Dominican Republic with various fruit
trees, including cocao trees, with the intent of selling the
fruit, but revenue was lower than expected. After failing
to export their papayas, the Reids decided to sell their
cacao beans to manufacturers.
When he realized the market was limited, Eric said to
Crisoire, Lets make our own chocolate.
At first she thought I was crazy, but we started re-
searching the industry and learning about premium dark
chocolate, and we embarked on the journey to make the
best chocolate ever, he said.
The Reids decided to start small by manufacturing choc-
olate bars and selling them online. After learning how to
make truffles and bonbons at a Barry Callebaut Choco-
late Academy and practicing the recipes and techniques
in their basement, the Reids decided to open a boutique
with an in-house factory.
Eric is the CEO, while Crisoire is the head Chocolatier.
Crisoire is responsible for creating the recipes for every-
thing, from the cacao bars to the specialty truffles and
bon-bon flavors that make up the SPAGnVOLA brand.
The Reids own everything, from the cacao beans to the
finished product.
Truffles and bonbons come in flavors ranging from pas-
sion fruit, mango, strawberry, ros wine and rose petals,
banana and caramel, to a rosemary and olive oil flavor.
When I see something interesting, I say I want to see
how the 70 percent goes with this. So I try the blueber-
ry, the raspberry and I see what flavor tastes better. I
come up with my recipes by thinking about different
flavors. When I give it to the staff to sample, they tell
me, I think this goes with that, Crisoire said. Its fun
working with chocolates. The day passes and you dont
know the day has passed. I start in the morning time,
and night time I still have a lot of energy to work on the
chocolate.
The Reids chose to bypass SPAGnVOLAs two-year
anniversary celebration to focus on business expansion
and gaining exposure.
Were still under the fragile years, which are the first
three to four years running a business, and we dont
want to do a lot of premature celebration, Eric said.
We have a strong brand, a strong following, and lots of
customers that love our product. We are lacking in ex-
posure and thats what we will be concentrating on in
the next two years.
Page 50 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Last week, we had the pleasure of touring SPAGnVOLA with Girl Scouts.
Our troop headed north to learn all about chocolate, from the farm to the
tasty confection!!
We learned about vertical integration, watched the chocolate liquor be ground,
smelled the melted chocolate, and tasted the delicious bonbons, truffles, and
chocolate bars. The tour guide (who was also the CEO/founder) was great
with kids: he was enthusiastic, kept the information at their level while encour-
aging them to reach a little higher, and kept them engaged with all the tastings!
We left the store with a box of chocolates, knowing that we will appreciate
where chocolate comes from a lot more than we used to appreciate it.
Feeding an allergic child. Trying to eat, organic, clean, and natural. Living a busy schedule. All on a budget.
Touring a Chocolate Factory: SPAGnVOLA:
Page 51 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Gaithersburg Chocolate Maker Likely Coming To Bethesda
Monday, March 5, 2013
By Aaron Kraut
Eric Reid, owner of the SPAGnVOLA chocolate boutique in Gaithersburg, says his dark chocolate bars, bonbons
and truffles will likely be coming to Bethesda via a partnership thats in the works with a high-end existing busi-
ness.
It will at least give us the ability to serve our customers that are currently in Bethesda, said Reid, who along with
wife and SPAGnVOLAs head Chocolatier Crisoire Reid, hand pick cacao beans from their farm in the Dominican
Republic. We want to start to build that market organically. If things go well and we have the right formula, wed
like to open up our own boutique there.
Reid then has the cacao beans shipped to SPAGnVOLAs headquarters in Gaithersburg, where the beans are
handcrafted in small batches to create flavors and products that have become popular in the two years since he
opened the store and factory.
The facility regularly hosts tours and chocolate-making classes, another feature that has drawn attention.
Most people said, Youre crazy, to open up that kind of business in that economy, Reid said. We believed in it
two years ago and were going to continue to try and find ways to innovate and create partnerships.
More information on where SPAGnVOLA will be heading soon.
Page 52 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
SPAGnVOLA, located at 360 Main Street, is looking to
expand later this ear, possibly as soon as May or June.
The gourmet chocolate shop, which also serves gelato
and espresso drinks, has been at its current location for
two years, and owner Eric Reid said the business is
ready for a second Gaithersburg boutique.
[At our current location,] we are not really tapping into
the majority of the Gaithersburg demographics, said
Reid. We really want to expand to the other side of
[Route] 355.
He said while Kentlands was the perfect area to begin a
small new business, he believes Main Street has its chal-
lenges with attraction and he believes an expansion
would grant SPAGnVOLA more exposure.
We have the best chocolate in Gaithersburg; the best
chocolate in the metro area! stressed Reid. But there is
only so much advertising can do. [We] need to get out
there.
He said the company will have a more concrete idea
about the location of the second SPAGnVOLA toward
the end of March.
Due to the down economy, Reid said the company will
aim to build its new chocolate boutique in a more organ-
ic way, carefully avoiding large debt and numerous bank
loans. As was done with the Main Street SPAGnVOLA,
Reid said the company plans to cherry-pick contractors
who do quality work for a reasonable price in order to
meet their goal.
If the second location thrives, Reid is also considering a
location within BWI airport and a joint venture in Be-
thesda, Md. That additional expansion will depend upon
the further success of the Kentlands SPAGnVOLA as
well as the new Gaithersburg location.
Popular within the community, SPAGnVOLA has also
garnered a reputation throughout the Washington, D.C.,
metropolitan area as a destination of sorts. While 80 per-
cent of the stores revenue comes from gourmet choco-
late sales, Reid chalks the destination status up to the
free factory tours the shop offers, as well as chocolate
making classes, parties and corporate events. SPAGn-
VOLA has attracted tourists from New Jersey, New
York and even Canada, he said.
We schedule public tours on weekends but do private
tours during the week, said Reid. The weekday tours
are done mostly for school groups, while the public
tours on the weekends serve as a way to bring in new
customers. The core of SPAGnVOLAs steady growth
and success over the last two years primarily has three
components: quality of service, quality of products, and
the social aspect (aka the tours/parties/corporate team-
building events). And chocolate is undoubtedly the big-
gest seller. Reid estimated that only about 15 percent of
sales come from gelato, 5 percent from espresso drinks.
(Continued on page 53)
SHOPTALK
Photo | Phil Fabrizio
SPAGnVOLAs Eric and Crisoire Reid are planning to expand
by adding a second location in the near future.
SPAGnVOLA Makes Plans to Expand
Page 53 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Despite the companys desire to grow and expand, Reid
emphasized the perfection of Kentlands as a supportive
community in which to start. Reid himself is a
Gaithersburg native and vowed to keep the Kentlands
location as long as possible.
We will remain in Kentlands as long as the community
wants us here.
SPAGnVOLA is an active participant in community
events and charitable activities and frequently contributes
items, such as a chocolate-making class for two, which
organizations can auction or raffle off to earn money for
their cause.
Steps for expansion are happening quickly, but Reid said
everyone involved is excited for what lies ahead.
