Meet the farmers!

History

Cacao has been traded across Mesoamerica for thousands of years. Based in Lake Atitlan, we source from Guatemalan rainforests reaching isolated organic farmers.

Cacao’s flavor varies based on the region, climate, and soil in which it grows. We only distribute criollo cacao hybrids cultivated in farmer-owned lands and hand peeled by women's collectives.

Image Credit: Source Cacao

Each batch of cacao is carefully fermented, dried, and toasted. The artisanal processing of the seeds allows an extraordinarily high-quality control. Hand peeling allows our women’s collectives to ensure that each bean is in the perfect state.

Our cacao is originally grown in a food sovereignty program for the Q´eqchi´ community. The primary goal is for the farming families to provide nutritious meals for themselves and cacao is a surplus to the activities.

Some communities have switched to organic farming for over 15 years now. Most of the families are certified organic, others practice the same traditional wisdom without reaching for certifications. One thing is sure, the earth is abundant, diverse, and well cared for. The farmers are always keen to learn further skills to care for their land.