Name: UBIQ AG
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Bolivia

CACAO SELECTION FELCHLIN

WILD CACAO - A BOLIVIAN RARITY

In the lowlands of the department of Beni, near the border with Brazil, unique «Beniano Silvestre» wild cacao grows wherever slight, natural elevations occur. There is often a lot of standing water in the region following heavy rainfall, as the terrain is flat and basically resembles a steppe or savannah. The elevated areas then become small pockets of pristine forest. Residents have adjusted well to these conditions and adapt their means of transport to the vagaries of nature.

Facts

PARTNERSHIP WITH

Sumar Ltda. Family Vacaflores
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OR FARMERS

Around 800 indigenous families (Nativos amazonicas of the Arawak tribe)
TYPE OF COMPANY

Sumar Ltda. acts as the local coordinator and purchases the wild cacao, furthermore it also makes its own chocolate. The «Cacaotales» (Cacao islands) are in the public domain and belong to the TCO (Terra comunitaria de origen) according to Bolivian law. Therefore, they belong to the collective and not to individuals or companies.
HOMEPAGE

chocolatebaure.com
COOPERATION SINCE

2014
CACAO VARIETY

Wild Beniano / Beniano Silvestre

FELCHLIN IN BOLIVIA

OUR PARTNER AND DIRECT COOPERATION ON SITE

Max Felchlin AG has been sourcing wild cacao from Bolivia since 2005. And from Sumar Ltda., owned by the Vacaflores family, since 2014. This collaboration is extremely successful and the quantities purchased have steadily increased in recent years. On site, Sumar Ltda.’s buyers oversee the procurement of the cacao beans and check the quality. Cacao is part of the daily food component for the local population and over generations knowledge of the fermentation and drying process have been passed on.

Sumar Ltda. further helps with its industrial knowhow and also with careful consideration for the local conditions helps to gently optimise the processes even further.

FELCHLIN IN BOLIVIA

OUR PARTNER AND DIRECT COOPERATION ON SITE

Globally unique wild cacao is a niche product and is often associated with Felchlin under this name. As the wild cocoa beans are very small, there is a loss of over 35% during processing in the factory in Ibach, which is considerably higher than with normal beans. All in all, this is a great effort, but one that is definitely worthwhile and also has a positive effect in the region of origin.

BOLIVIA COUVERTURE AWARDED ENVIRONMENTAL LABEL

GEO protects the rain forest

Thanks in part to Felchlin’s involvement, these vast, natural areas are still in their original condition and have not fallen victim to deforestation and livestock farming. As a result of this side-effect, «GEO protects the rain forest» awarded Felchlin wild cacao from Bolivia its label since january 2022. This is a German association that campaigns to preserve tropical and sub-tropical forests.

INDIGENOUS GROUPS – GATHERERS OF WILD CACAO

Wild cacao is usually gathered by indigenous families of the community of Baure who regularly travel to the collection areas by foot, boat, or motorbike. They divide the work amongst themselves, harvesting, fermenting, and drying the wild cacao together directly in the rain forest. They return to Baure after about two weeks and sell the dried cacao.

Although Bolivia has invested in infrastructure in recent years, making it easier to travel to these remote cacao islands via the region’s unmade roads, the journey is still extremely hazardous.

INDIGENOUS GROUPS – GATHERERS OF WILD CACAO

The wild cacao is generally harvested from the end of December to the end of March. Outside the harvest season, the cacao plants are left to nature. They are neither fertilised nor pruned and are therefore naturally organic. The increasing trade in wild cacao is having a positive impact on residents’ quality of life. Very few young adults leave the region, as their traditional way of life is deeply entrenched and urban areas are some distance away.

TRANSPORTING THE CACAO

From Baure the wild Bolivian cacao is transported about 400 km over unpaved roads to Trinidad. During the rainy season, this first section of the journey is extremely difficult and laborious for people and machinery.

From Trinidad, it is another 500 km to Santa Cruz, from where it is transported a further 1,100 km by truck over the Andes to Arica (Chile). In the port of Arica, the beans are loaded onto ships for onward transport to Europe by sea.

Products

Felchlin Art. No.	Product name
CS93	Bolivia 68% 60h, dark chocolate couverture, Rondo	More info
CS90	Bolivia 45% 60h au lait de terroir, milk chocolate couverture, Rondo	More info
CV15	Cacao Fruit Couverture, dark chocolate couverture, Rondo	More info

Note: Some products are not available in all markets. The right to make changes to the range is reserved. Liste non exhaustive.

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