Valrhona’s Guanaja Chocolate Marks 40 Years

Why this is here: Valrhona extends the conching process for Guanaja chocolate to 48 hours or more, contributing to its fine texture and smooth mouthfeel.

In Tain-l’Hermitage, France, Valrhona created Guanaja chocolate in 1986, transforming pastry with a new intensity of cacao. The French firm, founded in 1922, began blind taste tests of cacao beans, selecting six fine varieties from South America, the Caribbean, and Africa for a unique flavor profile. They refined each stage of chocolate making, adjusting temperatures and extending the conching process—invented in 1879—to highlight aromas and achieve a smoother texture.

Pastry chef Eric Ortuño of L’Atelier Barcelona recalls discovering the 70% cacao Guanaja as a 15-year-old, noting its balanced acidity and lasting flavor. Josep Maria Rodríguez Guerola of La Pastisseria Barcelona won the 2011 World Pastry Cup with a dessert featuring Guanaja, and Ricardo Vélez of Moulin Chocolat in Madrid uses roughly 3,000 kilograms annually.

Valrhona keeps specific details of its process private. The firm’s focus on particle size and extended conching remains a closely held practice, contributing to the chocolate’s unique qualities. The development of this chocolate continues to influence palates and inspire new creations.