Most people say, You are crazy for starting and growing
a business in this economy, said Reid with a smile. But
if you look at the research, chocolate always does well in
a down economy. And we look forward to soon being
known as the areas very best chocolate.
(Continued from page 52)
D.C. Hot Chocolate: 10 Cafes To
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth
The Huffington Post | By Erin Ruberry
Posted: 03/07/2013 10:08 am EST
"Snowquestration" turned into the "No-Show
Quester" for much of the Washington region yes-
terday, as the outer suburbs were pounded with
snow while downtown D.C. saw plenty of rain but
little snow accumulation.
It was a disappointing end to yet another year of
minimal snow for the District and with tempera-
tures on the up-swing today through the weekend,
we can tell spring is just around the corner.
Before getting into full spring mode (cherry blos-
soms are almost here!), we're savoring a few favor-
ite things about winter. As kids, we loved coming in
from a busy winter day of sledding and snowball
fights to a steaming mug of hot chocolate made
with love from Mom. Now as adults, we find our-
selves spending chilly days insidecozy coffee
shops -- but we still like to indulge our inner child
(and our sweet tooth) with a chocolate-y mug of
hot cocoa. Here are 10 of our favorite spots for hot
chocolate in Washington, D.C.
Where do you find the best hot chocolate in D.C.?
SPAGnVOLA
After indulging in cinnamon-spiked hot chocolate at
Gaithersburg Chocolatier SPAGnVOLA, take a tour of
the on-site chocolate factory, where cocoa beans are
roasted in small batches to ensure quality.
Page 54 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Gaithersburg, MD April 8, 2013
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier store opening, scheduled for early May at Lakeforest Mall, will capture the hearts and
souls of consumers that have yet to sample its exquisite chocolates. Lakeforest Mall, an icon in the upper Mont-
gomery County community since 1978, has been steadily rebuilding its image since undergoing new ownership in
late 2012. As part of this transformation, SPAGnVOLA has eagerly joined the ranks to bring an exception-
al gourmet chocolateexperience to Lakeforest Mall customers.
SPAGnVOLA opened its first boutique and factory in Gaithersburg within the Kentlands community in 2011.
SPAGnVOLAs existing boutique has already become a destination within Gaithersburg that draws chocolate con-
noisseurs from the Metro DC area and around the world. By joining forces, Lakeforest Mall and SPAGnVOLA
will offer consumers of Gaithersburg, Montgomery Village, and Germantown another destination to enjoy premi-
um chocolate treats.
This expansion offers customers greater exposure to our brand, while allowing us to serve the community and
expand our business organically, said Eric Reid, the CEO and Founder of SPAGnVOLA. Our focus is to ele-
vate the SPAGnVOLA brand to becomeGaithersburgs best chocolate. In doing so, we will bring our product and
services to customers who dont traditionally shop on the west side of Route 355, where our current boutique is
located.
With its grand opening scheduled for early May, SPAGnVOLA will offer customers their signature single-
estate gourmet chocolates, artisan gelato and in-house Barista. SPAGnVOLA customers will enjoy its signature hot
chocolate recently rated as one of the 10 best hot chocolates in the Metro DC area as well as espresso based
drinks served directly.
Marketing Director at Lakeforest Mall, Susan Davis, said, We are thrilled to have Eric and SPAGnVOLA Choco-
latier join us at Lakeforest Mall. Hes a successful local entrepreneur offering our consumers an exceptional prod-
uct. Its very exciting to be a part of SPAGnVOLAs continued success.
When constructing SPAGnVOLA as a vertically integrated business, Eric and Crisoire Reid husband and wife
team vowed to build a business based on principals and giving opportunities for others to be successful. From
their own 450 acre private farm estate in the Dominican Republic, the Reids cultivate and harvest heirloom quality
cacao beans. Once fermented and dried, these beans are shipped to SPAGnVOLAs own manufacturing facility in
Gaithersburg, Maryland, where they are roasted and freshly ground into premium single-estate chocolate.
As Head Chocolatier, Crisoire Reid creates beautiful, artisan truffles and bonbons that resemble fine jewelry. In
addition to serving these edible gems, the Reids open their factory for free tours on the weekends, while hosting
chocolate making classes, birthday parties and private events.
(Continued on page 55)
Media Contact
Eric A. Reid
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
240-654-6972
[email protected]
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier Expands to Lakeforest Mall, Positioned to
Become Gaithersburgs Best Chocolate
Building its brand through community partnership leads SPAGnVOLA to Lakeforest
Page 55 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
There are many stories of successful entrepre-
neurship in Gaithersburg, and we are delighted to
add SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier to that list, said
Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz. Not only
does SPAGnVOLA offer a product of unparal-
leled quality, it exemplifies good corporate citi-
zenship and community engagement. We ap-
plaud SPAGnVOLAs expansion to Lakeforest
Mall and look forward to their continued suc-
cess.
About SPAGnVOLA:
SPAGnVOLA is a premium chocolate brand
and boutique (pronounced as spang vola,
meaning Hispaniola in Creole). The name refers
to the island on which the Dominican Republic is
located. SPAGnVOLA is not only the name of a
new enterprise, but honors the land, people, and
cultures of the company's founders, Eric and
Crisoire Reid.
SPAGnVOLA premium chocolates are used to
create decadent pieces of artfully crafted bon-
bons and truffles by Co-owner and Head Choco-
latier Crisoire Reid. She has developed some of
the most aromatic, savory pieces of chocolate
artwork to be found. Mrs. Reids exquisite crea-
tions not only capture the eyes, but overwhelm the palate, triggering never-ending desire. For more information
visit http://www.spagnvola.com.
About Lakeforest Mall:
Lakeforest Mall is located off of I-270 at exit 11, Montgomery Village Avenue and route 355 and is managed by
Urban Retail Properties, LLC, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Lakeforest Mall is a 1.1 million square foot fami-
ly shopping center, with a dynamic mix of unique retailers and eateries, including anchors Macys, JCPenney, Sears
and Lord & Taylor. Additional information is available at http://www.shoplakeforest.com. Lakeforest Mall shop-
ping hours are 10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
About the City of Gaithersburg
In Gaithersburg, Maryland youll find an excitingly diverse population of just over 64,000 people living in a wide
range of housing types in warm, welcoming neighborhoods. Were home to world renowned information and bio-
technology companies, and throughout the community youll find unique family-owned restaurants and businesses.
With more than 500 acres of parkland, award-winning recreational facilities and programs, performing arts venues,
and a staunch commitment to protecting the environment, its no surprise that Gaithersburg was recently ranked
#23 on CNN/Money Magazines national list of Best Places to Live. Learn more
at http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov.
(Continued from page 54)
Page 56 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Kentlands-based chocolatier to open second location
Mall management invited chocolatier to consider lease
By SYLVIA CARIGNAN : STAFF WRITER
Kentlands-based chocolate factory SPAGnVOLA will open a sec-
ond location at Lakeforest Mall in May, owner Eric Reid said.
Weve always envisioned expanding from the Kentlands location,
Reid said. They are currently at 360 Main St. in Gaithersburg, but
Reid said they dont get a lot of foot traffic.
