THE HCP DESIGNATES NEW HEIRLOOM CACAOS

Tuesday, Jan 21 2018 – The Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund (HCP) is delighted to announce that the cacao trees of Tujikomboe Farmers Group, Tanzania; and Akesson’s Bejofo Estate, Madagascar have been designated HEIRLOOM. They become, respectively, the fourteenth and fifteenth HCP Heirloom designations made since the 2014 inaugural Heirlooms.
The HCP’s International Tasting Panel tasting notes for Heirloom 14: Immediate presence of a rich chocolate note with an early fruit acidity presence following the chocolate blending in tart fresh fruits—citrus and tropical—a note that will persist throughout the flavor profile. Complex with the base chocolate of Amelonado from Africa. Tasting Notes for Heirloom 15: A burst of a fresh tart citric fruit—sour cherry, citron, tart orange and lemon with a soft fleshy fruit side—apricot, soursop, guanaba. Throughout this taste profile, there is an overlay of a caramelized sugar / panella / sweet toffee note. The criollo parentage is certainly showing through! Specific notes can be found on at http://hcpcacao.org/heirloom-designees/
Lesley Family Foundation supports Heirloom Cacao Nursery Project
The HCP is also very excited to announce the commencement of their new Heirloom Cacao Nursery Project made possible by a grant from the Lesley Family Foundation. This project will utilize grafts from the designated Heirloom Cacao trees in Belize and Ecuador in cooperation with the USDA/ARS to develop nurseries and experimental farm plots, determine best management practices for these rare varieties, and provide training to local farmers in nursery development and cultivation techniques. Our goal is to not only protect and propagate fine flavor cacao for future generations but to also improve the livelihoods for cacao growing families.
“We are honored to be partnering with the Lesley Family Foundation whose mission is to “produce profound good that is tangible and measurable” and know that both organizations working together can produce great results,” says Dan Pearson, HCP President.
About the Lesley Family Foundation
The Lesley Family Foundation is a small family foundation created in 2001 and based in Dallas, Texas.
The Foundation’s mission is to help create profound and tangible good in the world. The foundation’s specific areas of interest are: to benefit nature and wildlife conservation; to prevent cruelty to animals and support their rehabilitation; Children’s emotional and psychological well-being and to support cultural, literary and artistic endeavors in the community.