Last year, our team travelled to Mexico, where we had the privilege of visiting five incredible cocoa farms set within the rainforest. The best part? Meeting the incredible people who pour their hearts into the core of the chocolatey treats we know and love.
As part of ancient Mesoamerica, Mexico is often called the birthplace of chocolate. It was here, among lush rainforests and ancient trees, that the Maya and Olmec peoples first discovered the magic of cacao. So, by visiting Mexico we were hoping to trace cocoa right back to its roots, connecting with the people there today who make the world’s favourite flavour possible.
For us, this trip wasn’t about sourcing beans or scouting supply chains. It was about learning the culture of cocoa. It was about listening, understanding, and finding ways to stand alongside farmers as they navigate their daily challenges and dreams for the future.
Our goals were clear:
- To learn and understand. What does it mean to farm cocoa sustainably today?
- To connect. Who are the people behind these trees, and what are their dreams for the future?
- To collaborate. How can we stand alongside them to create long-term impact?
Here are some of the inspiring farmers we met, and the lessons they shared.
Hacienda La Luz — Ana Parizot-Wolter
Our first stop was Hacienda La Luz, a lush cocoa farm and chocolate factory run by Ana Parizot-Wolter. Ana’s grandfather, a lover of nature, purchased the land and transformed it into Hacienda La Luz, a biodiversity hub, almost a century ago.
As Ana showed us around the farm, we were introduced to a few core themes that would be carried throughout the trip.
- Climate change: it’s hitting cocoa farmers hard.
- Agroforestry: a way to protect the planet, and grow food.
In Mexico, as in many places around the world, extreme heat is drying out crops, making rainfall patterns less predictable, and traditional harvest yields much less productive.
But, something that gave us hope was seeing cacao trees growing alongside diverse plants and trees like mango, cinnamon, vanilla, and huge shade trees – all working together to keep the soil healthy and the farm full of life. This is agroforesty. To put it simply, agroforestry combines agriculture and forestry. It’s a more sustainable way to manage the land, long-term, protecting against deforestation and conserving biodiversity.
Ana’s main message was clear — cooperation between species is essential to address global ecological challenges. We liked what we were hearing.
Finca Las Delias – Alma Hema
At Finca Las Delias, we met Alma Hema, who left her city job in architecture to return to her roots as a fifth generation cocoa farmer. Now she leads with knowledge, care, and a huge passion for her work. Her farm is like a mini tropical jungle, filled with cacao trees, fruit, coffee, and spices.
We helped Alma and her team break open pods, scoop out beans, and start the fermentation process – while Alma shared stories of how much she’s learned in recent years about cultivating cocoa.
She reminded us that great cocoa isn’t just grown — it’s crafted with dedication and love.
But as she learns more about the conditions cocoa needs to thrive, she’s noticed something. The soil her trees grow from needs more oxygen, more life… Having been a meadowland a decade earlier, it’s still too compact. So, we explore ways to help.
Hacienda RC – Viridiana De La Cruz
Next, we visited Hacienda RC, run by Viridiana and Miguel. After her father passed away, Viridiana stepped up to keep the farm going, even when some doubted she could do it. That’s courage.
Their plantation is rich with cacao trees, tropical plants, and home to the adorable howler monkeys.
After soaking it all in, we were lucky enough to finish the day with cacao pulp frappes (deliciously refreshing) and Viri and Miguel’s first-ever chocolate and beer tasting — what a way to celebrate local flavours.
Viri believes fiercely in protecting her incredible cocoa farm, which is rich with life. It’s a gift, she says. One passed down for generations, belonging to the wildlife that calls it home as much as her family.
But with changing seasons, comes challenges. Not only are harvests less predictable, but it’s becoming near impossible to dry her beans evenly. Even drying and protection from moisture and mould is key to quality cocoa. Without this, the harvest goes to waste.
Finca Cacayo – Liliana Bruno-Gonzalez
At Finca Cacayo, Liliana Bruno and her family have transformed what began as her father’s retirement hobby into a thriving cocoa farm with a circular agroforestry system.
Walking us around their cocoa trees, like the farms before, we saw an impressive mix of plant and animal life. Cocoa wasn’t just growing in isolation, but alongside banana, sapote, and jackfruit, within a balanced ecosystem. Protectors of the rainforest, they call themselves the guardians of cocoa.
They shared chilled ‘Chilate’ drinks and delicious stuffed ‘Panuchos’ as we talked about the challenges they face — irrigation, yields and, like Viri, not having a proper drying area for their beans were all up there. So again, we got brainstorming.
La Campesina del Cacao – Estela Lazaro
Finally, visiting La Campesina del Cacao felt like stepping into a little paradise. Doña Estelita welcomed us with handmade tortillas, plantains, eggs, and local tea while sharing stories of how her mother and grandmother taught her everything about cocoa.
Her farm is more than just a place that grows cocoa. It’s a community hub where women and men work together, teaching traditional recipes, running workshops, and creating jobs for their neighbours.
It’s also a demonstration of the potential of regenerative farming when it comes to protecting the planet and adapting to climate change. As Estelita continues to lead by example, we leave wondering what we can do to support her as she does.
Just the Beginning
From each farmer, we learned that cocoa is more than a crop. It is culture, family, ecology, and resilience. While the work is often challenging and the financial returns not what they deserve, these farmers choose to protect their forests, nurture biodiversity, and pass on knowledge that has shaped chocolate for millennia.
We couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by their efforts and left beyond inspired. As we listened to farmers’ stories, as well as their struggles, we wondered about how we could help.
This trip was just the beginning.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll share each of these farmers’ stories in detail — their philosophies, struggles, hopes, as well as ways we’ve managed to support them in some of the challenges we witnessed across our journey.
Because we’re firm believers that to shape the future of chocolate, we must first look to support its roots.
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