Ah Cacao

Ah Cacao's chocolate products are made from cocoa beans ("cacao") from the Mayalands of Mexico, the birthplace of chocolate, where cacao has been grown for at least three thousand years. Specifically the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Yucatán. What are criollo-type cacao beans? There are many different varieties of cacao beans, characterized by differences in appearance and flavor. The criollo varieties of cacao are those cultivated by the Maya in pre-hispanic Mexico and considered to be the "fine flavor" varieties. Today criollo varieties of cacao represent only about 5% of the world's production due to their susceptibility to disease. Ah Cacao uses mainly criollo-type beans as their milder, less bitter, flavor means we can use less or no sugar in our products. Most of the cacao grown commercially today are "forastero" varieties grown in Africa (in plantations established by Europeans after cacao's discovery in Mexico and South America). These trees are much more resistant to disease but their beans have a much stronger, bitter taste, requiring the use of more sugar and or milk to soften the bitter flavor. Are your products organic? All our cacao and coffee is sourced from growers who practice organic cultivation techniques. However only a handful of our growers have third-party organic certification as obtaining certification is an expensive, time-consuming, process which is not economically feasible for small growers. Are your products fair-trade certified? No. As a small producer based in Mexico, where our ingredients are grown, Ah Cacao pays our farmers the price they set based on current market conditions, which is usually above "fair-trade" prices. Where does your coffee come from? Ah Cacao's coffee comes from farmer co-operatives based in Chiapas state, México. All the beans are high-altitude arabica varieties grown and harvested with care by coffee-growing families.