2014 HarvestVenezuelan Cacao

In 2009 Tisano’s founders were the first to export USDA ORGANIC CERTIFIED cacao from Venezuela. Tisano adopted the concepts of chain of title traceability procedures as well sustainable produc-tion practices implementing it across our value chain in our ‘Origin-Sourcing Model.’ By partnering with the farmers our transparent purchasing model empowers farmer run co-ops to purchase directly from their communities, removing the middle-men allowing us to pay higher prices, supporting farmers through financing. The co-ops we partner with ensure good harvest, fermenting and drying tech-niques are in place and once they are dried we receive the beans at our facility where we clean, sort and blend the batches by Origin to ensure uniformity of bean size and terroir flavour consis-tency from bag to bag within each lot. The beans that don’t meet our minimum quality requirements for size or defects are discarded. In our stringent selection process we reject between 5-7% of inbound beans so that our customers don’t have to lose time or money in cleaning and selection.

QUALITY vs. QUANTITY

Venezuela produces a small annual harvest of only +/- 16,000MT of cacao, which equates to roughly 0.32% of World Production. The average Venezu-elan cacao farmer owns between 1 - 5 hectares producing some of the worlds lowest yields < 300 kgs / hectare. Low yields means that Venezuelan

TISANO CACAO COMPANY

cacao is expensive to farm compared to other producing nations with average yields of 600 – 1,000 kgs / hectare. In Venezuela cacao farming is not a lucrative option for many. Ancient varietals are being ripped out and replaced by other cash crops.

Tisano’s Origin-Sourcing Model commits us to our cacao farming partners as active stakeholder in the 450 year old tradition Venezuela was founded on, Cacao Farming. We support our communities with technical workshops, business skills to run a farm and donate tools and equipment during and after the harvest with the goal to promote quality farming.

GENETIC MAPPING – PROTECTING VARIETALS

Beyond sourcing Tisano has partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) to protect unique genetic cacao varietals by tagging and mapping trees across the country to unearth the genetic origin of Theobroma Cacao. In the process we are discov-ering some of the most unique and diverse cacao varietals in the world.

ORIGIN SOURCING

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Tisano’s Origin-Sourcing Model vs current cacao supply chain diagram for Venezuela

Local Exportersn < 8

Legend:Raw cocoa beans

Processed cocoa products(liquor, butter, cake, powder)

MultinationalManufacturers

Market Actors outside Venezuela

Market Actors in Ve nezuela

Chocolate / Confectionary Markets

(80% of cocoa exports)

MultinationalProcessors

MultinationalTraders

Local Tradersn > 15

Local Collectorsn > 500

Smallholder Farmersn > 17.000

ArtisanalProcessors andManufacturers

LocalProc.n < 6

TISANO

Manufacturing

Processing

Trading / Importing

Local processing

Exporting

Collecting/Bulking

Cocoa BeanProduction

Manufacturing

Processing

Trading / Importing

Local processing

Exporting

Collecting/Bulking

Cocoa BeanProduction

Manufacturing

Processing

Trading / Importing

Local processing

Exporting

Collecting/Bulking

Cocoa BeanProduction

Juana, Harvest Foreman - La Empresa Campesina de Chuao

MIRANDA

SUCRE

ARAGUACARABOBO

PUERTO CABELLO•Complex and varied•Pepper, fruits, cashews and peanuts•Trinitario with high Criollo tendencies

A favorite growing region for the Spanish Crown, once the largest producer and named after the port of embarkation, Puerto Cabello. Now aban-doned haciendas offer bountiful untamed cacao hidden in the tropical mountains. This region offers the most diverse flavor profiles; from famed Chuao to Ocumare to the subtle Patanemo criollo, spicy Mantuano and molasses Trincheras. Each village is surrounded by a unique micro-climate and terroir creating unique origins.

CARENERO SUPERIOR•Caramel, citrus, vanilla, berries, honey•Chocolate undertone•Mild acidity

Carenero refers to the port from which the cacao was once shipped and “Superior” is a reference to higher quality Trinitario beans. Typically, Carenero has a strong underlying chocolate presence that hides underneath a myriad of flavors, such as spice, caramel, citrus, vanilla, berries, and honey. A light acidity also adds further depth to the profile. Historically known as Caracas Cacao.

RIO CARIBE•Dark tone, bitter•Coffee, cocoa•Almonds, red fruits

This Forastero cacao bean grown near the Rio Caribe has a slight dark tone and a refreshing bitterness. Venezuela’s largest growing region - the majority of this region produces an F2 cacao ( less than 60% fermentation) and small plantation specific F1 ( greater than 60% fermentation.)

