Cacao Cultivation

Botanical and ecological description of Cacao

Cacao (Teobroma cacao) is a tree that reaches a height from 15 to 26 feet (4 to 8 meters).  It is an evergreen and belongs to the genus Theobroma and the Sterculiaceae family (also known as Malvaceae). There are three types of cacao trees that grow in different parts of the world: Criollo, Forastero, and Trinitario. Each tree has its own properties that result in slight differences such as in taste, size, and amount of pods produced.

Every pod of these trees contains between thirty and forty seeds, often referred to as "beans" of a dark reddish brown exterior, covered by white, sweet pulp.  The embryo is formed by two large cotyledons and the substances that are inside are the basis for all the commercial chocolate products.

Regarding agro-ecological requirements, the most productive conditions for the cultivation of cacao are confined to areas of tropical rain forests.  As a result production is concentrated in a narrow strip no greater than 20º north and south of the equator where the temperature stays within 21º (69.8º F) and 32º centigrade (89.6º F). In addition, the young cacao trees must be protected from strong winds as they are delicate and could be damaged by strong or unrelenting winds.

Cacao Process

When the cacao tree is between two and three years old, small white and pink flowers begin to blossom; in about six months these eventually become pods. Cacao trees can produce flowers and pods throughout the year but each region has peak periods; usually dictated by climactic conditions and the rainy season.  Even though the pod can remain on the tree for up to two to three weeks it is important to remove it at just the right time since the quality of the flavor is directly determined by the time of the harvest.

The pod is harvested by hand with the aid of a machete to separate it from the delicate plant much as it has been done for thousands of years.  Once the pod is opened and the seeds, covered in a fibrous, white pulp revealed, they go through a two to seven day fermentation process.  This takes place in boxes or basins where the heat generated by the weight of the pods and the sun evokes an organoleptic chemical reaction which produces the deep brown color and improved flavor.

After fermentation the beans are spread out and exposed to the sunlight for a period of three to five days.  Some companies speed this process up by drying them mechanically, but we complete the process by slowly and carefully handling the beans by hand,  exposing them to the sun as we know that this process produces the optimum in superior flavor. Once this stage has been completed to our experts' satisfaction the beans are packed and transported to a location where they are cleaned of impurities or unnecessary residues before being taken to our plant.

Once the dry and clean beans arrive at the plant they are pre-toasted, shelled, roasted and ground. The last step of this process generates an unsweetened chocolate paste which will eventually become the primary ingredient in developing all chocolate products.

Between this paste and the finished products that we all enjoy so much, there is a process that generally takes four steps. First, the paste is mixed with sugar, cocoa butter, milk powder and lecithin, according to the requirements of each product. Next the mixture is refined under rollers to smooth out any graininess. Thirdly, the mixture is moved to specialized machines where it is stirred to eliminate any unwanted flavor, and at which time other ingredients might be added.  Finally, the temperature of the entire mixture is delicately and repeatedly raised and lowered; a step which breaks down the weaker crystals of the cocoa butter and strengthens the stronger ones.  The final result is a chocolate with the best possible resistance to heat and the finest texture which can be molded and demolded most effectively.

*This synopsis contains some information obtained from Wikipedia.org, Fieldmuseum.org, Smithosinanmag.com and Cacaoweb.net.