GUATEMALA CACAO
A FINGERPRINT UNLIKE ANY OTHER

CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS
WHY GUATEMALA? LET US COUNT THE WAYS

There are origins you work with. And then there are origins that work on you. Guatemala is the latter.

From the misty rainforests surrounding the pristine Laguna Lachuá in Alta Verapaz, to Pacific Coast farms rediscovering an ancient cacao heritage -Guatemala holds a very special place in our hearts at Silva Cacao.
And now, with the joining of forces between Silva Cacao and Uncommon Cacao, we are proud to present the most complete and curated range of Guatemalan cacao we have ever offered.

Cacao and Guatemala go back a long way. The Q’eqchi’ Maya communities of Alta Verapaz have been growing cacao for centuries -long before it became the star of high-percentage dark chocolate bars. Agroforestry here is not a trend; it is simply the standard. The dense jungle canopy and the deep cultural rootedness of cacao do not allow anything else.

What excites us most, however, is what’s unfolding beyond tradition. The Lachuá eco-region represents more than 20 years of pioneering work –expanding market access and strengthening livelihoods for indigenous farmers, while advancing bold, forward-thinking active forest restoration. Degraded cattle rangeland is gradually transformed into productive cacao forests -creating vital wildlife corridors that reconnect Parque Nacional Laguna Lachuá with surrounding forest fragments. Jaguars return, birdlife flourishes, biodiversity rebound -this is a quiet green revolution in motion.

Add some fascinating genetics. The Lachuá region forms part of one of the Maya world’s historic cacao landscapes, where cacao has been cultivated, traded, and valued for centuries. While influences from neighboring regions, including Belize and southern Mexico, have enriched its diversity over time, Lachuá has developed a cacao identity of its own. The result is a rich genetic heritage and remarkable flavour complexity that continue to surprise even the most experienced chocolate makers.

And the team? Outstanding. Precise genetic selections, semi-mechanised farming techniques, adapted post-harvest protocols for each variety, clonal gardens conserving the regional gene pool, active forest restoration, and even farming practices that manage heavy metal uptake through adapted soil management. This is where tradition meets innovation -and you can taste it in the beans.

HISTORY & CULTURE
THE ROOTS RUN DEEP

Guatemala didn’t discover cacao. Cacao discovered Guatemala.

Genetic research published between 2002 and 2018 confirms that while Theobroma cacao originated in the Upper Amazon, its cultural heart beat loudest in Mesoamerica -and Guatemala was its most sacred chamber.
Ceramic vessels from an élite Maya tomb at Río Azul in northeast Guatemala (ca. 400-600 CE) were chemically analysed using HPLC techniques, revealing the presence of theobromine and caffeine: the first direct chemical evidence of cacao in a Maya context. Further research traces cacao beverages back even further –beyond 1000 BCE.

For the Maya, cacao was not simply food. It was sacred -connected to the maize god Hun Hunahpu, referenced in the Popol Vuh as one of the ingredients used in the creation of humanity. It served as currency: archaeologist Joel Palka has documented counterfeit cacao beans fashioned from clay, arguably the world’s first recorded monetary fraud. Cacao thrived only in narrow tropical zones below 1,250 metres, making Guatemala’s valleys among the most coveted agricultural land in all of Mesoamerica.

Then came the silence. Coffee took over as Guatemala’s dominant export crop from around 1850. Infrastructure was abandoned, fermentation knowledge faded, and for much of the 20th century Guatemala’s cacao story was largely forgotten.

By 2014, the country had gone more than a decade without a single commercial cacao export. Yet the Q’eqchi’ Maya communities of Alta Verapaz never truly stopped -cacao persisted in ceremonial, culinary and subsistence use, even documented as recently as 2006 as a practice with genuine ecological protective value against slash-and-burn agriculture.

What is happening now is not a trend. It is a return. The same genetic diversity, the same communities, the same valleys -now paired with modern post-harvest science and a global specialty market that is finally paying attention.

When you choose Guatemalan cacao, you are not just selecting a flavour profile. You are reconnecting with one of the oldest cacao cultures on earth -and helping write its next chapter.

