News & Resources
Stay informed with the latest stories, research, and field updates from the world of heirloom cacao — from farmer designations to scientific insights and sustainability breakthroughs.
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Text much too long: HCP Board President Richard Tango-Lowy led the ceremony, guiding audience members through an exclusive tasting of the chocolates provided by Guittard Chocolate that were made using the beans from each farmer, and evaluated by the HCP’s renowned tasting panel. HCP Board President Richard Tango-Lowy led the ceremony, guiding audience members through an exclusive tasting of the chocolates provided by Guittard Chocolate that were made using the beans from each farmer, and evaluated by the HCP’s renowned tasting panel.
Episode 12: Amazonas
When we talk about searching for cacao, we don’t think about the fine details in between that make each journey unique. I’ll paint a picture. We load up into Matias’s pickup, all crammed in, luggage tied, ready for our seven-plus hour journey to Bagua. The hours are filled with almost a calculated routine of: dose off for 20 mins, wake up to breathtaking mountain ranges, mumble questions in spanish over the epic playlists of 80s Peruvian rock.
Northwest Chocolate Festival & The Chocolate Makers UnConference
We had the honor of awarding the two newest farmers with Heirloom designation at the Chocolate Makers UnConference in Seattle on October 4th.
Partner Spotlight: Guittard Chocolate’s Role in Cacao Preservation
The complex boasts an energy-efficient A label, meeting sustainability standards for the years to come.
The Science Behind Heirloom Cacao
The complex boasts an energy-efficient A label, meeting sustainability standards for the years to come.
Production in Peru
Looking forward, Mey has plans to visit the VRAEM region in August to continue our training with the HCP guide and assist new producers in preparing cacao bean samples for shipment. We will also continue to search for and train more producer.
Voices from the Field: Meet the Farmers of Ecuador
The complex boasts an energy-efficient A label, meeting sustainability standards for the years to come.
HCP Protocols
Review the presentations of the lead scientists of the USDA-ARS Stakeholder Workshop on April 24th, 2025 in Beltsville, MA.
The story of farmers, activists, and chocolate makers working to revive ancient cacao and protect the world’s finest flavors.
Rowan Jacobsen follows the revival of ancient wild cacao led by farmers, activists, and Indigenous leaders across the Amazon. Their work is transforming landscapes, local economies, and the future of fine chocolate.
HCP Documentary - Maya Mountain Cacao
In 2015, farmers of Maya Mountain Cacao earned Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation for a set of farms in the villages of San Antonio, Santa Elena, and Pueblo Viejo, in the Toledo District. HCP's mission is to “identify and preserve fine flavor (“heirloom”) cacao varieties for the conservation of biological diversity and the empowerment of farming communities”.
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The Science Behind Heirloom Cacao
Voices from the Field: Meet the Farmers of Ecuador
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Partner Spotlight: Guittard Chocolate’s Role in Cacao Preservation
Production in Peru
Episode 12: Amazonas
