Cacao and Chocolate
Ecuador rewrote the history, we are the land of the origin of cacao
5,300 years ago, the Mayo Chinchipe – Marañón culture began an ancient relationship for the domestication, cultivation and distribution of the “gold nugget” that grows in Ecuadorian land. Ecuadorian chocolate it’s one of the most important and exquisite products of gastronomy. Cocoa and chocolate are emblems of Ecuador.
Ecuadorian cacao and chocolate
- We are one of the main producers of cocoa beans, we occupy the third place worldwide.
- We have more than 630 thousand hectares of cocoa crops distributed in almost all the provinces of the country.
In 2021, cocoa exports totaled USD 940 million, a sales record for the second consecutive year. - Our main export markets are: USA, Indonesia, Malaysia, Holland, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Colombia.
- This activity links and benefits more than 400 thousand people. In addition, it contributes to the conservation of cultural manifestations.
The market for the "Fine Aroma cacao", compared to the traditional one, is considered a small and highly specialized market, which has its own characteristics of supply and demand.
In 1965, the agronomist Homero Castro Zurita created the CCN-51 cacao, in order to provide growers with a plant of high productivity, quality and resistance to "Witches' Broom", a disease that broke most cacao producers after its appearance in 1918.
Seducing the world in one bite
Ecuadorians are proud of producing an exquisite and quality product. Year after year, Ecuadorian chocolatiers, their brands and the amazing ingredients are internationally recognized for their incomparable quality and flavor. World famous chefs demand fine Ecuadorian aroma cacao as part of a quality standard for the preparation of chocolate-based dishes.
The best cacao was born in the heart of the world
We want the world to know the origin of the delicacies that are produced in Ecuador. Discover the routes of the Land of the Finest Chocolate, where endless adventures full of exquisite sensations await you.
In the cacao farms of the Coast, Andes and Amazonia, you will experience rural life among the crops, tasting the fruit, enjoying its juice, roasting, peeling and grinding the nibs to obtain your own chocolate bar or a traditional cup of hot chocolate.
In addition, you will find restaurants with “fine aroma cacao” dishes and specialized stores that offer world-class chocolates, delicious tastings and chocotherapy.
Let the aroma and cacao flavor awaken your senses
Cacao Museum, an encounter with the history and tradition of the "Golden Nugget"
Enjoy a journey full of unique aromas and flavors, linked to the best cocoa in the world. Find in the 15 didactic rooms of the museum a sample of the history of cacao, the vestiges of ancestral cultures and the varieties that exist in our country. Are you ready to learn more about planting, cultivating, harvesting and preparing the chocolate bar?
Cacao cultivation in Ecuador dates back million of years
In 2022, Ecuadorian cacao and its production chain were declare as an activity of national tourist interest, recognizing that Ecuador is the place of origin the of cacao due to the archaeological remains of the Mayo Chinchipe culture (5,500 A.C), in the area of Santa Ana – Palanda, in the Amazon. The studies help the national and foreign tourist to be fully aware of the quality, purity and diversity of the Ecuadorian cacao, as a product that has been part of our economy and culture and history.
Cacao cultivation in Ecuador dates back million of years
In 2022, Ecuadorian cacao and its production chain were declare as an activity of national tourist interest, recognizing that Ecuador is the place of origin the of cacao due to the archaeological remains of the Mayo Chinchipe culture (5,500 A.C), in the area of Santa Ana – Palanda, in the Amazon. The studies help the national and foreign tourist to be fully aware of the quality, purity and diversity of the Ecuadorian cacao, as a product that has been part of our economy and culture and history.