THE TEAMS BEHIND THE BEANS
BUILT TOGETHER

We don’t believe in coincidence. When Uncommon Cacao -led by the remarkable Emily Stone, began working with associations in the Lachuá and Cahabón regions in 2015, the mission was clear: create meaningful market access for cacao farming communities, build radical transparency into the supply chain, and prove that quality and fairness can coexist. Over nearly a decade, that work transformed the livelihoods of hundreds of Q’eqchi’ Maya farming families, established Cacao Verapaz in Cobán as a model social enterprise, and put Guatemalan specialty cacao firmly on the global map.

What began as one cacao from one region has -through relentless care for quality and community -grown into a transformation for the whole area. Multiple associations, multiple lots, multiple international awards. That foundation did not build itself. It was built by Emily, her team, and the communities who trusted them.

In 2018, Katrien from Silva Cacao arrived in Guatemala and connected with Erick Ac and Arturo Santos, two professionals who had been working for years to advance cacao production through innovation, sustainability, and landscape restoration.
Erick -a third-generation cacao producer with deep practical expertise in cultivation, post-harvest management, and the traditions of the region, and Arturo -an agronomist passionate about sustainable development and forest restoration, had both been actively promoting resilient cacao systems since the early 2000s.

Their shared vision perfectly complemented Silva Cacao’s pursuit of exceptional quality. Much like the harmony between fine chocolate and fine wine, their combined experience, local knowledge, and commitment to sustainability created a unique partnership focused on recovering cacao, restoring forests, improving livelihoods, and developing distinctive flavour profiles. The later contributions of ZOTO Cacao and MOCCA added further depth to bean selection and post-harvest excellence, enriching this collaborative journey.

Two paths. Same destination. Now, with Silva Cacao and Uncommon Cacao having joined forces, these journeys have converged into one broad, curated Guatemala range -each lot with its own flavour identity, its own environmental footprint, and its own human story. This curated range is the result of genuine collaboration across years and borders. Each lot exists because the right people, at the right moment, chose to care -about quality, about communities, and about the forests these beans grow in.

OUR GUATEMALA CACAO PORTFOLIO
FROM REGIONAL SIGNATURES TO RARE MICROLOTS

Our curated range of Guatemala Specialty cacao is built on convergence -of landscapes, genetics, and human collaboration.
From Signature Flavours from micro-regions, to single farms and unique microlots, from the regions of Lachuá, Cahabón, Quetzaltenango and Escuintla…

A WALK THROUGH OUR GUATEMALAN RANGE 

REGION ALTA VERAPAZ – LACHUÁ ECO-REGION 

Where the story of modern Guatemalan specialty cacao began  -in the lush hills surrounding a pristine karstic lake, among Q’eqchi’ Maya communities whose relationship with cacao stretches back millennia.

FROM THE FARMERS’ ASSOCIATIONS

LACHUÁ ORGANIC BLEND  🌱 EU & USDA Organic
ASSOCIATION BLEND   
Source: ASODIRP, KATBALPOM & ASOSELNOR via Ecolasa / Funda Lachuá
Flavour: Lemon · Strawberry Jam · Walnut · Mocha Latte

In the lush hills surrounding Laguna Lachuá -a pristine karstic lake whose name comes from the Q’eqchi’ words la chu há, meaning ‘fetid water’ -a gentle nod to the mild sulphurous scent rising from the springs below, far less dramatic than it sounds, three community associations of Q’eqchi’ Maya farming families work side by side.
Their cacao is grown within rich agroforestry systems, where cultivation and conservation go hand in hand. These communities are deeply committed to protecting their environment, and over time, their beans have become iconic in the specialty cacao world.
The flavour profile is unmistakable: bright, fruity, and layered with complexity -finishing with that signature walnut-mocha note.
↪ The classic. The one that has sparked many a love affair with Guatemalan cacao.

