A New Year, a New Harvest: Honoring the Cacao Tree and Its Living Legacy
As this new year begins, so does a new harvest season.
For us at Maya Moon Cacao, this moment carries deep meaning. It marks our second year working alongside an association of cacao producers made up of 195 families across different villages in Guatemala. Each family grows cacao on a small scale, caring for the land and the trees as part of their daily life and inherited knowledge.
At the heart of this work stands the cacao tree.
The Cacao Tree: More Than a Crop
The cacao tree is not simply where cacao comes from. It is a living legacy.
In Guatemala, cacao trees have been cared for by families for hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years. This knowledge is not written in manuals. It is passed through observation, practice, and relationship with the land.
Most of the cacao we work with comes from criollo cacao trees, widely recognized as the highest-quality cacao in the world. Criollo cacao is rare. It produces lower yields, but offers exceptional flavor, aroma, and depth. Alongside these trees, some carefully selected hybrids are present, chosen only to help the cacao tree adapt to changing climate conditions while protecting the integrity of the crop.
Each cacao tree is tended with patience, shade management, pruning, and respect for natural cycles. This care cannot be rushed.
Small-Scale Farming, Collective Strength
The families we work with cultivate cacao on small plots, often alongside other crops that support their households. This is not industrial agriculture. It is family-based farming rooted in balance and sustainability.
Because cacao production is small and spread across many communities, we created a cacao collection center. This center exists to support producers by allowing cacao to be gathered, fermented, dried, and moved responsibly. It helps ensure quality, transparency, and dignified working conditions.
This year, the harvest is abundant. And with abundance comes responsibility.
Traceability and Shared Responsibility
Caring for the cacao tree also means caring for every step of its journey.
At Maya Moon Cacao, we work with a clear plan of traceability and shared responsibility. We remain connected to the cacao from the tree, to the families, to the final product.
This responsibility flows in three directions:
To the producers, by supporting fair practices, long-term relationships, and dignified work
To the consumer, by offering transparency, quality, and trust in the cacao they drink
To Mother Nature, whom we honor as Ix Cacao
Honoring Ix Cacao, Mother Nature
Ix Cacao represents the living force of cacao and the natural balance that sustains it.
Honoring Ix Cacao means protecting the soil, respecting water sources, preserving biodiversity, and working in harmony with the rhythms of the land. Sustainability for us is not only technical. It is cultural and spiritual.
When we protect the cacao tree, we protect future generations of farmers, ecosystems, and cacao itself.
Why the Quality of Cacao Matters
Not all cacao is the same.
Cacao grown from criollo cacao trees, cared for by families with ancestral knowledge, carries a depth of quality that cannot be replicated through mass production. Valuing cacao quality means valuing time, care, and people.
Guatemala holds one of the most important cacao legacies in the world. By choosing cacao rooted in this lineage, consumers help protect both culture and biodiversity.
A Bridge Between the Cacao Tree and Your Cup
We see our role as a bridge.
A bridge between the families who care for the cacao tree and the people who drink cacao around the world. A bridge that helps others understand the value behind each cup and the responsibility we all share.
This harvest is not only about cacao.
It is about legacy.
It is about responsibility.
And it is about community.
From the cacao tree to your cup, this journey continues with care.
