Our Rare Ecuadorian Nacional Cacao traces its genetic lineage back at least 5,300 years

Nacional traces its genetic lineage back to the first known cacao trees domesticated by humanity. By the dawn of the 21st century, this famed variety was believed to be extinct.

In the valley of Piedra de Plata, To’ak found old-growth cacao trees that have been confirmed by DNA tests to be 100% pure Nacional. They have since been designated Heirloom by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund. Scroll to view the Nacional Cacao timeline below.

In the nineteenth century, a Swiss chocolatier was navigating the Guayas River in coastal Ecuador. During his voyage, he encountered a group of farmers transporting sacks of Nacional cacao that had an unusually rich and floral aroma.

Arriba Legend

Naturally, the chocolatier asked the farmers where this cacao had come from. The farmers simply replied “arriba” (meaning “upriver”) and pointed in that direction. Subsequently, cacao grown along the upper tributaries of the Guayas river basin (namely, the watersheds of the Daule and Babahoyo rivers) became one of the most highly sought sources of cacao in European chocolate circles, and was given the name “Arriba.”

We’re using regenerative agroforestry to restore forest on degraded agricultural land. It’s a holistic reforestation project that combines cacao trees with a diversity of tall native shade trees, fruit trees, and other food crops. This boosts farmer incomes and local food security, absorbs CO2, and improves the overall health of the ecosystem. We call it Regenerative Cacao.

We’re using cacao trees to help restore forest on degraded agricultural land. It’s one element of a holistic regenerative agroforestry project that combines cacao trees with a diversity of tall native shade trees, fruit trees, and other food crops.

We’re doing this in partnership with TMA (Third Millennium Alliance), a nonprofit rainforest conservation organization that has been protecting and restoring forests in Ecuador since 2007.