LACHUÁ K’ATB’ALPOM
AWARD WINNING
Source: K’atb’alpom Association, indigenous Q’eqchi’ Maya farmers, buffer zone of Parque Nacional Laguna Lachuá
Flavour: Yellow Fruits · Sweetness · Salty Pistachio · Lemon Curd

Living off-grid in the buffer zone of a national park, the K’atb’alpom farmers rely on cacao, honey, cardamom, and corn for their livelihoods.
Their careful bean selection and controlled fermentation have produced award-winning results.
↪ A genuinely distinctive lot with intensity, balanced acidity, and the kind of layered complexity that rewards a patient chocolate maker.

LACHUÁ HIX  🌱 EU & USDA Organic
MICROLOT
Source:  K’atb’alpom Association
Flavour: Dried Apricot · Dates · Orange Peel · Cinnamon · Eucalyptus · Licorice

Hix means ‘Jaguar’ in Q’eqchi -and this microlot has the presence to match. Through a newly developed post-harvest protocol designed to encourage early bean acidification, the team at K’atb’alpom has unlocked a long, mesmerising sensory flight: from dried apricot and dates, through aromatic spices of cinnamon, cardamom and juniper, finishing on the cool, woody tones of eucalyptus and licorice.
↪ Add it to a recipe and watch what happens.

SINGLE FARMS AS A CORRIDOR FOR FAUNA & FLORA

LACHUÁ FINCA ANA MARIA – Carbon Positive
SINGLE FARM – TECHNIFIED AGROFORESTRY
Source: Family Farm – 6 ha, Ac Family, indigenous Q’eqchi’ Maya
Flavour: Fresh Pear · Tropical Fruits · Tonka · Apple Cider · Nutmeg

Erick Ac and his family have been quietly perfecting this cacao for years -grafting from local genetics, intercropping with shade and timber trees, and refining post-harvest protocols one season at a time. The surrounding land is protected native forest recognised as a carbon sink, and the farm is a recognised model for the entire region. The result: Bright, fresh, complex flavours.
↪ A cacao with genuine award-winning potential. The kind of profile that makes a single-origin bar really sing.

FINCA PASO COCODRILO – Carbon Positive
SINGLE FARM – ACTIVE FOREST RESTAURATION
Source: Owned by Arturo Santos, Erick Ac & partners – environmental & development specialists Guatemala Cacao Company
Flavour: Intense Chocolate · Cooked Fruits · Prunes · Rum · Spicy Green Paprika

After careers as technical advisors in forest landscape restoration, Arturo, Erick and their partners decided to stop advising and start doing. They took barren cattle rangeland and converted it -over the course of four years, into a beautiful cacao forest that now serves as a wildlife corridor between Parque Nacional Laguna Lachuá and nearby forest fragments.
A recognised carbon pool. A biodiversity corridor. An award-winning cacao. Not bad for a piece of land that used to grow grass for cows -and that now generates a carbon-positive chain from Guatemala to Europe.
↪ For those who want to create measurable environmental impact with every purchase.

★ THE SPECIALIST CORNER

For the curious. The bold. The chocolate makers who like to go deeper.

LACHUÁ AYIN – Carbon Positive
SINGLE FARM & SINGLE GENETICS – MICROLOT
Source: Finca Paso Cocodrilo – separate production lot
Flavour: Dried Fruits · Jam · Sweetness · Peanut · Tobacco · Herbs

Ayin means ‘Crocodile’ in Q’eqchi. A separate production lot at Finca Paso Cocodrilo, the Ayin is a single-variety cacao with long, small beans that behave quite differently from most -more demanding to read, more challenging to work with.
Once you crack the code, the flavours unlocked are extraordinary. Complex, deep, earthy, with a savoury tobacco finish that lingers long after the bar is gone.
↪ A true pleasure for the experienced chocolate maker who appreciates a cacao that challenges them.

