Expanding Heirloom in Peru

August 13, 2026 — 8 min readWritten by Lara Thandi Barangé O'Driscoll, Images by Alyssa D'Adamo

Expanding Heirloom in Perú

It began with a visit to the organic, agroforestry cacao plantation of Don Francisco in the coastal region of Tumbes, culminated in a vibrant celebration of Peru’s cacao diversity in Lima, and ended with our engagement with local stakeholders in the Amazonian town of Quillabamba to expand entrepreneurship and capacities in cacao sensorial evaluation. Over three weeks, our team engaged with farmers - both established Heirloom producers and curious multi-generational farming families - chocolatiers, and consumers, with the complementary objectives of preserving fine-flavor cacaos with potential for Heirloom designation, supporting the farmers and who prioritise quality and sustainable land use practices, and connecting people across the value chain who share a passion for fine-quality and well-produced cacao: our vision at Heirloom Cacao Preservation.

Cacao plantations, pods and beans: Connecting with farmers from the coast to the Amazon basin

With approximately 90 microclimates and home to part of the Amazon basin, Peru has a unique diversity of cacao varieties, and this year its cacao reached a new level, with two Peruvian farms receiving Heirloom designation. To consolidate this progress, our Executive Director Alyssa D’Adamo and Peruvian in-country liaison Mey Choy Paz journeyed across the country to meet with farmers who are ambitious to improve their production practices, share accessible guides on optimal post-harvest processing, and offer trainings that will increase the prominence of exceptional-quality, sustainable and equitable cacao in the country’s value chain.

In Tumbes, we visited a family-run agroforestry plantation where the farmers shared their challenges with cacao diseases and their exploration of mitigation strategies without compromising their farming values. Following this, we joined a local cacao cooperative to visit an award-winning plantation where the owner shared his experiences with the increasing impacts of climate change.

Balancing challenges with opportunities, in the region of Utcubamba we were reunited with Don Alfonso and Don Antonio Delgado - the father and son whose farm received Heirloom designation this year. They told us of their positive trials with a new organic fertilizer that has increased their production, as well as the son’s plans to expand the plantation.

In the neighboring region of Bagua, we met a farmer who was beginning anew, restoring the soil by growing banana crops before planting cacao, and, lastly, we met again with the newest of Peru’s two Heirloom designees: Don Mardonio and his family, who 30 years cloned native varieties that are now prized for their fruity and floral flavour profiles.

Highlighting both the many challenges faced by farmers yet their dedication to improving their production systems, we visited Don Esteban, a farmer who we began working with in 2024 in preparation for his Heirloom designation. However, since then the spread of Witches’ Broom disease damaged his crops. While in the meantime, he has planted the highly productive CCN-51 clone to ensure a reliable income, he is working with local farming cooperatives and cacao-producting neighbours to test natural methods for his native cacao trees to once again produce fruits as they have for generations. Sad as it is to see a farmer’s aspirations damaged by unforeseen challenges, his work to recover his plants of potential Heirloom quality is testament to these producers’ dedication to choosing high quality over mass production.

Exquisite chocolate: Celebrating Peruvian chocolate and sharing with chocolatiers and consumers

Our field work took us through Lima’s annual ‘Salón del Cacao y Chocolate’, where Peruvian chocolatiers showcase and sell confectionery - many made with native fruits and flavours - where dancers and musicians winded through the stalls and engaged viewers in their vibrant celebration of Peruvian culture and heritage. At the event’s awards ceremony we presented the HCP and spotlighted the two Peruvian Heirloom farms, thus informing chocolate professionals about the value of Heirloom designation whilst highlighting its availability in their country. The Salón was an excellent opportunity for our team to engage in conversations with chocolatiers and attendees about the preservation of unique cacao varieties, expand our network, spread our message and grow the conversation about the importance of prioritizing fine-flavour cacao.

Unprocessed cacao beans: Strengthening capacity amongst the cacao-farming community

Our three-week trip concluded in the Amazonian town of Quillabamba, where we hosted a training on cacao sensory analysis. A guided evaluation of 15 samples allowed producers to identify the impacts of diverse post-harvest processing methods on cacao flavor. Held at a local coffee processing and education centre, this training was an opportunity for us to share the first simplified guide on post-harvest best practices developed by our team, as well as identify useful topics for future trainings, including business development, data collection, marketing and communication.

From farm to festival to knowledge-sharing, our travels provided us with insights on farmers’ realities and how HCP can contribute long-term value to our partners on the ground, offered the opportunity to share our work with chocolate-makers, and share knowledge and resources to contribute to the preservation and appreciation of fine-quality cacao in one of the countries with the world’s greatest cacao genetic diversity.