International Organics' prized Conuco Reserve 100% Organic Raw Cacao Beans and 100% Organic Raw Cocoa Powder come from the finest hand-selected organic cacao beans produced by a small cooperative of organic farmers in the northern highlands of the Dominican Republic.

Discover the rich, distinctive flavor of our hand selected, raw organic cacao beans, grown and harvested the same way Dominicans have in their conucos (home farms) for hundreds of years. The complex aroma and delicate taste of our Conuco Reserve Cacao and cocoa powder is born in the shade of a lush forest canopy where cacao trees in the Caribbean sun, sharing the nutrient-rich soils in the shade of tropical fruit trees.

We Love our Farmers

Our cacao beans and cocoa powder come from a small cooperative of 300 small-scale farmers who have created a sustainable agricultural network within the remote mountain villages surrounding the Loma Guaconejo Rainforest Reserve in the Dominican Republic. Founded in May of 2003, the cooperative addresses the need to bring living wages to local cacao farmers and their families, to use the vast resources of their land in an ecologically sensible way, and to protect the local Rainforest Reserve from degradation. In fact, a documentary was recently produced on the cooperative and their project. Click here to see a trailer of Namshub Films' Chocolate Country.

The purpose of the cooperative is simple: to help stabilize a fair selling price and increase the quality of their cacao beans. How do they do that? By selling directly to markets like us instead of relying on greedy middlemen that act as intermediaries between their farms and stores. Our farmers work hard to bring you the highest quality organic cacao and it pays off. they get better prices for their crops by providing you with cacao of the absolute highest quality. We all win!

With the help of international development specialists from the U.S. Peace Corps, German DED, and Dominican SODIN, the cooperative has expanded tremendously. Recently built fermentation and drying centers in 10 communities compliment two warehouses, and a brand new packaging center. All this construction has been done while demanding the highest level of sanitation and quality. Click here to see a diagram from the International Cocoa Organization on the cocoa making process.

The cooperative's profits from the sale of their cacao are also reserved for re-investment in sustainable community development projects and the cooperative. Important aims like subsidizing the costs of new members gaining organic certification, introducing fermentation and drying centers to rural areas, and providing educational workshops on quality control and increased productivity for all cooperative members. An additional 3% of all profits are allocated to protect the Loma Guaconejo Rainforest Reserve and improve living conditions in surrounding communities, many of which lack adequate water systems, electricity, roads and schools.

Perhaps one of the greatest achievements of the co-op has been its organic certification. Together with the Swiss inspectors from IMO-Caribe, the cooperative has achieved certification for 132 farms on 11,772 acres of their land. At present, there are another 35 farms that are in the process of changing over to organic cultivation. Let's keep cheering them on.

Is it "Cocoa" or "Cacao"?

You might notice how we seemingly use the words "cocoa" and "cacao" interchangeably to describe the plant cacao theobroma, the source of the world's chocolate. Why so many names? Well, chocolate is so delicious, its history demands we use multiple words to describe the amazing plant, depending on its state. Here at International Organics, we use "cacao" to refer to the dried beans of the cacao tree, and "cocoa" to refer to the refined powder you're probably more familiar with. To get a better understanding, let's take a minute to illuminate the path chocolate has taken since first recorded in history.

What's in a Name?

The Cacao tree originated in Central America and the Caribbean, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. The first recorded cultivation of the cacao tree dates back to 1100 B.C. when ancestors of the ancient Central American Aztec and Mayan civilizations discovered the amazing properties of the plant, sipping on an old-school version of "hot chocolate" and continued to do so for millenia. These societies revered the plant as a gift from the gods, and so-loved the stuff that they even were found using the cacao beans as a currency when the Spanish first arrived to the Americas.

As Europeans began voyages back and forth to the Americas, they were astonished by the stimulating properties of the cacao tree, attributing numerous properties to the plant, even claiming it fought fatigue (now attributed to the endorphine rush provided by it's theobromine content). They thought their friends and family back home might like it as much as they did, and they were right. It became an instant success throughout Europe, but Europeans couldn't pronounce the original Aztec word for cacao, xocaotl. They tried their hardest coming up with a suitable substitute, and were content with the word "chocolate" to describe the frothy drink. Although incorrect, the name stuck.

Cacao! Cocoa! Chocolate! The names ran wild as people struggled to pronounce the word for this amazing Aztecan plant "xocoatl". Finally, in 1753 Swedish Botanist Carolus Linnaeus gave the scientific name for the tree as Cacao theobroma, which in Greek means for "food of the gods". Over the next few centuries, chocolate continued to grow in popularity and today is one of the most popular foods in the world. It has been the focus of countless scientific studies, cookbooks, and companies, and will undoubtedly continue its importance in the story of human history.

Cacao in Nature

The Cacao tree is only found in the most productive and biologically diverse environments in the world: tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are found only in a small band around the globe between 20 degrees north and 20 degrees south latitude. In these rich and ancient forests, the cacao tree lives in the humid lowland tropics under the shade of the dense forest canopy and among the bio-diverse flora and fauna of the rainforest.