The owners of Lakeforest Mall, at 701 Russell Ave. in Gaithersburg,
approached Reid and asked if he would like to open a second store
in the mall.
Hes a successful local entrepreneur offering our consumers a unique, exceptional product, Lakeforest Mall
spokesperson Susan Davis said.
Reid said they had considered opening stores in Bethesda and at Baltimore-Washington International Airport, but
the mall location would help SPAGnVOLA reach a wider demographic and increase the companys visibility out-
side of the Kentlands.
It was a perfect match, and we settled on a really good deal, Reid said. They have signed a one-year lease to try
out the new space.
SPAGnVOLA is planning to offer chocolate tastings and educational events, while the factory will stay in the
Kentlands. Reid is seeking to interact with Gaithersburgs communities through its store to bring back the warm
feel of Lakeforest, he said.
Were hoping that SPAGnVOLA can help assist in bringing back what Lakeforest was, 10 or 15 years ago, he
said.
The new store is scheduled to open \ May 3 in Godivas former location on the upper level.
Page 57 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
SPAGnVOLA Opens Second Location
Gaithersburg, MD - Thursday, May 9 - The Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of
Commerce (GGCC) conducted a Ribbon Cutting / Grand Opening Ceremony for
SPAGnVOLA. This is SPAGnVOLAs second location. It is centrally located inside Lake-
forest Mall at 701 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg. The ceremony was conducted on Friday,
May 3, 2013. SPAGnVOLAs other location is in the Kentlands at 360 Main Street,
Gaithersburg.
SPAGnVOLA brand is changing the world of chocolate. SPAGnVOLA manufactures, distributes and retails pre-
mium chocolate products from the Dominican Republic through their own farms. Their chocolates are handcraft-
ed in small batches, bringing out the savor of the most exquisite premium chocolate. To learn more about SPAGn-
VOLA, visit: http://spagnvola.com/.
Below: The SPAGnVOLA Ribbon Cutting Ceremony conducted by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of
Commerce on May 3, 2013. State Senator Jennie Forehand - District 17, County Executive Isiah Ike Leggett,
City of Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz and Gaithersburg Council members Cathy Drzyzgula, Henry Marraffa
and Ryan Spiegel helped SPAGnVOLA Owner Eric and Crisoire Reid and Justin Brooks celebrate. (Photo credit
Laura Rowles, GGCC Director of Events & Marketing)
Contact Information:
Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce
http://www.ggchamber.org
Laura Rowles
(301) 840-1400 x14
[email protected]
Page 58 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Montgomery County is home to an estimated 33,000 small
business - businesses that contribute directly to the strength
of the area's economy. Montgomery County Department
of Economic Development has recognized small businesses
that have made a significant contribution to the area's econ-
omy. The awards were presented on May 24, 2013.
Montgomery County Economic Development has presented SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier with 2013 Small
Business of the Year in category of 1 to 10 employees.
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier is one of a few premium chocolate manufacturers in the world that is vertically inte-
grated, from cultivation to confection. Controlling its entire supply chain from its Dominican Republic mountain-
side farmland to its factory and store in Montgomery County, the highest quality is maintained utilizing sustainable
farming practices that offers a natural, chemical free product to consumers. SPAGnVOLA is on a mission to be
known as the worlds best single-estate premium chocolate.
In this MCM video, Eric and Crisoire Reid talk about owning the process of cultivation to confection.
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier Awarded
Montgomery County Small Business of the Year 2013
Page 59 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
SPAGnVOLA
June 20, 2013
I come from a different mindset and perspective when it comes to cacao. Owning the land, cultivating, harvesting
and post-harvest processing of our cacao is not an easy task, and it allows me to gain a greater appreciation for the
value of this commodity, especially when youre in business to create premium chocolate and not bulk confection.
On the other end of the spectrum, manufacturing and building a premium brand is not easy, so I have gained a
rare appreciation for the lifecycle of this commodity.
Although I see both sides from a large lens, I have a HUGE affinity towards the farming perspective. Without
cacao farmers, the industry collapses!!!
My underlining mission is what will my grandchildren think? Have I created the proper foundation which ena-
bles fairness across the board? How does this industry provide shared-value throughout the lifecycle of this
wonderful commodity, which enables a sense of unity and fairness from soil-to-table?
Eric Reid
CEO/ Founder, SPAGnVOLA
SPAGnVOLA is a vertically integrated premium chocolate manufacturer which is unique in the chocolatier busi-
ness by virtue of controlling its entire supply chain, from soil to boutique. This chain spans the distance from its
Dominican Republic mountainside farmland in Hato Mayor del Rey (Hacienda de SPAGnVOLA), to its factory
and boutique in Gaithersburg, Maryland. SPAGnVOLA proudly ensures that the cacao beans used for its premi-
um chocolate are of the highest quality and cultivated with sustainable farming practices.
Cocoa is a valuable crop that is a vital part of cultures around
the world, and essential to the livelihoods of 40-50 million
people. Learn more about cocoa and the people who grow it.
Page 60 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Page 61 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Dominican Republic Genetic Research Discussion
COMISION NACIOINAL DEL CACAO
Understanding the genetic diversity of the Dominican Republic cacao farms was the topic of the day. Discus-
sion and presentation lead by Eric and Crisoire Reid, owner and founder of SPAGnVOLA and CiBEXO Group.
Page 62 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
En cacao, sus derivados y chocolatera artesanal, la Repblica Dominicana est
dando ltimamente pasos de avance a un ritmo tal, que muchos de los que nos
preciamos conocer a fondo las intrngulis del teobroma cacao, nos encontramos
a veces con agradables sorpresas que nos dejan, no solo perplejos, sino anon-
adados. En efecto, la Comisin Nacional del Cacao convoc a varios de sus miembros, industriales, chocolateros
y productores, a una charla que dara un chocolatero artesanal y su esposa, el mircoles pasado en la sede del or-
ganismo.
All estuvo reunido un grupo selecto y granado del mundo del cacao y pudimos comprobar, que la mxima de
poder es querer, no solo se queda en palabras sino en hechos. Un panameo, de profesin ingeniero, de nom-
bre Eric Reid y su esposa Crisoire de nacionalidad dominicana, propietarios en Hato Mayor del Rey de lo que po-
dramos calificar como un pequeo fundo, en donde uno de los frutos que cosechan es cacao, decidieron empren-
der la ardua tarea de convertirse en maestros artesanos chocolateros y para tales fines, estudiaron este arte en la
Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy de la ciudad de Chicago.
El hecho de inicialmente no saber nada sobre el cacao, su produccin sostenible y orgnica, manejo post-
cosecha, fermentacin y su conversin en productos finales para venta directa al pblico no los amilan y abrieron
una boutique de chocolate Premium en Kentlands, estado de Maryland en los Estados Unidos de Amrica. El
nombre muy sugestivo: Spagnvola y su denominacin de origen tambin en la etiqueta: Repblica Dominicana.
La gama de productos chocolateros que producen les hace la boca agua a cualquiera, por ms refinado que tenga
el paladar y pueda determinar el grado fino o de aroma que posee; as como a los microfaradios al que fue refinado,
ya que el mismo est destinado a derretirse en el paladar con un contenido de cacao dark orgnico de hasta de
un 70%.
