It takes constant work to turn land into fertile soil, capable of bringing back an almost extinct variety of cacao. By understanding the genetics of cacao, we have managed to naturally grow cacao criollo via agroforestry and control cross-pollination with spacing and natural barriers. In a biodiverse environment, our cacao trees receive the shade and nurture needed, 15 feet apart from one another. Once these heirloom cacaos grow and provide pods, we select each bean to bring back the cacao criollo.

Our cacao products are full of active ingredients of cacao criollo. The final product has to do with the variety we are working to capture, making this source of benefits and medicinal properties accessible. The results and the experience are directly related to the care –from the planting of the trees, the agroforestry maintenance, to the harvest and the processes in the hands of our community; from trees to our customer’s health.

In this sense, we are not just rescuing the essence of cacao –be it in a drink, a bar, or in a ceremony: we are giving back to the earth. The more cacao we can produce and share, the more our biodiverse forest will grow. The hill and slopes of Finca El Porvenir, rich with fauna and flora, are a service to our products but mostly ensure the longevity of growing ecosystems, in the hope of motivating others into reforestation and sustainable agriculture.