The majority of our cacao comes from Brazil, where we purchase directly from the Saraca community and pay them above the fair trade prices for cacao. We started working with them in 2020 (right before COVID hit). Mariano became connected with them through a relative and heard about their history with growing cacao. Unfortunately, as is the story with many rural farmers, the remote river island remained at the mercy of cacao brokers affiliated with Big Chocolate companies. Mariano listened to stories of immoral business dealings, for which the Saraca community had no means of recourse.

So then in 2020 we begin a relationship honoring the power of the superfood, and hopefully bringing prosperity to the Saraca people, Mariano agreed to purchase their entire Spring harvest. Dona Fausta, the farm grandmother, did a happy samba dance because, for the first time in her life, she was not haggled down in price, and she knew she could trust the agreement. 

COVID hit, and there was much delay and drama in getting the harvest to us, but we did get the beans eventually and have been making tens of thousands of bars of chocolate from them. As I mentioned, Mariano is back in Saraca right now. Because we have been collaborating with them so much, he again placed a deposit on this year's harvest, interweaving our risk with theirs. The long term plan is to help them establish as an origin in the craft chocolate space and so they sell to other makers, not just us.

 For other origins that we purchase from coops, like Thailand, Colombia, Mexico, Tanzania; we like that the coops follow a similar model that is the most friendly for the growers. That model being that cacao farmers are reimbursed for the wet beans. This provides the highest financial compensation for the growers, and also means that the fermentation and drying is done separately from the farming, bringing the overall quality and flavor of the cacao up.