Look out for the monthly interviews, Sanja Vladovic (Level 2 Chocolate Taster) will be putting together to highlight the skills, passions and experience of some of our fellow alumni. These will be published in our newsletters and via social media.
I am genuinely intrigued by the fellow alumni who share my passion for cacao and chocolate, and I find great joy in delving deeper into each individual’s unique journey and experiences.
Sanja is a marketing expert who spends her free time researching specialty chocolate and cacao. In 2016, Sanja and her husband Stiv Kahlina started Malo & Slatko in Zagreb, Croatia, which produces the internationally awarded TAMAN Artisan Chocolates, and where she works as a chocolate taster and organiser of guided tastings, workshops and training on chocolate and cacao for professionals and the general public.
Sanja explains her motivation, “Guiding chocolate tastings is a real passion of mine. My husband and I are driven by the desire to encourage people to think differently about chocolate, to try new flavors, to ask questions about ingredients, origins, techniques, about people whose work and effort make good chocolate possible. We want them to be brave and join us on the journey to discover different tastes, aromas and the stories behind chocolate… and to return delighted and enriched by that experience. We want them to raise their standards and expectations by making them ask for more from every chocolate they will eat in the future.
Having completed IICCT Level 2 in 2020, being a part of the IICCT Alumni community fills me with a sense of pride and belonging. It connects me with others who share not only a passion for chocolate tasting, but also a passion to pursue interesting topics, to cultivate relationships, share knowledge and most of all to educate the public about the complexities of chocolate production. Being an IICCT Alumni goes beyond obtaining a certification; it symbolizes being part of a revolution in the world of chocolate.
This is why I volunteer to conduct Members’ Spotlight interviews. I am genuinely intrigued by the fellow alumni who share my passion, and I find great joy in delving deeper into each individual’s unique journey and experiences.
Thank you Sanja for offering your time to support us, and we look forward to you introducing us to more colleagues over the coming months.
You can follow Sanja on Instagram profile: @sanja_on_chocolate
