Rebekah’s Ecuador Trip
Malaquias, our expert Cacao farmer who has been farming cacao for over 40 years and the OG of Fino de Aroma Cacao.
Our founder, Rebekah Shaman, is currently in Ecuador to connect with the indigenous growers and farmers behind our Ritual Cacao once again. For those who are new to Ritual Cacao, here’s a bit about our cacao and where it’s from…
In 2024, Rebekah was led on a journey to the fertile and biodiverse Chocó Andino region. This hidden gem, often called the birthplace of cacao, is home to the purest cacao in the world.
The Chocó Andino region is located in northwestern Ecuador, primarily within the province of Pichincha, near the capital city, Quito. This area is part of the larger Chocó biogeographic region, which extends from Panama to northern Ecuador, and is renowned for its extraordinary biodiversity and ecological importance.
The Chocó Andino region encompasses cloud forests, montane ecosystems, and tropical rainforests. It is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, reflecting its global significance for conservation and sustainable development.
This region supports diverse flora and fauna, including many endemic species, and is also an important area for small-scale agricultural communities, including those involved in sustainable cacao farming.
Our cacao farmers come from these small-scale agricultural communities. Every step of the process is overseen by our expert cacao farmer Malaquias, who has helped grow the cacao industry, and is the OG of cacao in the region.
His dedication ensures that the deep, complex flavour profile of Fino de Aroma cacao is preserved, creating a truly exceptional quality product.
At Ritual Cacao, we recognise cacao as a powerful Plant Medicine, and not just a cash crop, or a commodity.
That’s why we work closely with cacao experts in Ecuador, and visit them regularly to source the finest, most nutritious and most delicious cacao available.
This also means we can ensure our ceremonial-grade cacao is:
Organically grown: Cultivated in clean, healthy soils.
Fairly traded: Supporting farmers with living wages.
Chemical-free: No herbicides or pesticides used.
Non-GMO beans: Sourced exclusively from Fino de Aroma and Criollo varieties.
Respect for the Cacao Spirit: Grown with deep love and respect that gives our cacao an extra special flavour.
Our passion is Cacao and so it is our mission to source the most medicinal, purest and high vibrational cacao on the market.
However, it is getting harder to find ancient varieties of cacao beans, because the market does not commercially differentiate between hybrid and GMO cacao, and organically grown pure beans.
More and more farmers are turning to hybrid and GMO beans that are less susceptible to disease, and produce a lot more fruits, but the difference is in the taste and quality of the cacao.
GMO and hybrid beans have a more watery pulp, and are more acidic compared to the sweetness of Fino de Aroma. You are unable to taste the difference in chocolate, but in cacao paste the taste is very noticeable.
When you buy Ritual Cacao you are ensuring our farmers can continue to work with ancient varieties, and that we are protecting and preserving Fino de Aroma for our future generations.