BRAZIL
The Country of Carnival, Caipirinha & Cacao

CARNIVAL, CABRUCA & CACAO

Brazil is a world to discover, not only for its pristine environment, but also for its unique culture that has evolved over the centuries with the contributions of natives and immigrants from all over the world. And the key to revealing its true nature is Carnival. This year, the biggest show in the world starts today (February 17) and ends Saturday February 25, 2023. Originally intended to celebrate the beginning of Catholic Lent, it is now more known for its extravagant parades, its special dance and music known as samba. The Brazilian Carnival is the largest festival in the world, attracting approximately 500,000 visitors from all over the world each year.

In addition to carnival, Brazil is also known as one of the oldest cacao producing countries, which is now on its way to becoming a fine cacao producer with very unique flavours and quality. Brazilian cocoa is often grown in a ‘Fazenda’, which means estate or farm in the Portuguese language.

Brazil is also known for its ‘cabrucas’ – traditional agro forests. In this type of agroforestry system, the cacao plants grow under the canopy of the native forest, in harmony with all other local traditional biodiversity. This agroecological system not only contributes to mitigating the effects of climate change in the region, it also helps to sustain the habitat of more than 250 native species, including endangered animals such as the golden-headed lion tamarin.

Today, Brazilian cacao follows in the footsteps of famed wines, boosting quality and price, and motivating environmentally-friendly consumers. The origin label (geographical indication GI South Bahia) is associated with reliable sourcing and sustainable cacao.

Brazil currently ranks fifth among cacao producing countries, producing 6% of the world’s cacao production. In Brazil, fine cacao represents 3% of the national production and is mainly exported to Japan, Europe and a small part to the US and Canada.

THE HISTORY OF BRAZILIAN CACAO

All info regarding the introduction of cacao in Brazil dates back to 1746 in Bahia, when Antonio Dias Ribeiro received some seeds of a French colonizer, Luiz Frederico Warneau from Pará. The first plantation was in the farm Cubículo on the edges of Pardo river, where todays the city ‘Canavieiras’.

This initial introduction was the origin of the ‘Comum’ variety, and over the course of two centuries, the descendants of these plants spread in and around nearly all Bahian cacao plantations and commercial plantations in the state of ‘Espírito Santo’. That is the reason why this area was called ‘Costa do Cacao‘ or ‘Cacao Coast’.

Bahian cacao was also used to establish cacao plantations in African countries beginning in 1822, and its important germplasm propelled certain West Africa countries to become the main cacao producers worldwide in the early twentieth century.

In Bahia, additional introductions (also from the state of Pará) between 1874 and 1876 brought the varieties ‘Maranhão’ and ‘Pará’. These not only differ from each other, but also from the variety ‘Comum’, mainly fruit characteristic-wise.

These original cocoa varieties also mutated spontaneously, creating varieties such as ‘Almeida’ and ‘Catongo’, which produce white seeds.

Due to the unique characteristics of these varieties, they were naturalized as Bahian cacao or local Bahia cacao cultivars, and the state is currently considered a secondary area of cacao diversity.

SILVA - BRAZIL - The Country of Carnival, Caipirinha & Cacao

SILVA CACAO - Raising the Bar with Single Variety Cacao

CRINIPELLIS PERNICIOSA AKA WITCHES’ BROOM

In 1989, the Witches’ Broom disease (the incurable fungal disease that leaves dying cocoa plants looking like a witch’s broom) started to spread in plantations on the Cacao Coast, turning healthy trees into sickly weaklings with rotting pods and nasty-tasting beans.

Within a few years, cacao production fell by 90%, and 75% of the cacao forests were destroyed. Consequently 200,000 people lost their job, and Brazil turned from being the 3rd largest cacao producer in the world into a net importer of cacao.

ACT OF BIOTERORRISM ?

Witches’ Broom disease is not native to Bahia, it grows some 1,600 km to the west in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest. For many years people wondered how Witches’ Broom suddenly appeared in Bahia’s Cacao Coast and why it spread so quick to every corner of the cacao belt. Many believe the disease was brought to Bahia intentionally. Rumor says it was an act of bio-terrorism. This rumor was confirmed by the first farmers who discovered Witches’ Broom on their land: they found dried Witches’ Broom branches tied to the trunk of healthy cacao trees.

The government investigated by evaluating the disease’s entry points (the middle of farms rather than natural boundaries like rivers), and in a 1989 report called “The Report of the First Occurrence,” it concluded that the outbreak of witches’ broom “cannot be attributed to natural agents of dissemination… It makes it possible to believe that the pathogen was introduced by human hands.” The question is now, whose hands tied the sick branches to the trees, and why?

In 2006, Luiz Henrique Franco Timoteo -a left-wing activist- confessed to bringing the disease to Bahia on multiple occasions. As an employee of a government agricultural agency, he could easily sneak the infected branches into Bahia. The wind would take care of the rest. His aim was twofold: to disrupt the political power of the cocoa barons, and to promote socio-economic changes through elections and land redistribution in South Bahia.

