Our Cacao
Our Cacao reflects the true cost of fair trade. We are working hard to help both the Ashaninka Tribe and the Tsatsayaku Association protect their land. Here at Ritual Cacao we are passionate about building awareness for the care of the beautiful rainforest and the ancient products that thrive there. By giving these co-operatives a fair price for their cacao, we enable them to be more economically independent, whilst maintaining and protecting the forest and wildlife they inhabit.
Asháninka
Tribe
Asháninka land is in the rainforests of the lower Amazon basin in Peru. The Asháninka are known historically to be fiercely independent. They are striving to keep their cultural and environmental heritage despite pressure from the modernisation of the outside world. They live a lifestyle of subsistence but the forest they live in is under threat, particularly from illegal logging, palm oil production, and Coca growing for cocaine production.
Cacao is a vital crop for the Asháninka because it is best operated within a co-operative, which is perfect for the communal living of the tribe, provides protection of their land, they can promote organic and traditional farming methods and is a cash crop so that they can maintain their economic independence and sovereignty.
Image Courtesy of Dilwyn Jenkins
Tsatsayaku Association
Our Tsatsayaku Cacao comes directly from Ecuador, the Association is made up of 140 Kichwa and Mestizo families from 13 different communities, and it’s mission is to produce and conserve ancestral cacao (Arriba Nacional/Fino de Aroma) that provides a fair price for all of its members.
The cacao itself is grown in the traditional Kichwa farming method ‘Chakra’, which has a conscientious respect for the natural environment. The organic approach seeks to preserve biodiversity and natural resources.
Image Courtsey of Roman Belkowski