Sin embargo, discrepamos de su idea que los productores de cacao y los exportadores deben hacer una seleccin
minuciosa y enumerar y clasificar en la masa a vender, los diferentes clones y orgenes del cacao, ya que como le
expresramos, los industrializadores y procesadores, no quieren pagar una suma extra por el tiempo y el costo que
tal seleccin significara. Es ms, ltimamente ni siquiera quieren pagar un extra por el cacao orgnico. Por eso,
los productores les recordamos, que si el comprador quiere consumir un artculo cacaotero sano y de primera, de-
be pagar el costo de su antojo o capricho.
Lo factible que plante el seor Reid con la finalidad de darle un valor agregado al cacao, fue la elaboracin de
2 Agosto 2013, 9:58 PM
Cacao, chocolate y artesanos
chocolateros
Regocijados con manifestaciones de mejora de nuestro cacao
Escrito por: Jos Antonio Martnez Rojas ([email protected] )
Page 63 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
grandes barras de cacao listas para el uso de chocolateros extranjeros que se economizaran la labor del conching
o mal dicho en espaol, conchado.
Los lectores debern recordar, que hace unos meses nos visit una chocolatera artesanal sueca, la seora Anna-
Sofa Winroth, la cual tambin era partidaria de la elaboracin de estas barras confeccionadas con cacao fino o de
aroma, que tengan condiciones organolpticas extraordinarias, para suplir pequeas fbricas artesanales que elabo-
ran un cacao para un pblico selecto determinado. Estos consumidores de chocolate, si encuentran satisfactorio el
chocolate, bombn, trufas u otras golosinas, se convierten en fieles adeptos del producto y quedan prendados
mientras la calidad permanezca igual a cuando lo consumieron originalmente.
En ocasin de la II Feria Agroalimentaria de la Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana (JAD), vino desde Francia el
maestro chocolatero Jean Claude Berton, el cual es reconocido por haber puesto a la disposicin de sus clientes el
denominado Omega-choco, utilizando este componente en la elaboracin de sus barras y dems productos
chocolateros a disposicin del pblico consumidor.
Como colofn podemos expresar, que los que amamos y por que no, veneramos el chocolate, nos sentimos
regocijados con todos estas manifestaciones de mejora de nuestro cacao por parte de artesanos chocolateros ex-
tranjeros. Por supuesto, esto no quiere decir que desdeamos a nuestros artesanos e industriales locales, que
tambin hacen esfuerzos denodados por colocar en el mercado nacional, un producto sano de primera calidad para
el orgullo de todos los dominicanos.
Page 64 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Eric and Crisoire Reid owners of SPAGnVOLA visited with Governor Dr. Rey-
nato Cruz Tinero from Hato Mayor Del Rey, Dominican Republic. The focus of
the meeting was a formal introduction of SPAGnVOLA and how a vertically in-
tegrated business with roots in Hato Mayor Del Rey, bring forth value to both
the Dominican Republic and United States.
During their meeting Eric presented the Governor with a 70% premium choco-
late bar which the Governor admitted was the best he has ever had. Eric pro-
ceeded to express a broader ambition on bringing forth additional value to Hato
Mayor which stems from building the first premium chocolate manufacturing
facility in Hato Mayor Del Rey, with emphasis on genetics and certification of the
finest quality chocolate from this region. Governor Tinero was extremely excited
and has vowed to lend support at all levels. While Eric vowed to communicate
with Marylands Secretary of State John P. McDonough with possible interest in
formalizing a Sister State relationship with Hato Mayor Del Rey. SPAGnVOLA
is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland and touches both economies across the
globe.
What follows is a detailed proposal from SPAGnVOLA and subsequent meetings with stakeholders to realize this
ambitious project which encompasses a premium chocolate factory, on farm laboratory for genetic research, cacao
tree nursery for expansion of the finest flavor and aromatic cacao genotypes and as part of the proposal, an em-
phasis on education and tourism shall be included.
Hato Mayor del Rey is the capital
of Hato Mayor Province, Dominican
Republic. It is bordered on the North
by the municipalities of El Val-
le and Sabana de la Mar, on the South
by theSan Pedro de Macors Province,
on the East by the El Seibo Prov-
ince and on the West by the municipal-
ity of Bayaguana, Monte Plata. It is lo-
cated 27 kilometers from the San Ped-
ro de Macors Province and
110 kilometers from the capital city
of Santo Domingo. Hato Mayor del
Rey has a population of 70,141 inhabit-
ants, and is divided into three munici-
pal districts: Yerba Buena, Guayabo
Dulce and Mata Palacio.
August 19, 2013
Governor - Dr. Reynato Cruz Tinero - Hato Mayor Del Rey, Dominican Republic
Names SPAGnVOLA as an International Business Ambassador representing the best
chocolate from Hato Mayor Del Rey which brings forth shared value for both countries.
Left to Right: Governor Dr. Reynato Cruz
Tinero, Crisoire Reid, Eric Reid
Page 65 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
70% Single-Estate Premium Chocolate
Page 66 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
HATO MAYOR. Las suaves montaas de Hato Mayor
son la fuente de un cacao de fina estampa materia prima
para la produccin de los chocolates Spagnvola, que culti-
vados en Repblica Dominicana son clasificados desde los
rboles, segn su composicin gentica, luego exportados,
procesados y vendidos en Maryland, Estados Unidos, en
pequeas boutiques donde el producto ve crecer su fama
cada da.
El proyecto es un emprendimiento que involucra a dos
naciones, y brinda la oportunidad a Hato Mayor de ver
crecer los aportes en empleo y dinamismo local. La idea
comenz en 2008, cuando los esposos Reid (Eric y
Crisoire) buscaron una alternativa a vender en el mercado
dominicano los frutos de su finca en Hato Mayor. Pensaron exportar cacao a Estados Unidos y Europa, pero en-
contraron que ya haba proveedores establecidos de larga data.
Entonces decidieron producir su propio chocolate, y en este proceso descubrieron que la clasificacin por tipo de
variedad, adems de convertirse en los propios productores de la materia prima, les permitira tener un mayor con-
trol, lograr un producto de mayor calidad y finalmente ser ms competitivos.
La elaboracin del chocolate fino, cuenta Eric, tiene la
dificultad de que la procedencia de los granos es muy het-
erognea, provienen de muchas fincas. Y el cacao, como el
mango, tiene muchas variedades. De manera que con una
cantidad mayor de un tipo o de otro se puede lograr un
sabor distinto, lo que hace la diferencia para un paladar
exquisito.
Se estima que en el mundo existen alrededor de 10 tipos
de familias genticas del cacao, y todas estas variedades
tienen presencia en Repblica Dominicana y tambin en la
finca de los Reid. Aprovechando este contexto, su idea es
certificar su hacienda, y luego producir chocolate certifica-
do por cada planta.
Spagnvola, chocolate de Repblica Dominicana
triunfando en el exterior
Cultivado en el pas, el cacao se procesa y se vende en EE.UU.