However, some people doubt this explanation. They suspect farmers in the area to actively have spread Witches’ Broom to other farms, because their own farm was already infected, and they preferred to ‘all go down together’. Other people believe Ivory Coast and Ghana are behind the Witches’ Broom attack in Bahia to get rid of a powerful competitor on the world cacao market. This scenario makes Bahia’s Cacao Coast a victim of agro-warfare between countries,,,

FROM FARMER TO CACAO-BREEDER

After the Witches’ Broom disease many farms went bankrupt. To support farmers and the cacao industry, the Brazilian government set up a support program -a combination of a financial support program with farm-loans, and the provision of new cacao seedlings. The program spent a lot of time identifying witches’ broom-resistant cocoa varieties, as well as informing and educating plantation owners.

Unfortunately, the first varieties that the plantation owners were urged to clone on their land, didn’t prevent the disease from spreading. Even worse, the selected cocoa varieties did not grow into cacao pods; the program failed and did not help farmers recover from the crisis.

After that miserable experience many farms and plantation stopped growing cacao and others started to select their own genetics, this is why most of the Brazilian cacao plantation give nowadays the name of their farm to the ‘Brazilian genetics’ they are growing. To protect their crops from witches’ broom, farmers choose cacao varieties with resistant genetics.

This strategy is not entirely in line with genetic purity principles. Indeed, cacao cross-pollinates with other cacao trees, which is good for genetic diversity, but does not permit to maintain genetics for quality or resistance purposes. That is why some producers choose to clone; to guarantee genetic traceability. This implies spending more money for certified clones, but it’s good practice to provide long-term stability; the production and processing is more consistent, and the end product is more uniform.

ABRACABRUCA – FROM A WITCHES’ BROOM TO A MAGICAL WIN-WIN

Since the disastrous 1990s, the Bahian cacao industry has been slowly (but steady) recovering. Nowadays, many growers are turning to the traditional ‘Cabruca’ system to combat disease. Cabruca mimics the natural conditions of the Amazon rainforest, cacao trees are planted under the canopy of larger forest trees. This system benefits cacao as well as biodiversity and protects the Mata-Atlantica rainforest.

Today, witches’ broom disease is controlled with the proper moisture content provided by the forest environment. All in all, we can say that the Bahian cacao industry has emerged stronger and more resilient.

Additionally, growers are now using other and more strategies to strengthen their cultivation; they plant with more space between the trees to reduce the risk of infection, they control the amount of water the plants receive, and they try to work more closely with neighboring farms – thus reducing the chance that one poorly managed farm could damage nearby farms infect.

To generate valuable cacao, it is also important to focus on quality genetics and good post-harvest practices. With all these good practices, Brazil now has the opportunity to work with resistant, productive varieties with a good flavour profile. This combined with excellence in post-harvest practices is the perfect cocktail to result in specialty cacao.Today, some Bahian producers have revolutionised their business by focusing on sustainable, single genetics, fine flavour cacao with excellent quality.

CACAO GROWING REGIONS IN BRAZIL

Bahia is the most important cocoa-producing state in Brazil, Pará is the second. But also the Amazon region is home to some amazing and often undiscovered cacao genetics.

The first varieties to appear on the market in southern Bahia in the eighteenth century were 'Comum', 'Pará' and 'Maranhão'. The so-called 'Bahian cacao' has been cultivated for more than 200 years.

'Comum' plants have been used to start plantations in Africa, South Asia and Oceania. In Brazil, two sets of clones were selected from Bahian varieties and used for breeding programs. The aim was to assess the genetic structure of Bahian varieties collected from farms and germplasm banks. These results have been applied in breeding programs to obtain more productive cocoa with superior tolerance to major diseases in tropical cacao farms.

OUR BRAZILIAN CACAO HEROES

Brazil is a land of various cacao genetics, and at Silva, we team up with partners proposing diverse flavours profiles, all located in the state of Bahia.

We are very excited & extremely proud to introduce you to our Brazilian Heroes !

FAZENDA CAMBOA - GREAT BRAZILIAN 'CLASSIC'

Region: Bahia Region in Eastern Brazil - Source: Family Estate
Variety: Hybrids of 'Trinitario' & 'Forastero'
Certification: Organic

Our partner Fazenda Camboa is located in the heart of the 'Costa do Cacao', in the south of the state of Bahia. The plantation is owned and managed by the Carvalho family, grandsons of the founder of the cacao farm.

Since all activities from harvesting to drying and packing, take place on the farm, Fazenda Camboa can be called an 'estate', which is run by farm manager Paulo (in picture below).

SILVA - FAZENDA CAMBOA - GREAT BRAZILIAN 'CLASSIC'

The environment offers perfect conditions for growing fine cacao: a tropical climate with lots of rain, and the shade & rich organic matter provided by the native Mata Atlantica rainforest. In Fazenda Camboa farmers are growing hybrids of 'Trinitario' and 'Forastero' varieties.

