2025: A Year of Change, Growth, and Exceptional Cacao
Carlos Barritas and Malaquias Santos
As one of the pioneering ceremonial-grade cacao brands in the UK, we’ve embarked on an incredible journey, and this year we’re excited to focus on the ecological and agricultural stories behind our cacao.
Last year, our founder, Rebekah Shaman, traveled to Ecuador to connect with the indigenous growers and farmers behind our cacao.
Her journey led her to Chocó Andino, a fertile and biodiverse region in northwestern Ecuador. This hidden gem, often called the birthplace of cacao, is home to the purest cacao in the world.
At Ritual Cacao, we see cacao as a powerful plant medicine, not just a cash crop, or a commodity. That’s why we work closely with experts in Ecuador to source the finest, most delicious cacao available.
Our cacao comes from two communities in the Chocó Andino region, ensuring it meets the highest standards:
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.
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 experts, Malaquias Santos, Carlos Barritas and Francisco Comonserrate, come from these small-scale agricultural communities oversee every step of the process. Their dedication ensures that the deep, complex flavour profile of Fino de Aroma cacao is preserved, creating a truly exceptional product.
Change is in the Air
During her time in Ecuador, Rebekah witnessed the challenges facing the cacao industry, and the compromises often made to keep cacao prices low.
Rising cacao prices—driven by climate change and crop failures in West Africa—are reshaping the global chocolate industry, with Ecuador emerging as a key exporter. However, this shift poses significant risks to the quality and long-term preservation of Ecuador's heirloom cacao varieties.
In 2022, Ecuador produced nearly 330,000 tonnes of cacao, primarily for the bulk market, dominated by CCN-51, a hybrid variety favoured for its high yield and resistance. Only a small fraction of the market focuses on heirloom varieties like Fino de Aroma, classified as Fine of Flavor (FoF) cacao.
Despite international cacao prices tripling in 2024, smallholder farmers are not profiting from the increase, and face growing challenges. Rising labor costs, expensive inputs, and climate-related impacts make sustainable farming increasingly difficult. This situation is exacerbated by the collapse of cacao production in West Africa, driven by pests, disease, underinvestment, and climate change, compounded by speculative investments.
As a result, many Ecuadorian farmers feel pressured to expand plantations and adopt hybridized cacao varieties that promise higher yields and quicker harvests. While these practices may offer short-term financial relief, they have led to alarming reductions in biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystems, especially in regions like Chocó Andino, where environmental conservation is already under threat.
By choosing Ritual Cacao, you are directly supporting indigenous farmers from the Chocó Andino region who cultivate cacao through holistic, sustainable practices rooted in Ecuadorian traditions that have endured for centuries. Together, we can preserve the integrity of heirloom cacao and the ecosystems and communities that sustain it.
