Toledo District in southern Belize is home to the Maya Mountain Coop and Toledo Cacao Growers Association, producing organic, Fairtrade-certified cacao from rainforest plantations. This region created the world's first Fairtrade chocolate bar and continues to be recognized for pristine rainforests and exceptional cacao quality. Today, local chocolate makers complement international exports.

Maya Mountain is arguably one of the most established cacao origins in the world, having been one of the first to very clearly establish its own brand. Started in 2010, MMC put Belizian cacao on the map, as a pioneer in the centralized fermentery social enterprise model. What that boils down to is 350+ farming families in southern Belize selling their wet cacao beans to the MMC team at a transparent premium. Most of these families are Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya and have been producing cacao for generations. In 2014, the origin was even awarded an Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation, and its versatile and rich flavors attest to the deservedness of that honor. All Maya Mountain Cacao beans are certified organic.

The native wild-grown cacao of Bolivia, Beniano is perhaps better known as nacional de Bolivia or even cacao silvestre. That’s because this strain grows wild along the upper part of the Río Bení in northern Bolivia; locals collect pods via canoe, as they ripen. The further south you go, the more indigenous genetic material the fruits tend to contain. Beniano have relatively small pods, meaning less yield per fruit, and a sweet, nutty, and fruity flavor. The overall rich and balanced character of the beans means that even slight changes in fermentation or roasting can cause a huge difference in the final taste of a product, resulting in an overall crowd-pleasing cacao.