Behind the Bar: My El Salvador Chocolate Adventure & the Story of Our Award-Winning Cacao
I just got back from the most incredible trip to El Salvador, and I wanted to share what I learned with you. As you know, I use amazing cacao from Hacienda La Carrera in El Salvador in my 70% multi award-winning chocolate bar - so having the opportunity to see where it comes from, meet the farmers, and understand their craft on a deeper level was a truly life changing experience for me.
Cacao farming in El Salvador is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. In the first half of 2024 alone, cacao exports hit a 30-year high - up over 20% from last year! This is huge, not just for the farmers but for the preservation of a tradition that had nearly disappeared.
A big part of this success is thanks to Belco Cacao, the traders who organised this trip and who are working closely with farmers to help them create world-class cacao while growing sustainable businesses. Their commitment goes beyond trade - they’re providing real support to farmers so they can improve quality, increase yields, and build a future for Salvadoran cacao.
During my visit, I had the privilege of exploring several remarkable farms:
Finca Chiquihuat – Run by Dr. Herbert Betancourt, he started to grow cacao trees just 10 years ago, and now the farm is jam packed with beautiful trees of many kinds. Initially, he began planting Trinitarios brought in from the Trinidad research institute, but since realised that he wanted to focus on regenerating the ancestral varieties that originally existed in El Salvador. On the farm are other rare timbers, that act as the perfect shade for cacao trees, which prefer to be protected from direct sun.
Hacienda Comalapa – A 300-hectare farm balancing sugar cane and cacao cultivation. They are beginning to increase the amount of cacao, as the sugar cane is damaging the soil quality over time. They are bringing cacao back to this area for the first time in 200 yrs. This farm is certified Organic, which is unusual. Although all of the cacao farms are using organic methods, few can pay for the certification, it's not worth their time or the expense when their harvests are small.
Hacienda San Jose Real de la Carrera – The largest cacao plantation in El Salvador, and where I source my El Salvador beans from. I've been working with these beans for 3.5 years, and it's still my favourite chocolate. I've long dreamt of coming here and sharing my chocolate with the growers, closing the circle and bringing it back to where it started. This was an emotional visit for me!
And here’s something truly amazing: Belco Cacao has started an initiative to bring Salvadoran cacao to Europe by sailboat! That means lower carbon emissions and an even more sustainable future for fine chocolate. It’s an inspiring reminder that every step of this process, from farm to bar, matters.
Seeing all of this firsthand makes me even prouder to use Salvadoran cacao in my chocolate. When you taste my bar, you’re tasting the work of generations of farmers who are fighting to keep this tradition alive.
Want to experience the flavours of El Salvador for yourself? Try my award-winning 70% bar, made with the very cacao I saw being grown, harvested, and expertly fermented. Click here to order and taste the story in every bite!
Thank you for being part of this journey - your love for craft chocolate helps support these farmers and their incredible cacao.
Stay sweet,
Nicola
