What’s so special about criollo ceremonial cacao and what makes it ethical?

The concept of "ceremonial grade cacao” is a marketing and labeling strategy that can be misleading. There is no industry standard that defines this term. We have learned, from Mayan elders, that for a cacao to be considered ceremonial, means that it:

(1) is grown on native lands; and

(2) is farmed and produced according to ancient methods.

By these standards genuine ceremonial cacao must be produced entirely or mostly by hand, in harmony with the local plants & animals, by indigenous people who have been working with this plant for thousands of years. Most cocoa and cacao products, and unfortunately some other cacaos that claim to be ceremonial are industrially produced, using as many machines as possible to decrease the human cost and increase corporate profits.

CRIOLLO CACAO

There are a variety of strains of cacao - not different species, but similar to the way cats & dogs come in different breeds. You can find hand-made “ceremonial” cacaos made from a variety of bean strains. Our indigenous Mayan teachers living in Guatemala believe that only the products made from criollo - meaning ‘native’ - beans can be considered genuinely ceremonial. Interestingly, the criollo cacao strain is highly sought after by chocolatiers throughout the world for it’s flavor & aroma profile. We have found that ceremonial cacao from criollo beans growing in Guatemala offer the most potent health benefits and spiritual effects.

All of the cacao brands we sell through Rakas Kakaw are:

1. Made from criollo cacao grown on Mayan-owned farms in Guatemala.

2. Either 100% hand-made or made with the use of only one machine.

In addition to these distinctions, it is important to us that we only share cacao with you that gives back not just to the earth from which we source all our food, but also to all of the people and communities involved in the whole process of production.

Biodiverse Farming

OUR ‘BETTER THAN ORGANIC’ GUARANTEE:

Most of the cacao on the global market comes from monoculture farming; even if it’s organic. In contrast, all of our cacao products derive from trees that grow in ancient, biodiverse farms - where no chemicals are used in farming, cacao trees grow alongside other native plant species, and enough cacao crop is left for animals & insects who have ancient symbiotic relationships with the cacao tree. Unlike most monoculture farming, older trees do not get cut down after they stop producing sellable fruits. Instead they are kept alive and honored as wise elders - out of respect for the sacredness of all life and with the understanding that vital information will be passed through their vast root networks to younger trees.

Decolonizing cacao

During their conquest of South America, Spanish colonizers burned most of the ancient Mayan cacao farms & trees; replacing them with monoculture coffee farms, and building the foundations of the European chocolate industry. As a result, nowadays most cocoa, cacao & chocolate products on the global market are sold by a few huge corporations. In contrast, we source all of our cacao products exclusively from Mayan-owned businesses in Guatemala. Thus, every purchase from Rakas Kakaw sends cash money directly to families & communities who have been guardians of cacao for millennia - empowering them to reclaim the proper uses of this sacred plant, after centuries of colonial harm that unfortunately continues to this day.

Direct Trade & Living Wages

OUR BETTER THAN FAIR TRADE GUARANTEE:

The highly unethical labor practices & wage standards in the mainstream chocolate industry is well-documented. Even ‘Fair Trade’ products are based on a standard wage that is only pennies more than the bare minimum; while for-profit Fair Trade companies in the US & Europe end up diverting profits from the poorest farmers. Direct Trade aims to solve this issue by cutting out intermediary companies so that producers receive more money directly. When you buy cacao products from Rakas Kakaw, you can rest assured that everyone in our supply chain is being paid LIVING wages. For our farmers in Guatemala, this can mean up to TEN times more than farmers being paid exploitative "Fair Trade" wages.

Benefits for Communities, Earth & Future Generations

There is an inspiring concept in Mayan communities known as ‘El Systemo del Mundo’ - a Spanish term which translates to ‘The System of the World.’ This system is based on three guidelines that inform potential entrepreneurs. According to this concept, before starting a new business, you must ask 3 questions:

Will this idea benefit our community?
Will this idea benefit the earth/the environment?
Will this idea benefit future generations?

If there is any reason why you cannot wholeheartedly answer YES to all three of these questions, then you must return to your business plan to make adjustments until you can be sure that your vision will have a positive impact on your communities, on the earth & the environment, and on future generations. This system sets ethical standards for the Mayan-owned businesses with whom we partner and influences our own company values.

These ethical standards at the heart of Rakas Kakaw set our products & our company apart. For all of these reasons, we can humbly guarantee that in addition to offering substantial benefits for you, for your health & for your community; your Rakas Kakaw purchases also benefit communities abroad, our sacred earth home & future generations.

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