Forget Switzerland, Costa Rica is actually a paradise for chocolate lovers, and the roots of cacao date back centuries in this Central American country.
Cacao is the primary ingredient for making chocolate, and the term refers to the raw and unprocessed beans that come from the fruit of a cacao tree which is native to Central America (as well as South America and areas of the Caribbean). Cacao has played a massive role in indigenous cultures in the region for centuries, and was considered a sacred product that was used in religious ceremonies, as well as a form of payment and currency.
During colonial times, cacao was a major economic driver in Costa Rica from the 1600s onward, with farms developed in the 1800s and plantations expanding in the 1930s. The peak period extended through the 1960s, before experiencing a rapid decline in production in the late 1970s. Today, there has been a resurgence in harvesting cacao and creating high-end (and delicious) Costa Rican chocolate.
Read on for the symbolic history of cacao and its current incarnation as a specialty product that’s grown to prominence alongside the recent surge in Costa Rican eco-cultural travel. From ancient religious ceremonies to the indigenous-led tasting programs of today, here’s your ultimate guide to cacao in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica’s cacao culture dates back to the pre-colonial time period, when the plant was of utmost symbolic importance for indigenous communities, dating back to the Chorotega and Bribri peoples. Archeological evidence suggests that the Bribri were cultivating cacao since 1500 B.C. Cacao was a multi-purpose plant that was used both as medicine and as currency. It was considered sacred — and used in religious rituals and ceremonies — as well as a luxury, with possession of the product marking a higher social status. The pre-Columbian cacao was consumed not as chocolate, but rather as a drink mixed with water and spices.
Later, in the colonial years, cacao plantations proliferated across the nation, as the plant became a significant economic driver for Spanish colonialism. The Spanish colonizers first began cultivating cacao in the mid-1600s. Costa Rican cacao was shipped to Guatemala and Panama. By the late 1800s and through to the 1930s, the product was being shipped to countries in Europe (Switzerland, Germany) and the United States.
The peak boom period of the 1960s through to the early 1970s was followed by a sharp fall in production due to a deadly fungal outbreak that devastated the crops later that decade. The disease of cocoa monilia (Moniliophthora roreri) coincided with the decrease in prices and other factors that made harvesting the crop less appealing and profitable. After the fungus destroyed more than 80% of the country’s cacao trees, the production of chocolate fell out of favor in the country—until more recently, which you can learn about below.
Since the fungal outbreak, scientists in Costa Rica have developed new types of cacao trees that have a greater resistance to fungal diseases. Traditional breeding methods were combined with innovative genetic technologies that identified disease-resistant traits to create hybrid varieties of cacao trees that are less susceptible to fungi. Farmers have optimized their practices via monitoring and organic treatments (such as applying chicken manure, plantain, and coffee husk as fertilizer) to ensure the crop can continue to survive and thrive in the countryside.
This is ideal, as Costa Rica is uniquely positioned as a perfect nation for harvesting cacao. Cacao can only grow in tropical lowland climates, which include nearby nations such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Costa Rica is singular, however, in its ability to grow cacao trees across the country, within five provinces: Limón, Alajuela, Puntarenas, Guanacaste, and Cartago.
The benefit to multiple growing regions means that Costa Rica can produce a variety of cacao, each with a distinct flavor, as the taste varies based on the terroir and the processing methods. Cartago and Puntarenas cacao ranges from fruity to floral, while Limón is more balanced and mild. Alejuela cacao features caramel notes, and Guanacaste is known for its citrus and tropical fruit flavoring.
Costa Rica has risen to fame for its chocolate in recent years, with an expanding selection of bean-to-bar chocolatiers. Today, cacao may not be the nation’s leading export as it once was, but Costa Rican chocolate has enjoyed a renaissance as a world-renowned, high-quality product. Famous companies include: Britt, which is often sold in airports around the world and produces an award-winning chocolate bark with chia seed; Nahua, which uses single-origin Trinitario beans; and Tertulia Brugge, which focuses on premium dark chocolate. Other brands to check out are: Cacao Crudo, which supports local farmers; Sibö Chocolate, which specializes in dark chocolate; and Two Little Monkeys, which has gained a cult following in recent years.
There’s no shortage of cacao experiences in Costa Rica, from chocolate tours to chocolate tastings. Indigenous-led tours offer an immersive eco-cultural experience that’s crucial for understanding the plant’s ancient history in the country. Sibö Chocolate provides indigenous community tours in Talamanca and Heredia, where guests can participate in traditional cacao harvesting.
Cacao is grown in Alajuela, Cartago, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Talamanca, and visiting each one can be difficult on an individual trip. Expedition cruises are the perfect way to experience different regions of the country and taste chocolate, and learn about the cacao process. Finca Kobo offers immersive plantation tours in Palo Seco, and other options include the Chocolate and Cahuita National Park Tour in Limon and the Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar tour in Monteverde.
Ensuring you are signing up with an ethical provider that focuses on cultural immersion is essential for not only supporting the communities within the regions you are visiting, but in enhancing your own experience of the trip. Ultimately, it’s the people that make the place, and eco-cultural travel is the best method for ensuring an enriching experience for both visitors and hosts. Pura vida awaits.
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