Fruition Fresh Mint Milk Chocolate 54%

Bundibugyo is a small district in the Western Region of Uganda, directly bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Subsistence agriculture and animal husbandry are the two major economic activities in the district. Despite its small size, it’s also the largest producer of cocoa in all of Uganda; the local enterprise of Latitude Trade Co. has played a large role in bringing their organic cacao to the craft chocolate market. Most of the cacao farmers in the region live off of earnings week-to-week and only have very small plots, so Latitude Trade Co. has organized 6 rural collection points for farmers to access each week and get paid immediately for their harvest.

Located in Bundibugyo, Western Uganda, Semuliki Forest Cacao is grown by over a thousand organic smallholder farmers in the region, more than half of whom are women. Latitude Trade Co. (LTC), the company that processes and exports this cacao, has organized 6 rural collection points for farmers to access, where every week they can sell fresh into the network and receive cash payment immediately. Latitude's centralized fermentation facility and warehouse is strategically located in the village of Bumate, where they can receive optimal natural light and limited impact from rainfall. All Semuliki Forest cacao is 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.