Preserving the ancient Chuncho Cacaos in the Urubamba Valley in Peru
Under the shadows of the Apu Urusayhua, Mother of stone, grow the old and sturdy Chuncho trees, some of which are 200 years old. They grow at an altitude of 1.200m, which is highly unusual for cacao. Peruvian Chuncho in its authentic and in its pure form it is hard to find and even harder to source.
Local mythology describes the it as a sacred mountain and Apu is also the local name given to the mountain spirits that guard the land and connect the people to the highest realm. Beneath the heights, the spume and the strong winds of the Apu Urusayhua, lies the lush Urubamba Valley, where local smallholders grow their ancient Chuncho.
The local families are exceptionally proud of their Chuncho heritage and many families carefully harvest beans from their oldest trees to make their own hot chocolate.
Cacao genetic scientists have recently found that the old Chunchos are some of the genetically and aromatically richest cacaos in the world. To preserve the genetic code we only source from selected farmers with old Chuncho trees.