La elaboracin del chocolate fino se hace con cacaos
clasificados por su familia gentica. Foto: Marvin del
Cid.
Page 67 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
En EE.UU., cada barra de chocolate Spagnvola cuesta US$8, y
mensualmente venden entre 2,000 y 3000. Los precios de los
bombones y truffles se inician desde los US$18 hasta los US$64,
segn la cantidad de unidades que tenga cada paquete. De cada
uno de stos, en promedio, se venden 1,000 paquetes al mes.
El detalle est, y lo saben los esposos, que en la medida en que
la demanda de este tipo de chocolates aumente, tambin se
necesitar que ms productores certifiquen sus plantaciones.
Para Eric Reid, que hizo a un lado una carrera informtica por el
cacao, se trata ya de un tema pas. Una oportunidad de producir
el mejor chocolate del mundo. Instalacin en el pas
La fbrica de chocolates Spagnvola fue instalada en Estados Unidos y no en Repblica Dominicana por falta de
infraestructura. Eso signific 15 empleos para el pas, aunque en la finca donde se cultiva el cacao hay seis emple-
os, una cantidad que asciende a 20 en tiempos de cosecha. A futuro la idea es instalar la fbrica en Repblica Do-
minicana, de manera que en el pas el ciclo productivo se complete. Para esto, explicaron los esposos, hacen falta
mejores condiciones, como un servicio energtico estable.
Las barras de chocolate cuestan US$8. Foto:
Marvin del Cid.
Hato Mayor del Rey podra ver crecer las fuentes de empleo si en la ciudad se instalace la fbrica de chocolates.
Foto: Marvin del Cid.
Page 68 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Award winning Chocolatier and cocoa grower SPAGnVOLA enters into a partnership arrangement with Ondo
State of Nigeria. After visiting SPAGnVOLAs facilities on September 27, 2013, His Excellency Governor Dr.
Olusegun Mimiko concluded that SPAGnVOLA is actually fulfilling the dream that he had been nurturing for
some time.
Governor Mimiko in his desires to significantly increase the value and wealth of his toiling cocoa farmers, boost
job creation and develop new generations of entrepreneurs in Ondo State had initiated a discussion on integrated
cocoa value chain approach. On his visit to Spagnvola, Governor Mimiko was taken by the ingenuity of the Reids
as they explained their chocolate making journey. The Governor was also treated to a tour of SPAGnVOLAs
chocolate factory and was thrilled as his hosts guided him through the art of chocolate tasting. Governor Mimiko
whose father was a cocoa farmer admitted that the Reids experience has provided the answer to his long held
question How can our cocoa farmers get a better share of their cocoa.
With headquarters on Main Street, Gaithersburg and a second boutique at Lakeforest Mall, this vertically integrat-
ed Chocolatier is quietly making a name for the best premium chocolate in the United States of America.
SPAGnVOLAs chocolate is made from cocoa that is grown on a 400-acre farm that is owned by CEO/Founder
Eric Reid and his wife Crisoire in Dominican Republic. The Reids boast their self- manufactured, farm-to-table
chocolate with 70 - 85% cocoa content and they claim our single farm chocolate is an experience.
On signing the partnership deal with SPAGnVOLA, Governor Mimiko expressed a determination to make Ondo
state the cocoa revolution capital" of Nigeria. The person most noted for coordinating this effort is Dr. Peter
Aikpokpodion who was awarded the Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program
(LEAP) fellowship in 2006 and who is now the Team Leader of the Cocoa Value Chain Development Program of
the Federal Government of Nigeria. In 2010, Dr. Aikpokpodion developed and officially released eight hybrids of
cocoa (CRIN Tc.1-8) for Nigeria.
WAITING ON APPROVAL FOR RELEASE
Gaithersburg, MD October 3, 2013
Media Contact
Luzette King
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
240-654-6972
[email protected]
[email protected]
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with The Ondo
State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. Partnering to bring forth cocoa value-adding in-
dustry, while exposing the best of Ondo State cocoa product to the global chocolate com-
munity
Collaboration and Partnership Helps Bring Forth Added Value to Ondo State, Nigeria Cocoa Industry
GAITHERSBURG, MDOctober 3, 2013SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier and the Ondo State today announced a
groundbreaking partnership.
Page 69 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
About SPAGnVOLA
SPAGnVOLA is a premium chocolate brand and boutique (pronounced as spang vola) meaning Hispaniola in
Creole, refers to the island where the Dominican Republic is located and is not only the name of a new enterprise,
but honors the land, people, and cultures of the company's founders, Eric and Crisoire Reid.
SPAGnVOLA is a member of the Cacao International Bean Exchange Organization (CiBEXO) which is a multi-
national organization that identifies and establishes classification of the finest and most flavorful cocoa beans in
the world.
For more information visit www.spagnvola.com
About Ondo State, Nigeria - Government
With a population of about 3.5 million, Ondo is the 18th largest of Nigerias 36 states and when compared with
Nigerias population of approximately 170 million, it is fairly small. Akure is the capital of Ondo State which is
also referred to as the Sunshine State and contains the largest number of public schools in Nigeria: over 880 pri-
mary schools and 190 secondary schools. The Sunshine State economy is largely driven by private establishments
employing more than five people. Over a 20 year period it grown from 960 to 3,500 and 2,000 of these are located
in Akura.
Ondos sources of revenue are in the main reflective of that at national level and this is includes natural resources
such as oil and petroleum, solid mineral and agriculture. Ondo is the largest cocoa producing State in Nigeria
which is ranked the 4th largest cocoa producing country in the world. Ondo produces 75,000 metric tons of Ni-
gerias 427,800 metric tons per year. Ondo State has been recently identified, also, as the home of the first deep
water offshore field holding over 700 million barrels reserve.
Since 2010, Governor Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has been in charge of the affairs of Ondo State. The governors ac-
complishment has been extraordinary by any government standard. For his work on maternal health which is a
millennium development goal, the governor has won international acclaim and is listed among the worlds archi-
tects of a better world.
For more information visit www.ondostate.gov.ng
Page 70 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
In December 2013, SPAGnVOLA will be expanding with the opening of a new boutique at National Harbor in
the Washington DC metro area. Following the opening of a new boutique at Lakeforest Mall in May, the expan-
sion to National Harbor is the second expansion of 2013. SPAGnVOLAs original boutique is located in the Kent-
lands of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
We are truly excited and honored to be a part of DC metro area's growing
destination at National Harbor. This expansion allows us to reach greater de-
mographics with millions of visitors coming to the National Harbor each year
and now being exposed to one of the finest premium gourmet chocolates in
the world, says Eric Reid, President and Founder of SPAGnVOLA.
SPAGnVOLA's Truffles Factory, located at the original location in
Gaithersburg, Maryland, has become a weekend attraction in the DC metro
area. The boutique includes free tours, chocolate-making classes and chocolate
tasting events. Guests can truly experience the artisan craftsmanship of the fin-
est chocolate in the world.
