Alta Verapaz is a department in central Guatemala, with its capital in Cobán. All of Guatemala was at one point a part of the Maya civilization, including the Alta Verapaz region, and most of the area's residents are still part of one of the surviving groups and primarily speak their native language rather than Spanish. The majority of the fine flavor cacao exported from Guatemala comes from the tropical jungles of the Alta Verapaz region via Cacao Verapaz, a specialty cacao exporter based in Cobán, and focused on working with indigenous communities to preserve their native cacao varietals.

APODIP, or the Asociación de Productores Orgánicos para el Desarrollo Integral del Polochic, is an association of coffee and cacao producers in Guatemala’s Alta Verapaz region. APODIP’s cacao farmers span 35 small communities across the Polochic Valley, and collectively they support and manage the protection of a neighboring forest reserve. The Association’s farmer families are relatively more experienced in the commercialization of coffee, but with the partnership of Cacao Verapaz, they’ve been able to bring their high quality cacao to an international market. The beans not only benefit from uniquely hot fermentation conditions in the valley; there’s also something special about the genetics of cacao in the area, lending a beautiful blend of nutty and caramel flavors to the beans.