LACHUÁ FINCA ANA MARIA TUULUX – Carbon Positive
SINGLE FARM & SINGLE GENETICS – NANO LOT – 100% WHITE BEAN
Source: Finca Ana Maria
Flavour: Sesame · Cashew · Dates · Dry Herbs · Caramel · Pecan

Tuulux -meaning ‘Dragon-fly’ in Q’eqchi, is something genuinely rare. A 100% white-bean selection from Finca Ana Maria -expressing dominant nutty flavours of pecan, sesame, and cashew, with sweet toffee and dried fruit notes, and a sparkling hint of green apple at the finish.
White bean cacaos see the world differently: lower bitterness, a different fat composition, a nutty creaminess that most cacao simply cannot replicate.
↪ This nano-lot has more demand than supply -let us know your interest and we will do our best to accommodate your needs in the next harvest season.

REGION CAHABÓN – THE RIVER VALLEY ORIGIN – SAN JUAN CHIVITE

CHIVITE ADEMAYACH 🌱 EU & USDA Organic
AWARD-WINNING MICROLOT
Source: Ademayach Association – 27 certified organic Q’eqchi’ Maya producers
Flavour: Pomelo · Candied Lemon · Mango · Pine Nut

Ademayach brings together 27 certified organic farmers crafting ultra-premium microlot cacao in small volumes, with meticulous post-harvest care -quality that has earned international recognition.
To reach the Ademayach Association, you follow the rushing Cahabón River through jungle-lined valleys before crossing it on a swinging bridge -the only access point to the community. Members regularly carry 100-pound sacks of cacao across this bridge on their backs, a daily testament to their dedication.
The flavour is as compelling as the people behind it: bright citrus and candied lemon, opening into tropical mango and finishing with the soft richness of pine nuts.

↪ If commitment to quality could be measured in footsteps, Ademayach would be hard to surpass -which, as it turns out, is reflected in their international recognition.

REGION PACIFIC COAST & WESTERN HIGHLANDS – NEW 

NEW ! FINCA ROSARIO QUEZADA –  Rainforest Alliance Certified
SINGLE FARM – RAINFOREST ALLIANCE
Source: Family Farm – Coatepeque, Quetzaltenango (Ralda family, farming since the 1950s)
Flavour: Hazelnut · Prunes · Jam · Floral · Woody · Chocolate

Not far from the archaeological site of Tak’alik Ab’aj  -an ancient Olmec-era centre where cacao was already a sacred commodity over 2,500 years ago, the Ralda family has farmed this land since the 1950s. Coffee first, then rubber, then starting in 2013 cacao.
The on-site post-harvest facility allows precise control over fermentation and drying.
Rich, nutty, fruity -Rosario Quezada is a solid, versatile quality from a region where cacao cultivation is one of the last lines of defence against urban sprawl.
↪ A full circle back to the roots of this region’s agricultural history.

NEW ! FINCA AGUA BLANCA
SINGLE FARM
Source: Family Farm – La Gomera, Escuintla; owned by Eduardo Herrera
Flavour: Chocolate · Nuts · Herbs

Surrounded by sugarcane fields on Guatemala’s Pacific Coast, Finca Agua Blanca is a quiet revolution in land use. Eduardo Herrera conserved a 100-year-old conacaste forest and built cacao agroforestry systems alongside rubber, avocado, and native timber -creating biological corridors for birds, pollinators and small mammals in a landscape where few others bother.
The protocol produces consistently well-fermented beans (75–80%) from a fully traceable, farm-integrated supply chain.
↪ This is cacao from a region with deep ancient roots. Olmec and Maya civilisations cultivated cacao here long before it ever reached European tables. Now rediscovered and reimagined.

OUR GUATEMALA CACAO PORTFOLIO AT A GLANCE
AVAILABILITIES & PROFILES

↪ PACKAGING 
All lots in hermetic 50 kg Ecotact bags inside bespoke locally-printed jute bags by Soluagro, Guatemala. Designed to preserve delicate flavours and fully aligned with upcoming EU packaging legislation.

↪ TRACEABILITY
All lots are EUDR-ready and come with a curated QR barcode with GPS-linked farm location data for full supply chain transparency.

↪ ORGANIC CERTIFICATION 🌱
For Organic certified choose Lachuá Blend, Lachua Hix & Cahabon Chivite Ademayach

KUDO’S, CREDITS AND INSPIRATION 

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