Maya Mountain (Belize)

Maya Mountain Cacao is a pioneer in direct trade cacao sourcing. Founded in 2010, Maya Mountain Cacao put Belize on the craft chocolate map as the first exporter in the country to produce high-quality, centrally-fermented and transparently sourced cacao.

Maya Mountain Cacao works with 350+ certified organic small holder cacao farming families in the Toledo and South Stann Creek districts, most of whom are indigenous Q’eqchi’ and Mopan Maya and who have been producing cacao for generations.

Maya Mountain Cacao’s 100% Belizean Maya team centrally processes all cacao at a post-harvest facility where three unique stages of sun drying create optimal flavor. Maya Mountain Cacao was awarded an Heirloom Cacao Preservation (HCP) designation in 2014, and through genetic testing we know that the majority of cacao cultivated by families in the Maya Mountain Cacao farmer network are Amelonado-dominant hybrids and other Upper Amazon Forastero hybrids.

Maya Mountain Cacao is focused on being a sustainable, long term and transparent partner to farmers and producing uniquely delicious and sweet cacao that creates real positive impact for the communities of southern Belize. The beans carefully produced by the farmers in Maya Mountain Cacao’s network offer consistent, rich flavor notes of honey, pineapple, raisin, tobacco, and fudge. The versatility of this flavor profile allows for deeply satisfying dark milk chocolate, deliciously approachable 100% cacao chocolate, and everything in between.

In 2019, Maya Mountain Cacao was awarded a Cocoa of Excellence Award, which placed it within the top 20 cocoas globally.