“At Caputo’s, our mission is to preserve the food traditions of our ancestors. Few foods embody that mission more than Heirloom cacao, which is not only capable of producing some of the world’s most extraordinary chocolate, but also supports the communities who steward these rare genetic treasures. The impact extends far beyond flavor, touching biodiversity, cultural heritage, sustainability, and the future of cacao itself.

“Since working with this cacao, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing how Heirloom cacao creates value throughout the supply chain - from the meticulous farmers, to choosy producers who support it, to the discerning customers who seek it out. Preserving something rare today ensures that future generations can experience it tomorrow. Caputo’s is honored to be a part of this legacy.”

Explore Caputo's

“Many of the birds we see and value in the USA and Canada spend half their lives in Latin America — places that grow cacao.”  A love for nature is at the heart of Clandestine Chocolates, run by chocolatier Jonathan Doherty in New Hampshire, USA. Reflecting on when he first tasted Heirloom cacao, he shared “I found the flavor profiles so much more interesting and complex than what I had been using”, and he began using Heirloom cacao for his own creations.

Following on from his former career with the National Park Service where his mission was to protect nature and encourage people to appreciate its value, his chocolates are now a symbolic way to continue this goal, with each chocolate box coming with a leaflet about the cacao origin, flavor profiles and the birds he beautifully depicts on his chocolates. “I use Heirloom cacao from places the birds spend winter; I add flavors such as spruce tips from where they breed in the summer, and I share how they move across thousands of miles. My customers respond, many saying they read the booklet and flavor descriptions aloud before tasting a chocolate.”

Explore Heirloom

“Cacao with a meaningful story is critical. Switching to an Heirloom-designated bean has allowed us to meet customers' expectations for ethical consumption. We sought cacao that was well-fermented, traceable and delicious, and we chose the cacao produced by Kampura in Guatemala. Here we see farmers who care deeply about cacao genetics and flavor, as well as their environmental and social impact. These are people to be celebrated and supported, and our customers absolutely rave about the upgraded flavor of our chocolate!”

Learn more about Diego's

“Working with Heirloom cacao is a reminder of why bean-to-bar chocolate matters: The flavor, the farmers, the origins and the incredible variety. Heirloom cacao has helped us stay focused on what matters most: The bean. It gives us a deeper appreciation for the story behind each origin, and for cacao’s place in history.” The vision of the founders of Loon Chocolate is for consumers to “rediscover what chocolate can be, and to celebrate cacao from around the world”. As they explained, the accessibility of fine-flavor chocolate is also an important part of their work: “Loon Chocolate was started with the idea that fine chocolate should be accessible to everyone. Our goal has always been to make chocolate that is both approachable and exceptional.”

Explore Fine Flavors

“We were in the El Beni region of Bolivia in 2017, visiting a family that was planting and growing cacao. As we began our chocolate-making journey, we wanted to use cacao from the regions where we had traveled, and we created a trade connection with Heirloom cacao producers. Our background is in gardening, so we have a special interest in the preservation of Heirloom varieties of all plant species. It is an honor to work with Heirloom cacao and promote the excellent work of HCP.”

Explore Black Jaguar Chocolate

“Heirloom reminds us of a time when flavor and originality was just as important as price. As a craft maker, the quality and consistency of our raw material is where it starts: If you do not control your genetics you do not control your flavor.” Native to Denmark, Mikkel - the founder of the Friis-Holm Chokolade shared the motto that drives his work: “Best in the world, best for the world”.

Explore the Heirloom Collections

“As bean-to-bar chocolate makers, working with Heirloom cacao allows us to showcase unique flavor profiles while supporting the preservation of exceptional cacao varieties and the farmers who cultivate them. Heirloom cacao has played an important role in helping us create distinctive, award-winning chocolates that highlight origin and craftsmanship”. Based in Arizona, USA, the team behind Tucson Chocolate Factory also support their local food economy by using native ingredients such as prickly pears and saguaro fruit, as well as locally harvested honey, cream and citrus to create high-quality confections inspired by the traditional food cultures that have existed in the region for thousands of years.

Learn More & Taste Fine Flavor

Fine-flavor chocolatiers who use Ecuadorian cacao to create a diversity of confectionery, Grocer’s Daughter Chocolates share that they value Heirloom cacao, “as a delicious reminder of the biodiversity in our world. Just as gardeners treasure Heirloom tomatoes, chocolatiers prize Heirloom cacao for its depth, rarity and sense of place. Preserving these cacao varieties isn’t just about protecting exceptional flavor; it’s about safeguarding our culinary heritage.”

Explore Fine Flavors

“For me, the Bolivian Heirloom cacao we use represents curiosity, stewardship, resilience, collaboration, and the belief that something beautiful can emerge when people come together in service of a shared vision.” Christina and Attilio - the Co-Founders of Korita Chocolate - share that working with the Heirloom producers “felt less like a business transaction and more like inheriting a story and a responsibility to continue sharing it.” They added that “HCP has played a vital role in making those connections visible. HCP goes far beyond identifying exceptional cacao to help preserve genetic diversity, support farming communities, elevate awareness, and build bridges between growers, researchers, chocolatemakers, and consumers. They remind us that great chocolate begins long before a bar is made: it begins with healthy ecosystems, dedicated farmers, and a collective commitment to preserving cacao’s remarkable heritage.”

Dive into Fine Flavor

To’ak Chocolate brings Ecuadorian Heirloom cacao to chocolate lovers across the world. Their vision emerged when three friends from Austria, the USA and Ecuador came together with a shared belief that the world’s most extraordinary cacaos deserve to be rediscovered and celebrated. What started as a passion project has grown into a long-term commitment to preserving Ecuador’s rare ‘Nacional’ cacao and demonstrating that exceptional craftsmanship and origin can create meaningful value for both people and nature.

In their words: “Over the past decade, we’ve worked closely with farming communities to identify and protect some of Ecuador’s oldest and rarest cacao trees while producing small-batch chocolate that expresses their unique terroir. Along the way, our work has expanded beyond chocolate to include genetic preservation, regenerative agroforestry, biodiversity conservation, and long-term partnerships with cacao-growing families. Today, To’ak chocolates are enjoyed in more than 60 countries, but our mission remains rooted in the forests and farming communities where this remarkable cacao grows.”

Explore Fine Flavor