These cacao beans are characterized by an intense woody-chocolaty profile, with well-balanced acidity and bitterness, and notes of red fruits and jasmine tea. A great Brazilian classic!

Check our Brazilian Classic 'Fazenda Camboa'

FAZENDA LEOLINDA - SPECIALTY CACAO PIONEER

Region: Bahia Region in Eastern Brazil - Source: Family Estate
Variety: 'Trinitario'

Fazenda Leolinda is located in the Uruçuca municipality, in the south of Bahia province. The 700 hectare estate is run by owner João Tavares (in picture below), a third-generation farmer. João is one of the pioneers of Specialty Cacao and a real fermentation alchemist.

He conserves roughly 200 hectare of wild native forest, with fully half of his property maintained in the traditional Brazilian style of 'cabruca', most comparable to the concept of agroforestry.

Silva Cacao - Brazil - Joao Taveres - FAZENDA LEOLINDA - SPECIALTY CACAO PIONEER

SILVA- CACAO - BRAZIL - FAZENDA LEOLINDA

João's signature cacao is 'Scavina'. These Trinitario cacao beans are first fermentated for 6 days in round wooden boxes are then left to dry for 5 to 7 days in the sunlight -under cover.

The flavour profile is characterized by an intense chocolaty, sweetness & tobacco.

Check our Brazilian Pioneer 'Fazenda Leolinda Scavina'

Are you into some A-Typical flavours?

Once in a while, Fazenda Leolinda provides us with special type of cacao genetics such as single variety cultivar 'T01' which is complex & fruity and display notes of starfruit, & orange zeste, hints of raisin, whisky and herbs.

The Fazenda also grows 'Catongo' (pictured below); a surprisingly light (white) coulored Forastero bean when harvested !

All these unique varieties are a fine example of the great work that João has done in terms of genetics and post-harvesting.

Contact us !

COOPERATIVE 'CABRUCA' - ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC

Region: Bahia Region in Eastern Brazil - Source: Cooperative
Variety: 'Trinitario' & 'Forastero' Hybrids

Our partner Cooperative Cabruca has 474 ha of legal forest reserve, of which 114 ha is a private national heritage reserve, remnants of the Atlantic Rainforest. It is the only cacao cooperative in the region, represented by 28 producers and chaired by the president Mr Marc Nüscheler (in picture below).

Besides high quality cacao production, the coop encourages diversified agroforestry systems and commits to add value at farm-level. All products all grown organically and biodynamic, and there is a strong commitment for conservation of the Atlantic Forest.

Silva Cacao - Brazil - Marc Nüscheler - Cabruca Coop

SILVA CACAO - BRAZIL - COOP BAHIA CABRUCA ORGANIC

This area is home to the gold-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas - pictured above). This little creature can only be found in tropical forest fragments in Bahia and is an endemic and endangered species.

Coop Cabruca also provides us with the less-known cousin of Theobroma Cocoa: Theobroma Grandiflorum. While commercial use is mostly known in Brazil under the name of "cupulate", these white beans are very interesting for culinary creations!

Check our Organic & Biodynamic Hero 'Coop Cabruca'

VIBRANT & AWARDWINNING BRAZILIAN 'BEAN & TREE TO BAR' SCENE

For bean-to-bar chocolate makers, the quality of cacao matters the most, and that is exactely why the Brazilian farmers have invested in cacao post-harvest technology.

The Brazilian craft bean to bar movement is thriving! In 2017, there were already around 30 brands, in 2020 you could already find more than 140 unique chocolate bar brands. These chocolate makers all use fine flavour Brazilian cacao from Bahia or from Pará and Espírito Santo.

SILVA CACAO - BRAZIL - BRAZILIAN BEAN TO BAR ASSOCIATION

Brazil also has a 'bean-to-bar' association, which gathers several chocolate makers. And many of our Brazilian chocolate friends, grow 'tree' to bar. In Brazil too, they have come to realise that they can enhance their profits by making their own chocolate, this is how the 'tree to bar' brands are created.

'Tree to bar' brands such as Amma, Baianí, Mendoá, Louisa Abram, Mestiço, Mission Chocolate, Capelha Velha, Nicholas, Var Chocolates (and many more) all promote Brazilian funky flavours , and some of them have already been awarded in international competitions. With so much intensity, quality, and variety, it is no wonder that Brazil is carving its name in the craft chocolate world.

STAY TUNED...

Our next Brazilian adventure will take the Silva framily to Vale Potumuju - 15º 13’57.69” S 39º 21’03.25” W.

Make sure you are ready; put on your aviators (for the bright colours), your samba heels (for those funky moves) and your ...brightest smile (for the extra fun)...

Reach Out for more info about our Cacao's and their Identity