Here within this natural paradise the Cacao tree thrives, and can grow to heights of up to 30-40 feet (9-12 meters). Living in well-drained tropical soils, the football-shaped cacao pod is birthed from the twisted trunk and branches of the tree. This bizarre appearance of the tree only adds to the already mystical status it has carried for thousands of years, first among Mesoamerican cultures and later among the rest of the world.

There are three general varieties of Theobroma cacao found in the world:

Growing a Cacao Tree

The Cacao tree grows and survives under a thick overstory of rainforest vegetation. These trees filter rain and moisture down through the forest canopy and provide rich organic material which falls to the forest floor below. For this reason, organic certification among the farms is critical to the holistic health of the forests' ecosystems. Down in the forest floor's rich organic material, small insects called Midges breed and are responsible for the pollination of the Cacao flowers, beginning the eventual growth of the seed-bearing pod.

With proper care, the cacao tree will begin to yield fruit after about 5 years and produce growing cycles of 50 pods about twice a year. Once the pod is birthed, it takes about 5-6 months for the pod to fully mature to the point where it can be harvested. Each pod typically holds about 40 seeds, enough to make 10 milk chocolate bars or 5 dark chocolate bars.

The Health Benefits of Cocoa and Cacao

Healthy, Natural Chocolate

Most people assume chocolate is not good for your health. The idea of sweet, buttery chocolate seems so sinful that most people believe it couldn't possibly be beneficial to your body. But contrary to common myths, overwhelming medical research shows the remarkable positive effect cacao and cocoa can have on your health! Dark chocolate contains high levels of flavonoids, antioxidants that can decrease the risk of cancer in humans. In fact, organic cacao and cocoa generally contain higher levels of these antioxidants than both vitamin C and green tea. Additionally, these flavonoids are thought to improve the function of blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and possibly reducing the risk of heart disease.

Remember, our Conuco Reserve cacao and cocoa products are grown on farmland where absolutely no pesticides, growth hormones or other potentially harmful chemicals are used anywhere on the farm. The certified organic farming methods maximize the production and benefits of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids critical to your overall health. In a recently published study, organically produced agriculture contained up to 40% more antioxidants than conventional equivalents. Let's take a look at just a few of the numerous health benefits of cacao and cocoa, "the food of the gods".

Antioxidants

Vitamins

Your Emotional Health

Cocoa and Chocolate Myths

Most people cannot resist the temptation of eating chocolates. Occasion or no occasion, chocolates are a year-round cause for celebration. Over time, chocolates have been subject to a lot of debates on health related issues. As a result, there has been a tremendous amount of information that we have learned in the last hundred years. However, there has also been an enormous amount of misinformation that persists about chocolate regardless of what we discover. Some researchers have praised chocolate for its antioxidant properties and other health benefits while others are more skeptical. Let us have a look at some common chocolate myths.

Tooth Decay?

Many people think that eating chocolates causes tooth decay; in reality, tooth decay is associated with sugars and poor oral hygiene. Most dentists agree that tooth decay is due to the accumulation of fermentable carbohydrates on the tooth. Chocolate products actually contain ingredients that can prevent and retard tooth decay.

Caffeine?

It is also a common misconception that chocolate contains a high amount of caffeine. In actuality, the amount of caffeine in chocolate is very low when compared to other beverages and food products. A bar of chocolate contains only 6 mg of caffeine, whereas, a 5 oz cup of coffee may have up to 100 mg of caffeine. It is also said that chocolate contains high quantities of fat and may result in weight increase. The amount of fat in a chocolate bar is not very high and in fact, in moderate quantity, can be used in a low-fat diet program

Cholesterol?

Chocolates do not contribute to cholesterol formation. The recommended daily consumption of cholesterol should not exceed 300 mg. A 1.65 oz bar of chocolate contains only 12 mg of cholesterol. Comparatively, a 1 oz piece of cheese contains close to 30 mg of cholesterol.

Sodium?

Some people have the view that chocolate contains sodium in harmful quantities and may cause increases in blood pressure. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of sodium is 1100 to 3300 mg. Actually, a 1.5 oz chocolate milk bar contains only 41 mg of sodium, while dark chocolate contains only 5 mg.

Acne?

It is widely believed that chocolate consumption leads to acne formation. This is a truly misleading statement that has deprived chocolate to millions of teenagers from past generations. Researchers have found no relationship between eating chocolate and acne formation. The University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine conducted a study where a large group of volunteers were given chocolate bars containing almost ten times the amount of chocolate liquor than normally contained in a 1.5 oz chocolate bar. Another group was given the same quantity of chocolate, with no chocolate liquor. At the end of the test it was found that there was no difference in the acne conditions of both the groups.

Stearic Acid?

Chocolates are said to contain stearic acid, which is a saturated fat. The truth about stearic acid is that it is proven not to raise blood cholesterol levels and actaully is found helpful in reducing the risk of blood clots. Chocolate also contains oleic acid, which is a monosaturated or 'good fat'. Oleic acid, which is also found in olive oil, is known to benefit the heart. It increases the HDL (good cholesterol) and reduces LDL (bad cholesterol). Chocolate also contains flavonoids, which are known to have antioxidant properties.