From Bean-to-Cup | Collaboration at Heart
Our Natural ceremonial cacao is offered in three distinct single-origin expressions, each rooted in long-standing collaboration with Indigenous Maya communities.
Maya Mountain, Belize
In the tropical foothills of the Maya Mountains in southern Belize, our cacao is cultivated by over 300 Indigenous Mopan and Q’eqchi’ Maya families who have tended these lands for generations. Their relationship with cacao is deeply woven into daily life, ceremony, and cultural tradition.
Grown within dense jungle environments, this Criollo cacao variety holds an heirloom designation by the Heirloom Cacao Project, and thrives among native trees and diverse plant life, creating a living ecosystem where biodiversity is naturally protected. Traditional cultivation methods are passed down through generations, guiding the care of each tree with deep respect and understanding of the local ecology.
We work closely with local producers and smallholder farmers in the region, maintaining a meaningful relationship from harvest to export. This connection allows the cacao to move through the supply chain with integrity and continuity.
Beyond sourcing, we actively invest in the communities we work with. Through our Toolbank initiative in Belize, we provide essential farming equipment to local cacao farmers supporting daily work in the field, reducing physical strain, and strengthening long-term resilience for communities.
After fermentation and sun-drying at origin, the beans are carefully hand-sorted, ready for transport to the Netherlands, where they are stone-ground and prepared in small batches. Packaging is completed by a social working team, creating meaningful employment as part of the final stage of the journey.
With each cup, you are connected to the forests of Belize and the hands that have cared for this cacao across generations.
By choosing this cacao, you are supporting a supply chain rooted in mutual care, creating a ripple effect of positive change from the land and the farmers, to your cup.
Lachua, Guatemala
In the tropical rainforest surrounding Laguna Lachuá in northern Guatemala, close to the Mexican border, cacao is cultivated by Indigenous Q’eqchi’ Maya families who have long lived in close relationship with this rich and vibrant ecosystem. Their connection to the land is expressed through daily practices that honour both tradition and the natural world.
Grown deep within the lush rainforest, near the protected waters of Laguna Lachuá National Park, cacao trees thrive alongside honey, cardamom, and native crops in highly biodiverse agroforestry systems. These landscapes are alive with movement and diversity, shaping cacao that reflects the freshness and vitality of its surroundings.
We work in close collaboration with local farmers and community networks in the region, supporting a model of cultivation that remains rooted in ancestral knowledge and a deep respect for the balance between land, water, and life.
After harvest, fermentation, and sun-drying at origin, the beans are carefully hand-sorted, then transported to the Netherlands where they are stone-ground and prepared in small batches. Packaging is completed by a social working team, extending the journey into a space of inclusion and shared contribution.
With each cup, you are connected to the rainforest of Laguna Lachuá and the communities who continue to protect and cultivate this living landscape.
By choosing this cacao, you are supporting a supply chain rooted in mutual care, creating a ripple effect of positive change from the land and the farmers, to your cup.
Alta Verapaz, Guatemala
In the fertile region of Alta Verapaz in northern Guatemala, cacao is grown by Indigenous Q’eqchi’ and Poqomchi’ Maya communities, whose ceremonial relationship with cacao is deeply woven into the spiritual history of the land. Referenced in the Popol Vuh, this region remains a place where cacao is grown with reverence, patience, and prayer.
Surrounded by rivers, mountains, and tropical cloud forest, cacao trees grow within diverse agroforestry systems that mirror the natural landscape. These environments allow native cacao varieties to develop slowly, shaped by climate, soil, and altitude, maintained by farmers who continue these traditional growing systems in harmony with the land and its natural rhythms.
We collaborate with smallholder farmers and FEDECOVERA, a respected Indigenous regional cooperative partner, supporting thousands of Maya farmers. This collaboration strengthens community well-being through education, healthcare access, and sustainable agroforestry, while protecting sacred traditions and the rainforest ecosystems that sustain them.
Once harvested, fermented, and sun-dried, the beans are carefully hand-sorted and made ready for transport to the Netherlands, where they are stone-ground and prepared in small batches. The final packaging is carried out by a social working team, extending the journey into a space of inclusion and shared contribution.
With each cup, you are connected to the landscapes of Guatemala and the communities who continue to carry this tradition forward.
By choosing this cacao, you are supporting a supply chain rooted in mutual care, creating a ripple effect of positive change from the land and the farmers, to your cup.
🌱 Give Back to the Source
With every purchase, you contribute to our ongoing reciprocity efforts in cacao-growing regions.
Through our baby cacao tree initiative, we support the planting of new cacao trees, helping to restore land, strengthen biodiversity, and invest in the future of cacao farming communities.