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ZULIAMERIDA

CARABOBOARAGUA

MIRANDABOLIVAR

SUCRE

AMAZONAS

PORCELANA•Low acidity & delicate•Great finesse•Strawberries, cream, butter, bread, honey

From the Andean region, a genetically pure Criollo species. This cacao is extremely mild, and is prized for its delicacy and overall gentle appeal. While not a complex cacao, the flavors and texture are incredible and dazzle with finesse. Typical flavors are strawberries, cream, butter, and sometimes bread. Mexican strands of Porcelana deviate from the Venezuelan variety with a heavier body and spicier flavor profile.

MARACAIBO / SUR DEL LAGO •Full-bodied•Delicate and subtle under flavor tones•Red fruits, cream, nuts

Maracaibo and Sur del Lago, meaning south lake, have been farming criollo cacao since the late 16th Century. Grown at the end of the Andean Mountain range it is inherently hearty with a full body. Its com-plexity is fairly minimal and can display wonderful flavors of red fruits, cream and nuts.

GUASARE•Nutty with caramel top notes•Complex secondary notes, less acidic

High quality 100% ancient criollo varietal is currently being rediscovered. Hailing from the mountainous Andean region of Venezuela consisting of enor-mously large, pure white inside beans.    

 

ZULIAMERIDA

ZULIAMERIDA

ZULIAMERIDA

REGIONAL NAMES // FLAVOR PROFILES

CHUAO •Sharp, red fruits and berries•Chocolate with licorice undertones•Trinitario with Criollo tendencies

Chuao is one of the most prized cocoa origins amongst chocolate makers, so much so that over 4 times as much ‘Chuao’ chocolates are sold than cacao is grown in this terroir each year. Chuao has no roads leading out of town it is so isolated that the cacao beans must be brought out on small boats 900 kgs at a time. The isolation has meant that forgotten traditions remain very much alive in Chuao, such as their community harvesting and three tiered drying patio process. These traditions along with the varied genetic diversity of the 450 year old plantation is what makes the cacao from La Empresa Campesina de Chauo world class.

OCUMARE & CUMBOTO•Plum, peaches, red fruits•Vanilla Caramel, Light acidity•Trinitario with more Criollo tendencies

The town of Ocumare actually grows no cacao. The name comes from a farmer run co-op which purchased the beans from surrounding villages such as Cumboto, Cata and Cuyagua. This allowed for a uniformed fermenting and drying process which enhanced the flavour. Since 2010 the co-op was displaced and Tisano has been working with former co-op partners to continue purchasing and combine fermenting and drying for the region. In 2011 we introduced Cumboto as its own origin. This cacao is gentle and light, but it still possesses a slight acidic punch. Flavors vary, between plum, peaches, red fruits with hint of caramel and vanilla.

PATANEMO•Floral top notes, red berries •Cashews, peanuts•Trinitario with high percentage of Criollo

Patanemo is a village formed by run-away slaves on the foothills where the tropical mountains of South America crash into the Caribbean Sea. The name comes from the Spanish ‘pas tenemos’ (we have peace.) Tisano’s founders were the first to introduce this as a terroir specific origin in 2010 and we continue to source directly from three farming families who ensure our stringent harvest, ferment-ing and drying practices are met.

MANTUANO•Caramel and molasses flavor tones•Deep complexity•Trinitario with Forastero tendencies

One of the original Cacao Growing Regions in the by-gone era of the ‘Gran Cacaos’. The village of Mantuano is named after the local nickname for Spanish Dons and Lords of Colonial times - The Mantuanos. It is a narrow valley between steep tropical hills that produces a spicy and chocolaty flavor. Mantuano is a female run cacao co-operative founded with the support of Tisano. They do all the local buying in pulp to ensure fermenting and drying are standardized.

TRINCHERAS•Dark Chocolate, herbal under tons•Tannins and Astringency•Higher altitude Trinitario

Trincheras, known best for the healing thermal waters that run out from under the town. It was once a large cacao hacienda, today the dilapi-dated 17th Century Plantation sits in front of the farmer run co-op. Trincheras is situated high in the rainforest hills, 10 miles from the ocean, delivering a cacao with uniform dark chocolate astringency and subtle herbal bouquet as undertones.

GUANIAMO & AMAZONAS•Robust with strong chocolate over tones•Acidic, strong•Wild grown Forastero

Cacao grown deep in the Amazonian river basins of Venezuela, thought to be the birthplace of cacao. Wild cacao harvested by local Piaroa Indigenous communities. It is a two-day canoe trip or one day 4x4 expedition to bring this varietal from the Amazonian basin to the nearest roads for us to then drive another 10 hours to our ware-house.

Cacao Drying on the Chuao Church Patio & Donaldo, Patanemo Farmer

For orders or more information email : beans@tisano.com

All Rights Reserved (c) 2014, Tisano, LLC

UNIQUE TERROIRS

CARABOBO

10 MT / YEAR

40 MT / YEAR

ARAGUA

17 MT / YEARARAGUA

40 MT / YEAR

BOLIVAR

AMAZONAS

CARABOBO

15 MT / YEAR

CARABOBO

7.5 MT / YEAR