About Lallemand
Lallemand is a privately owned Canadian company with operations worldwide and more than 100 years of expertise in yeast, bacteria, and specialty microorganisms. We develop and produce microbial solutions for the agricultural, food, fermented beverages, health, pharmaceutical, and feed industries.
Our mission is to provide microorganisms selected from nature that improve fermentation control and optimise the quality of the final product. By combining traditional fermentation knowledge with continuous innovation, Lallemand delivers reliable, science‑based solutions to customers and partners across the globe.
Lallemand and cocoa application
Cocoa production is predominantly carried out by smallholder farmers using traditional, artisanal methods. A critical step in this process is cocoa bean fermentation, which plays a vital role in developing flavour, killing the bean embryo, and stabilising the product for the next stages of the cocoa value chain.
At Lallemand, a global leader in microbial fermentation, we offer specialised yeast solutions for cocoa fermentation that help producers:
- Optimise fermentation time, increasing productivity and throughput.
- Enhance flavour development, unlocking the full aromatic potential of cocoa varietals.
- Improve consistency and quality, ensuring reliable results across batches.
- Support sustainable cocoa practices, tailored to the needs of small-scale and premium producers.
By integrating Lallemand’s microbial expertise, cocoa producers can achieve superior organoleptic profiles, better fermentation control, and higher market value.
About LALCOCOA™
LALCOCOA™ supports cocoa farmers and processors in mastering post‑harvest cocoa fermentation, a key stage for flavour development and bean quality. Our mission is to deliver consistent, high‑quality results through advanced microbial solutions.
Backed by over a decade of research, our team has selected the most effective microorganisms for cocoa processing. The LALCOCOA™ yeast range is the only biotechnological tool specifically designed to improve the reliability of spontaneous cocoa fermentation.
Proven across cocoa varieties such as CCN51, Mercedes, and Nacional, LALCOCOA™ solutions adapt to diverse fermentation practices and origins worldwide. We also provide technical support, training, and ongoing expertise in fermentation management and yeast inoculation.
The Science and Innovation behind LALCOCOA™
At Lallemand, innovation is rooted in scientific understanding and practical application. Our R&D teams develop biotechnological tools that transform cocoa fermentation, from a complex, difficult‑to‑control process, into a value‑enhancing opportunity for the entire cocoa value chain.
Through continuous research, field trials, and collaboration with scientific partners, we deepen our understanding of inoculated cocoa fermentation and the role of selected natural yeasts in flavour development and process optimisation.
Our main launches and milestones
- 2014: First research in cocoa producing countries – Partnership with CIRAD
- 2015: Trials in French Guyana, Côte d’Ivoire in collaboration with CIRAD, and Indonesia in collaboration with ICCRI
- 2016: FRENCHOC project in collaboration with French chocolate maker CEMOI and CIRAD, for the selection and development of starter culture for the production of fine cocoa for the premium chocolate segment
- 2017: Development of innovative tools to characterise yeasts and bacteria at lab scale
- 2018: Trials in Mexico and Côte d’Ivoire
- 2019: Presentation of Frenchoc Project at the Fifth International Congress on Cocoa, Coffee and Tea with CIRAD: Poster Session: Interactions between inoculated yeasts, lactic acid and acetic acid bacteria during cocoa bean simulation medium fermentation
- 2019: Cumbre Mundial del Cacao – Launching of LALCOCOA™ FORTE and LALCOCOA™ MATUNDA yeasts
- 2020: Trials in India
- 2022: Trials in Vietnam in collaboration with WASI
- 2023: Trials in Côte d’Ivoire and Madagascar
- 2024: Trials Brazil and publication of Lydie Besançon’s Post Doc in collaboration with CIRAD: Investigating key volatile compounds diffusion in cocoa beans during yeast fermentation-like incubation