Colombia
SIERRA NEVADA
Award-winning earthy and complex cacao from the land of magical realism centrally fermented by the association.
2022 Data - Product
Quality: Ultra Premium
Flavor: Guava, almond butter & green apple
Fermentation Style: Box
Drying Style: Raised beds with a roof, solar dryers & mechanical dryer
Quality Practices: Sugar analysis of wet cacao at purchase point, temperature monitoring during fermentation, cut tests during fermentation
Hand Sorting: Sometimes
Number of awards in 2022: 4
2022 Data - Planet
Crops that are used for intercropping: Plantain, banana, avocado, wood & citrus
Environmental practices: Agroforestry & adaptation of traditional practices
Hectares managed & cultivated: 339
Average percent of shade of cacao farms: 45%
Distance of producer to facility (km): 23
Distance to port (km): 51
Ocean freight CO2kgs per MT (US): 66
Ocean Freight CO2kgs per MT (EU): 145
2022 Data - People
Community-focused initiatives: Financial services, capacity development, infrastructure improvement
Trainings conducted: Farm productivity, ecological practices & cacao quality
Producers purchased from: 110
Female producers: 26
Producers under 35 y/o: 7
Total # of producers trained: 56
Total # of female producers trained: 7
Total # of producers under 35y/o trained: 6
Full time employees: 4
Full time female employees: 1
Part time employees: 6
Part time female employees: 2
Average farm size (ha): 2.2
Average sales per producer (dry kg): 453
Average annual cacao revenue per producer: $1,072
The Sierra Nevada Association & Centralized Fermentation produces cacao near the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
Cacao Hunters has worked closely with 13 farming families to develop biodiverse cacao agroforestry, and a prosperous way of life alternative to the degenerative monocropping of bananas that is prevalent in this part of the country. Farmers’ degree of technical expertise really stands out as exceptional: farmers are even running their own pollination trials to improve quality and yields, which are currently around 700 Kg/hectare in the region.
In addition to excellent growing and processing practices, the cacao from Sierra Nevada tastes delicious. This cacao has consistently won over judges worldwide and over the years has aggregated 15 awards including the coveted Golden Bean Award in 2019.
TERROIR
The farms producing this cacao are located in a uniquely special terroir in between the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountain range to the south, and the Caribbean coast of Colombia to the north. The Sierra Nevada mountain range is located only 50 miles from the border with Venezuela. Cacao arrived in the Sierra Nevada region approximately 4,000 years ago from the Amazon further south. The cacao producers who work with Cacao Hunters to grow and process this delicious cacao are located in the three departments that run along the Sierra Nevada range: Magdalena, La Guajira, and Cesar.
The Sierra Nevada Association & Centralized Fermentation produces cacao near the Caribbean coast of Colombia.
Cacao Hunters has worked closely with 13 farming families to develop biodiverse cacao agroforestry, and a prosperous way of life alternative to the degenerative monocropping of bananas that is prevalent in this part of the country. Farmers’ degree of technical expertise really stands out as exceptional: farmers are even running their own pollination trials to improve quality and yields, which are currently around 700 Kg/hectare in the region.
In addition to excellent growing and processing practices, the cacao from Sierra Nevada tastes delicious. This cacao has consistently won over judges worldwide and over the years has aggregated 15 awards including the coveted Golden Bean Award in 2019.
TERROIR
The farms producing this cacao are located in a uniquely special terroir in between the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountain range to the south, and the Caribbean coast of Colombia to the north. The Sierra Nevada mountain range is located only 50 miles from the border with Venezuela. Cacao arrived in the Sierra Nevada region approximately 4,000 years ago from the Amazon further south. The cacao producers who work with Cacao Hunters to grow and process this delicious cacao are located in the three departments that run along the Sierra Nevada range: Magdalena, La Guajira, and Cesar.
Notable Awards
2022 Gold Academy of Chocolate
Pictured here is Janeth Vargas from the Guardabosques group on her farm in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range.