SPAGnVOLA is a perfect fit for National Harbor as their product is an ex-
pression of their unique vision and expertise as a Chocolatier in creating bon-
bons, truffles and other wonderful treats. The vision for National Harbor is
extremely similarthe vision of high quality, unique and one of a kind, is why
we're so excited to have SPAGnVOLA join National Harbor, exclaims Kent
S. Digby, Senior Vice President of National Harbor.
SPAGnVOLA's rich premium chocolate is derived from a vertically integrated business. Eric and Crisoire Reid, a
husband-wife team, produce one of the finest gourmet chocolates in the world and the process begins from their
own private cacao estate, Hacienda de SPAGnVOLA in Hato Mayor Del Rey, Dominican Republic.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC November 15, 2013
Media Contact
Luzette King
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
240-654-6972
[email protected]
[email protected]
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier Expands into National Harbor
In a move to become the Washington DC areas most sought after premier chocolate, SPAGnVOLA
has expanded to National Harbor. The grand opening of the boutique will occur in December 2013,
just in time for holiday festivities.
Our chocolates are a piece of
our land; you don't eat it, you
'experience' it and your soul
becomes part of our land."
Page 71 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Our chocolates are a piece of our land; you don't eat it, you 'experience' it and your soul becomes part of our
land. We're not out searching for customers, we want an extension of our family, states Crisoire Reid, Co-
Founder and Head Chocolatier of SPAGnVOLA.
About SPAGnVOLA
SPAGnVOLA is a premium chocolate brand which represents the finest chocolate in the world derived from
CiBEXO single-estate and single source cacao beans. SPAGnVOLA premium chocolates are used to create deca-
dent pieces of artfully crafted bonbons and truffles by Co-Owner and Head Chocolatier, Crisoire Reid. She has
developed some of the most aromatic, savory pieces of chocolate artwork in the world. Mrs. Reid's exquisite crea-
tions not only capture the eye, but overwhelm the palate, triggering never-ending desire.
For more information, visit www.spagnvola.com
About National Harbor:
National Harbor is a community unlike any other in the DC region, designed to take full advantage of the most
historic river in the nation. Rising from the banks of the Potomac River, just south of the Woodrow Wilson
Bridge, located in Prince George's County Maryland, National Harbor is a 350-acre, mixed-use development de-
signed to include six hotels including the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, thousands of residen-
tial and office units, tree-lined promenades, with scores of shops and restaurants with a marina and much, much
more.
For more information, visit http://www.nationalharbor.com
Page 72 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
THE Ondo State Government has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding with a United States Of America concern,
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatie LLC, on the establishment of Cocoa
Academy, where Ondo State indigenes will be trained to process
Cocoa to Chocolate.
Signing the MOU on behalf of State on Friday, the Secretary to
the State Government, Dr. Aderotimi Adelola said the partnership
is aimed at enhancing the wealth of farmers and improving agri-
culture in the State.
He stated that the government is embarking on Cocoa revolution
which encompasses an improved production of Cocoa beans, more profitable marketing of Cocoa by Farmers and
processing of Cocoa into finished consumer product.
The SSG stressed that with the establishment of Chocolate Academy, Ondo State indigenes will be trained on how
to convert cocoa to various end products, particularly chocolate, which will transform Farmers from mere produc-
Media Contact
Luzette King
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
240-654-6972
[email protected]
[email protected]
Ondo Govt , foreign partners establish
Cocoa Academy
Collaboration and Partnership Helps Bring Forth Added Value to Ondo State, Nigeria Cocoa Industry
Saturday, 23 November 2013 23:00
Page 73 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
There is no better spot in Gaithersburg to satisfy a chocolate craving thanSPAGnVOLA Chocolatier. The business
produces all of its confections right here in Gaithersburg, at its factory store located in Kentlands Main Street Vil-
lage. Owners Crisoire and Eric Reid opened their Kentlands location in 2011, and added two more stores in 2013,
including one in Lakeforest Mall and the other at National Harbor in Oxon Hill.
The Reids work to ensure that their sweet treats are prepared with a consistently high quality of chocolate by grow-
ing their own cocoa beans. The couple owns a farm in Crisoires hometown of Hato Mayor Del Rey, in the eastern
part of the Dominican Republic. Crisoire learned a lot about growing high caliber cocoa beans in her formative
years, and as an adult, enrolled in Barry Callebaut Chocolate Academy in the United States where she studied to
become a professional chocolatier.
All of the cocoa beans SPAGnVOLA uses are grown, hand-picked, fermented, dried and graded on the Reids Do-
minican Republic farm, before being shipped to the Port of Baltimore. The cocoa beans are then transported from
Baltimore to SPAGnVOLAs Kentlands location, where they are made into a delicious assortment of bonbons,
truffles, chocolate bars, gelato and gourmet coffees. Theres something for every chocolate craving you have.
Visitors can get a first-hand look at how the business produces its sweet treats by taking a factory tour. SPAGn-
VOLA offers these free tours on Saturdays and Sundays between 2 and 5:45 p.m. Tours can be booked online. For
those wanting a more in-depth view of SPAGnVOLAs chocolate-making operations, there is also Chocolate
Making 101. The two-and-a-half hour long class costs $50 per person and is taught by Crisoire Reid. After a tour
of the factory, participants prepare chocolate Ganache filling, learn how to make truffles and try out a variety of
chocolate dipping methods.
The factory tour and chocolate making class are both held at SPAGnVOLAs Kentlands location. This location
also offers birthday party packages where guests tour the factory, make chocolate, dance and of course eat choco-
late.
SPAGnVOLAs Kentlands store is at 360 Main Street, Suite 100, in Gaithersburg, and can be reached at (240) 654-
6972. Store hours are: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11
a.m. until 7 p.m. Sundays. The store is closed on Mondays. The Lakeforest Mall location is at 701 Russell Avenue,
in Gaithersburg, and can be reached at (301) 926-0393. Store hours are: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Satur-
day and 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays. The National Harbor location is at 181 Waterfront Street in Oxon Hill
and can be reached at (240) 493-4609. Store hours are: 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. un-
til 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Sundays.
http://yourgaithersburg.com/2014/01/22/spagnvola-chocolatier-satisfies-your-chocolate-craving/
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier Satisfies Your Chocolate Craving
January 22, 2014 By Amy Morrison
Page 74 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Where They Came From:
Pronounced as spang-vola, the name is derived from a 16th century voyage map of the island of Hispaniola now
the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Owners Eric Reid and his wife, Crisoire (who happens to be the head Choco-
latier), have brought the cacao beans that they cultivate on their estate in Hato Mayor Del Rey in the Republic to
National Harbor via their artisan Truffles Factory located up the beltway in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
How They Got Here:
Eric told me that they were looking to expand from their original boutique and factory location in the Kentlands
area near Gaithersburg and the Harbor seemed to be a good fit. Having only been open since just before the holi-
day season with Senior Partner and General Manager, Takiya Thomas, here at the Harbor store, they have made an
elegant imprint at their newest location.
What They Do:
They make and sell what I consider over the top chocolate bars,
bon bons, truffles and hot cocoa in a very swanky setting. They say
that a picture is worth a thousand words take a look at the ones
accompanying this profile! I can attest to the delicious hot cocoa
and the chocolates I have sampled myself. They also come very
highly recommended by my brother-in-law, Dave from Wyoming,
who received a sampling from me for Christmas! They also have
authentic Italian Gelato in the store and they offer factory tours and
chocolate making classes with Crisoire. Check out the website/blog
for details on these.
