Heirloom cacao beans are the diamonds of the cacao tree, producing the finest flavor. They are endowed with a combination of historic, cultural, botanical, geographical and flavor value that is the foundation of the best tasting chocolate.
Why is heirloom cacao important?
Heirloom and indigenous species of cacao have a number of ecological, economic and social benefits:
- Cacao is a crop grown primarily by small-scale farmers in lowland tropical regions. Most production occurs in areas of high biodiversity. Research shows that where cacao is an important source of income, it contributes to roughly one-third of a family’s total revenue.
- Indigenous cacao trees are often used in agroforestry initiatives. Heirloom varietals most often grow in the shade and grow harmoniously with other fruit trees, such as bananas, papayas, or cashews. This type of agriculture increases the farmer's ability to protect against blight and increase sources of revenue.
- As a crop primarily grown in the shade, it provides habitats for numerous species, including birds and other fruit-bearing trees, thus protecting an areas’ unique biodiversity. Shade-grown cacao production is now seen as the best alternative for preserving some of the still intact biodiversity in areas plagued by deforestation.
- Heirloom beans have terrific overall balance — complex and intense, long and pleasant — as well as unique flavor. It's this unique flavor profile that can be used to attract higher market prices for such rare beans, providing more revenue for the farmers cultivating them.
Is chocolate going extinct?
Not yet, but it’s vanishing quickly due to global pressures of climate change, deforestation, disease, and economic turmoil, all of which threaten the supply of high quality, flavorful cacao. Let's look at what's happening around the world:
Cacao in Brazil: Home of the Amazon rain forest, this country is internationally known for the diversity of its cacao species. In early 2000, a scientific expedition discovered rare, blue-colored cacao pods. When returning the next season, scientists found that the trees had been felled for extending cattle grazing pastures. While the rate of deforestation in Brazil has slowed recently, hundreds of square miles continue to disappear and with it, cacao diversity.
Cacao in Peru: Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture calculates that a quarter to a third of its cacao landscape is overrun with foreign cacao species, mostly including the problematic CCN-51 clone. This varietal boasts a higher productivity output and lower disease resistance rate, but is criticized for its bland flavor and its negative implications on local ecosystems. Unfortunately, CCN-51 plantings continue to dominate the landscape.
Cacao in Ecuador: The popular and commercially valuable Arriba Nacional cacao dominated the countryside until a blight struck in the early 1900s. By the year 2000, only scattered pockets of this ancient, flavorful strain remain. Recognizing the national importance of this species, the Instituto Nacional Autonomo de Investigaciones Agropecuarias now prohibits blending other genotypes with the indigenous cacao.
Cacao in West Africa: This area is the world’s #1 cacao producer, accounting for upwards of two-thirds of total global output. Built upon a strong foundation of an indigenous varietal, Amelonado, whose genetics is largely responsible for that core chocolate flavor made famous by candy brands, this strain is being replaced by clone species. These species are valued for their yield and disease resistance, not flavor.
Cacao in Indonesia: The much sought-after “Java A cacao” varietal is being replaced by modern varietals prized for their higher yields rather than flavor profile. Estimates run that the indigenous varietals constitute as little as 1% of the country's total crop.
These are some of the many reasons why preserving and protecting heirloom cacao is so important. We can’t let fine flavor chocolate become extinct! To that end, in the process of heirloom designation, HCP supports both cacao bio-diversity and fine chocolate sustainability.
Cacao in Brazil: Home of the Amazon rain forest, this country is internationally known for the diversity of its cacao species. In early 2000, a scientific expedition discovered rare, blue-colored cacao pods. When returning the next season, scientists found that the trees had been felled for extending cattle grazing pastures. While the rate of deforestation in Brazil has slowed recently, hundreds of square miles continue to disappear and with it, cacao diversity.
Cacao in Peru: Peru’s Ministry of Agriculture calculates that a quarter to a third of its cacao landscape is overrun with foreign cacao species, mostly including the problematic CCN-51 clone. This varietal boasts a higher productivity output and lower disease resistance rate, but is criticized for its bland flavor and its negative implications on local ecosystems. Unfortunately, CCN-51 plantings continue to dominate the landscape.
Cacao in Ecuador: The popular and commercially valuable Arriba Nacional cacao dominated the countryside until a blight struck in the early 1900s. By the year 2000, only scattered pockets of this ancient, flavorful strain remain. Recognizing the national importance of this species, the Instituto Nacional Autonomo de Investigaciones Agropecuarias now prohibits blending other genotypes with the indigenous cacao.
Cacao in West Africa: This area is the world’s #1 cacao producer, accounting for upwards of two-thirds of total global output. Built upon a strong foundation of an indigenous varietal, Amelonado, whose genetics is largely responsible for that core chocolate flavor made famous by candy brands, this strain is being replaced by clone species. These species are valued for their yield and disease resistance, not flavor.
Cacao in Indonesia: The much sought-after “Java A cacao” varietal is being replaced by modern varietals prized for their higher yields rather than flavor profile. Estimates run that the indigenous varietals constitute as little as 1% of the country's total crop.
These are some of the many reasons why preserving and protecting heirloom cacao is so important. We can’t let fine flavor chocolate become extinct! To that end, in the process of heirloom designation, HCP supports both cacao bio-diversity and fine chocolate sustainability.
