Origin
GUATEMALA: preserving the nature and culture of cocoa
A fine sweet and smooth, yet intense and persistent cocoa comes from one of the original birthplaces of cocoa, from a culture where the seeds were of primary importance for the economy and society and of which there is evidence of its use and consumption dating back to pre-Colombian civilisations.
Chimelb: a sustainable finca and an invaluable, well-balanced ecosystem.
Located in the heart of the forests in the region of Alta Verapaz, the Finca Chimelb is a one-of-a-kind plantation where the cocoa grows alongside coffee, cardamom, pineapples, eucalyptus and rubber trees in an exceptionally wide cultivated area.
The finca extends over 4,500 hectares, 2,300 of which are natural forest or have been replanted and which the finca itself is committed to preserving. The area destined for cocoa cultivation – the biggest in the Alta Verapaz region, covers 250 hectares.
Here the principles of sustainability are demonstrated by the identification of the best techniques suited to the climate and local area: by implementing eco-sustainable growing methods, soil erosion can be controlled, the shaded parts and micro-organisms in the most fertile areas are studied in order to reproduce them in the less fertile areas and the best techniques are identified based on the climate and local area.
The Finca Chimelb provides regular employment for about 400 workers throughout the year in different crop-growing activities, increasing to over 2,000 during the peak coffee harvesting period. At the height of the cocoa harvest, 1/5 of the workers employed are women.
The plantation takes its role in social responsibility very seriously and has been active in improving the living conditions of the rural population through training, the use of regular labour and by paying a wage that is higher than the national average. Numerous training sessions are held in the plantation for local small-scale growers.
Accordingly, man has struck a balance with the environment in this land. From a project aimed at conservation, sustainability and social responsibility comes a blend of Trinitario cocoa with a highly aromatic profile.
