There are three varieties of the Theobroma Cacao: Forastero, Criollo and Trinitario. Forastero, native to the Amazon basin, comprises 95% of the world’s cacao production. The huge African cacao crop is entirely of the Forastero variety. The trees are hardy and have a high yield of cacao fruits. Forastero produces fruits that have a harsh and bitter flavour with a pungent aroma. There are also exceptional Forasteros, such as the ‘Nacional’ or ‘Arriba’ variety, which can posses great flavour.

 

Criollo is native to Central America, the Caribbean Islands and northern South America. Today, the majority production comes from Venezuela. It is the rarest and most expensive cacao on the market. Criollos are susceptible to climate influences and therefore difficult to rear. They also have low yield of cacao fruits compared to other types of Theobroma Cacao. The flavour of Criollo is sweet, delicate and has a pleasant aroma. Chuao and Porcelana are two varieties of Criollo.

 

 

A cacao tree starts to flower when it is 2 years old. The flowers are delicate pink sepals with yellowish-white blossom petals. The cacao flowers grow directly on the trunk, either singly or in clusters. The cacao tree blossoms almost continuously and may produce between 50,000 to 100,000 flowers in a year, but only about 10,000 flowers would be fertilised by midges!

 

Cacao trees bloom throughout the year & fruit ripens continuously. Young cacao can often be seen growing next to a ripened fruit. Between 4-9 months after the fertilization of the cacao blossom, the fruit is ripe and must be picked soon.

 

Cacao trees mature after 8 years. A mature tree will produce between 20-30 fruits per year. With proper care, this yield can be maintained for 30-40 years.