Whats Hot in the Harbor!
February 1, 2014 BY OLDTOWNCRIER
SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier
181 Waterfront Street
240-493-4609
Spagnvola.com
Our chocolates are a piece of our land; you dont
eat it, you experience it and your soul becomes part
of our land. Crisoire Reid, Head Chocolatier
Page 75 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
How They Do It:
They refine their estate grown cocoa beans, pair them with traditional Caribbean artisan blends and roast them in
small batches, which inevitably brings out the exquisite flavor of every thing chocolate that they produce. The pro-
cess that Crisoire goes through to create these beautiful chocolates comes straight from her heart. I doubt you will
find any other Chocolatier who can say that they make their products from beans they grow themselves!
Please do yourselves a favor and stop in at SPAGnVOLA on your next trip to National Harbor! Be sure to tell
them that Lani from the Old Town Crier sent you! Not saying Whitmans doesnt make good chocolate but you
may score huge points with a Valentine Box full of
these!
75% Single-Estate Premium Chocolate
Page 76 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
A U.S.-based firm, SPAGnvOLA Chocolatier LLC, has lauded the Ondo State Government over the quality of the
cocoa beans produced in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier, a chocolate firm, is partnering with
the Ondo State Cocoa Revolution Implementation Committee on the production of chocolate in the state.
The firms President and Founder, Mr Eric Reid, in a letter he addressed to Gov. Olusegun Mimiko on Tuesday in
Akure, observed that the quality of the cocoa beans was comparable to the ones from other West African coun-
tries as well as Central or South America.
In our quest to disprove that general view about cocoa coming from Africa, our journey in Ondo State with the
cocoa revolution team is beginning to bear fruit.
The letter stated further that the 70 per cent of chocolate from the New Oda Estate cocoa beans, produced an
amazing aroma and flavour.
U.S. firm hails cocoa quality produced in Ondo State
April 9, 2014 - Posted in: News
Page 77 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
5 stars.
I really have not ever tasted chocolate this good!
I now understand why some people love chocolate THAT much. I was able to take a 15 minute tour of their
downstairs kitchen. My tour guide Jordan told me everything and anything I wanted to know about the chocolate
making process. He was very knowledgeable!
Just FYI: They hull, roast, and process their cocoa beans in house. The business is owned by a family that lives in
the dominican republic that ships their farm's cocoa beans to the store to make into chocolate. This is a serious
no-joke chocolate factory/shop. Willy Wonka would be proud!
I got to taste chocolate that was in the process of being blended with cocoa butter. Oh MY CHOCOLATE was
that good! I got to see their kitchen and other equipment that they use to get their chocolate to the perfect con-
sistency and flavor. I could have used a little more samplings on the tour...but after hearing so much about choco-
late, I indulged myself in ordering from their upstairs storefront.
Here we go:
Cherry bon bon: I needed a cigarette after this piece of chocolate. It was THAT good.
Jasmine Truffle: I got a slight hint of jasmine, but I wasn't really impressed. Pistachio bon bon: another cigarette
White peach bon bon: This is their little pyramid shaped one. It's not only beautiful, its freakin' amazing!
Mocha truffle: Totes Delish Passion Fruit bon bon: Excessively tasty
I strongly suggest you get chocolate from here. It kinda changed the way I thought about chocolate
Page 78 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
3/30/2014
Paige T. says: The chocolate is absolutely divine!!! To be honest, it's a little pricey, but really worth it in my opinion.
We did the chocolate tour and it was really great!!! Very informative! The tour guide was nice and funny. The only
reason I am not giving it 5 stars is because I was a little disappointed that the only sample we got during the tour
was a small amount of melted chocolate on a Popsicle stick. It would have been nice to sample different kinds of
chocolate and learn about the difference between them.
Yummy for the tummy !
3/10/2014
Kathy C. says: What a little gem in the heart of Gaithersberg. Your shop is so pleasing to the eye and the choco-
late display beckons to be taken home. Our tour was delightful and well presented. It is good to know that our son
lives in the area and can make chocolate runs whenever we need a treat that is rich and full of flavor. A good piece
of candy from your shop is worth spreading the word about.
Marvelous!
3/9/2014
Sharad B. says: We loved the tour, and it was great to figure out that the way big companies make chocolate bars
they lose the taste & flavors of a real chocolate. In future will buy chocolates from manufacturers like Spagnvola for
the real taste. Suggestion is to just put up a notice board or announcement to let people know, where to wait for
the tour guide.
Great!
2/23/2014
Lisa B. says: Had a great time yesterday with my family of all ages! Will definitely come back to provide this choco-
late factory experience to other friends as a sweet surprise, and will keep an eye out for chocolate-making classes
when I have the time! (Can't wait to make my own chocolate creations!) Of course your chocolate is absolutely the
best I've ever tasted, and I will DEFINITELY be coming back to purchase more as often as possible! It's probably a
good thing Gaithersburg is out of the way for me, or I'd be spending all my money at SPAGnVOLA! - Lisa :)
OUR CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Page 79 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Our chocolates are a piece of our land; you don't
eat it, you 'experience' it and your soul becomes part
of our land. We're not out searching for customers,
we want an extension of our family.
Page 80 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Sometime ago, the State Government signed a Memorandum of
Understanding ( MOU), with a United States of American concern,
SPAGNVOLA Chocolate LLC, for the establishment of a Cocoa
Academy in the state.
By the terms of the agreement, the academy is expected to train in-
digenes of the state to process cocoa to chocolate. It will also en-
hance the wealth of farmers and improve agriculture in the state.
Signing the MOU on behalf of State on Friday, the Secretary to the
State Government, Dr. Aderotimi Adelola , said government is embarking on Cocoa revolution which encom-
passes an improved production of Cocoa beans, more profitable marketing of Cocoa by Farmers and processing
of Cocoa into finished consumer product.
The SSG stressed that with the establishment of the academy, Ondo State indigenes will be trained on how to con-
vert cocoa to various end products, particularly chocolate, which will transform farmers from mere producers of
cocoa beans to manufacturers of end products.
Similarly, the establishment of the academy is aimed at the revolutionizing of Cocoa , which would be in phases
and encompass improved production of cocoa beans, more profitable marketing of cocoa by farmers and pro-
cessing of cocoa into finished consumer product.
This development is good news to the efforts of the State Government to revamp the agricultural sector in the
state and use it as a catalyst for job creation to teeming youths and unemployed citizens, as well as industrial devel-
opment.
It is equally cheering news, as it shows seriousness on the part of the Mimiko administration to diversify the states
economy.
For too long, the country has lost value to its natural resources, as they have been taken abroad and processed into
finished products Nigerians buy at relatively exorbitant prices.
One hopes Stanmark Cocoa Industry , one of the few industrial concerns in Ondo Town , would one way or the
other be brought into the picture, as continuous successes of the cocoa industry, portends endless opportunities
for the industrial development and economic prosperity of the state.
