Banyak yang mengira bahwa Gunung Api Purba Nglanggeran hanya sebatas wisata alam berupa embung, gugusan bebatuan atau air terjun. Nglanggeran juga menyimpan potensi wisata kuliner yang tak kalah menarik, salah satunya yaitu cokelat. Hal ini bermula pasca peristiwa gempa tahun 2006, penanaman pohon kakao dilakukan untuk membangkitkan perekonomian warga. Saat ini, Desa Nglanggeran memiliki sekitar 101 Hektar perkebunan Kakao milik Rakyat. Hampir seluruh masyarakat memiliki pohon kakao di sekitar pekarangan rumah mereka maupun di lahan khusus. Melalui pendampingan yang dilakukan Kantor Perwakilan Bank Indonesia DIY (KPw BI DIY) bekerjasama dengan Balai Penelitian Teknologi Bahan Alam – Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (BPTBA-LIPI) serta Dinas Perkebunan dan Kehutanan Kabupaten Gunungkidul, penanaman dan pengembangan kakao dilakukan dengan berbasis agrowisata dan olahannya. Sinergi tersebut menghasilkan beberapa program pengembangannya berupa bantuan teknis dari budidaya sampai dengan pengolahan pascapanen
Sebuah kebanggaan luar biasa bahwa sekarang masyarakat Desa Nglanggeran tidak hanya bisa menanam dan mendapatkan hasil penjualan buah Kakao saja, namun kini sudah bisa mengolah Kakao menjadi bubuk Cokelat, aneka minuman Cokelat dengan brand Chocomix, beragam makanan berbahan dasar Cokelat bahkan Cokelat batangan hingga Spa Cokelat. Kesemua produk olahan cokelat ini kemudian dipusatkan di sebuah tempat bernama Griya Cokelat yang diresmikan pada 2 Desember 2016 oleh Gubernur D.I Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X.
Keberadaan Griya Cokelat Nglanggeran ini diharapkan mampu meningkatkan motivasi dan partisipasi masyarakat untuk tetap berproduksi dan berinovasi, sedangkan bagi pengunjung diharapkan dapat menjadi tempat berbelanja oleh-oleh khas Desa Nglanggeran khususnya olahan coklat. Selanjutnya Griya Cokelat ini diharapkan dapat berdampak pada peningkatan ekonomi masyarakat sekitar.
Griya Cokelat – Tasting the Unique Chocolate of Nglanggeran
People known that the ancient volcano Nglanggeran is just a natural tourist attraction with reservoirs, rock formations, or waterfalls. However, Nglanggeran also holds the potential for culinary tourism, and one of its highlights is chocolate. This initiative began after the earthquake of 2006 when cocoa tree planting was undertaken to boost the local economy. Currently, the Nglanggeran Village has approximately 101 hectares of cocoa plantations owned by them. Almost every resident has cocoa trees in their yards or dedicated land areas. With guidance from the Bank Indonesia DIY Representative Office (KPw BI DIY), in collaboration with the Research Center for Natural Resources Technology – Indonesian Institute of Sciences (BPTBA-LIPI), as well as the Department of Plantations and Forestry of Gunungkidul Regency, cocoa planting and development are carried out with an agrotourism-based approach and post-harvest processing. This synergy has resulted in several development programs, including technical assistance from cultivation to post-harvest processing.
It is an extraordinary pride that the community of Nglanggeran Village can now not only cultivate and sell cocoa beans but also process cocoa into chocolate powder, various chocolate beverages under the brand Chocomix, a variety of chocolate-based foods, chocolate bars, and even chocolate spa treatments. All of these chocolate products are centralized in a place called Griya Cokelat, which was officially inaugurated on December 2, 2016, by the Governor of Yogyakarta Special Region, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X. The presence of Griya Cokelat Nglanggeran is expected to boost the motivation and participation of the community in production and innovation. For visitors, it is hoped that Griya Cokelat can serve as a place to purchase unique Nglanggeran Village souvenirs, especially chocolate-based products. Furthermore, Griya Cokelat is expected to have a positive impact on the economic well-being of the surrounding community.