April 16, 2014 - Written by: admin
ESTABLISHMENT OF A COCOA ACADEMY
IN ONDO STATE
Page 81 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
80% Single-Estate Premium Chocolate
Page 82 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
THE UNIVERSITY OF the West Indies today signed a memorandum of understanding which is expected to
boost chocolate production in the Caribbean.
The UWIs pro-vice chancellor and principal Sir Hilary Beckles and Eric Reid, CEO of Maryland, United States
chocolate-maker SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier signed the MOU at the universitys Cave Hill Campus this morning.
The MOU paves the way for training of chocolate-makers from the Caribbean and elsewhere and for the establish-
ment of a chocolate-making factory in Barbados.
The project falls under the umbrella of the universitys Centre for Food Security and Entrepreneurship. (TY)
TUE, MAY 13, 2014 - 7:00 PM
Plan to boost chocolate production
Principal and pro-vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. (Sandy Pitt)
Page 83 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
A Cocoa and Chocolate Entrepreneur from the United States and the Dominican Republic will deliver the feature
address at the inaugural General Meeting of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Cocoa Producers Group this
weekend.
A release from the Group says the key note speaker will be Eric Reid, the CEO and founder of SPAGnVOLA, a
high quality chocolate manufacturing and distribution company.
The release says Mr. Reid provides technical assistance to a new Chocolate Making Initiative in Nigeria, and has
also begun to partner with a Caribbean Agri-Business Network with a focus on cocoa.
During his presentation, Mr. Reid is expected to share his experience with local cocoa growers and will also guide
Farmers in the chocolate enterprise.
The meeting is set to take place this Saturday May 17th at the Frenches House in Kingstown from 2pm.
SVG Cocoa Producers Inagural General Meeting
TUE, MAY 13, 2014 - 7:00 PM
Page 84 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
BARBADOS IS TIPPED TO BECOME not only a producer of
fine chocolates but a training centre for chocolate makers.
Put that down to a memorandum of understanding which the Uni-
versity of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus signed yesterday with
SPAGnVOLA (pronounced Spang Vola) Chocolatier, a Maryland,
United States chocolate-producer.
The MOU paves the way for training at the UWI of people from
the Caribbeans cocoa-producing countries, Trinidad and Tobago,
Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia and St Vincent, and elsewhere to
turn out high-end chocolate.
It also sets the scene for establishment of a chocolate-making fac-
tory by SPAGnVOLA Chocolatier on the near-30 acres of land at
Dukes Plantation, St Thomas, which philanthropist Eddie Edghill
and his family gave the university.
Professor Leonard OGarro, head of the UWIs Centre for Food
Security and Entrepreneurship under which the project falls, told
reporters attending the signing ceremony at the universitys Cave Hill Campus that the chocolate-making factory was expected to be es-
tablished in another year and a half or two years as part of a multimillion dollar project.
The factory would be using Caribbean cocoa to produce its chocolate.
OGarro said it was too early to tell how many people would find work with the factory but the project should register on the GDP level
and foreign direct investment and employment levels.
The UWI will not have shares in the factory but will benefit from a number of arrangements, including one governing use of its lands,
profit-sharing and provision of a lot of the critical research and backup services needed to advance the programme.
The training programme starts in August with 30 Caribbean nationals who aim to be chocolatiers.
The university will be offering short-term training as well as longer courses, with the package including diploma and full degree pro-
grammes.
OGarro said the courses were also open to people from countries not producing cocoa, such as Barbados, once they were interested in
becoming a chocolate producer.
The idea is to make Barbados the hub for such training and the place where you can get the best high-end chocolates in the world, ac-
cording to Professor OGarro.
The MOU was signed by Cave Hills pro-vice chancellor and principal Sir Hilary Beckles and Eric Reid, CEO of SPAGnVOLA.
Reid, born in Panama and with great-grandparents from Martinique and Jamaica, spoke about the importance of Caribbean agriculture
adding to the value of its cocoa bean production business.
He pointed out that the people who made the most from raw material production were not the farmers, but people higher up the produc-
tion chain, with some farmers ending up having less than peanuts change.
Sir Hilary said the project was a boost for Caribbean manufacturing and the ideal form of development which the university was willing
to support.
He told the gathering that from an early age he was worried about the exploitation of developing countries by multinational chocolate-
makers. (TY)
UWI to get into cocoa mix
Page 85 SPAGnVOLA Medi a Press Ki t
Chocolate Plant for Barbados
TUE, MAY 13, 2014 - 7:00 PM
A new chocolate manufacturing plant could be set up in Barba-
dos within the next two years, through a multi-million dollar pro-
ject being headed by the University
of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus and US-based chocolate
firm Spagnvola.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed yesterday
morning at the campus between Pro Vice Chancellor and Princi-
pal Sir Hillary Beckles and CEO of that company, Eric Reid.
As part of that agreement, Spagnvola plans to increase its invest-
ments into the Caribbean by setting up manufacturing facilities so
that they would be able to access material for Caribbean cocoa
producing countries. Spagnvola already produces raw materials
on farmlands located in the Dominican Republic.
Professor Leonard OGarro, Director of the Centre for Food
Security and Entrepreneurship of the Cave Hill campus, told re-
porters that the centre was especially pleased to participate in
such an initiative given its mandate to invite certain companies to
manufacture high-end Caribbean products using land which the
centre received as a gift, or through accessing the services provid-
ed under a suite of programmes which the centre offered. He said
that the University aspires to become the hub for both training
and for the processing of Caribbean cocoa types to achieve a range of final products.
According to Professor O' Garro, the work we are embarking upon through this MOU sets the tone for the support that will be provid-
ed for the cocoa industry in the Caribbean. Barbados is set to be an important part of it because the training will be done here... We have
invited Spagnvola to become a resident company to manufacture chocolate using the cocoa sourced from neighbouring Caribbean coun-
tries..."
The Director for the Centre of Food Security and Entrepreneurship added that it is still to early to say how many jobs would be provided
with the setting up of the
manufacturing plant, but expressed his convictions that the initiative would register on the GDP and FDI level of the economy.
The set-up of the factory will be preceded by professional training, which will commence at the campus this August. Spagnvola will be
assisting in conducting that training.
By RuthMoisa Stoute
CEO of US-based chocolate firm Spagnvola, Eric Reid (left), shaking hands
with Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of UWI Cave Hill, Sir Hilary Beckles,
after signing an MOU between the two entities
Kentlands (Gaithersburg)
360 Main Street
Suite 100
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
Phone: 240-654-6972
www.spagnvola.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Single-estate Chocolate SPAGnVOLA
An anthropologist proposed a game to children in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit
near a tree and told the children that whoever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them
to run, they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When
he asked them why they had run like that when one could have had all the fruits for himself, they
said, UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad? (UBUNTU in the
Xhosa culture means: I am because we are.)
Lakeforest Mall (Gaithersburg)
701 Russell Ave
Upper Level
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878
Phone: 301-926-0393
Locations:
National Harbor
181 Waterfront Street
National Harbor, MD 20745
Phone: 240-493-4609