Pachamama Goods ceremonial grade cacao has a story that I would like to share with you. This is my personal journey on how and why I embarked on this journey with my friend Katherine. Reflecting on the time since launching, I haven’t had the opportunity to sit and put into words how significant this project is for me, and how important cacao is in my life.
Everything started in 2020 when Covid-19 erupted into our lives. Staying home was all of a sudden a necessity. I had just moved to a new house with new flatmates and we had a lot of time to spend together under the same roof. To be able to cope with the frustrations of not being able to go out and about, we found solace in cooking. We embarked on daily culinary journeys as a household where we explored traditional meals from different countries around the world. As a proud Colombian I chose the typical breakfast from my region, a cup of hot cacao, or chocolate, as we call it back home, and arepas with cheese. This was a success between my housemates and to my surprise, the way I prepared the cacao was something very different to what they had experienced before. They were not familiar with the unusual type of solid cacao we use to prepare this classic Colombian drink. My flatmates were impressed with the difference in flavour and richness of the cacao. It was something very different to the sugary powder “hot chocolate” they used to drink when they were kids.
Sharing this piece of my culture with my flatmates led to unexpected connections and conversations. This was particularly true with my now dear friend and business partner, Katherine. Our shared enjoyment of cacao planted the seed of an idea to one day bring Colombian cacao to Australia. After many cups of cacao, Kat’s enthusiasm along with her fantastic knowledge of marketing, encouraged me to research more about the possibility of bringing cacao to Australia. With this spark, I contacted one of my oldest Colombian friends and cacao expert in her own right, Marcela. She supported the idea and connected us to a cooperative of cacao farmers from the province of Huila in Colombia, who have worked for many years in perfecting their cacao in order to grow the finest quality beans.
These farmers were particularly remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly, that they were some of the few groups that had changed their practices to incorporate regenerative and organic farming processes. Secondly, they were a group of farmers bouncing back from years of unrest and civil war in their region. Since the peace agreement of 2016, these farmers have been able to reclaim the lands and have dedicated their efforts to become some of the best producers of cacao world wide. Their efforts, and others like them, have reactivated the economy of their region and their quest to produce the highest quality cacao has allowed them to enter into the competitive international market.
In 2021, Kat and I decided to visit Colombia to meet the farmers. This trip solidified our vision, and then, Pachamama Goods Cacao was born. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time jobs, Katherine and I poured our hearts and souls into creating a brand that reflects our values and celebrates the heritage of Colombian cacao. After years of perseverance and dedication, we finally witnessed the fruits of our labor with the arrival of our first shipment of certified organic, ceremonial grade 100% cacao in January 2024.
Working on this project made me realise that cacao has been an integral part of my life since I have memory. I grew up in the Northern Andean mountains of Colombia in a family from Bogotá. Colombia is known for producing some of the best coffee in the world and we are widely known as prolific coffee drinkers. However, little known to other countries, cacao is the second most consumed hot drink in Colombia. In my family we were devoted to drinking cacao - morning and night.
Growing up, breakfast would always include this delicious hot drink with an arepa (corn bread) and it forged many happy memories. Gatherings with family, especially on my mother's side, would always involve cacao with an abundance of fresh cheese and bread. Big olletas, or the traditional cacao pot, would be prepared, and strong arms for mixing and frothing the cacao would be required. Conversations, debates and stories would go for hours, so double or triple cups per visit were a regular occurrence.
My maternal grandmother Bernarda would always request for a strong cup of cacao for breakfast and dinner. She drank cacao until the end of her 104 years on earth. This was a sacred ritual! That same love for cacao was passed on to all the generations after.
In my teenage years, I would travel to my family’s finca (farm) on the weekends. My father would show me how to grow and care for the cacao trees. He would explain to me when to harvest the pods and how to process the fruit into cacao mass for drinking. We would prepare our cacao in an artisan way, from fermentation to roasting, peeling and grinding. This required a lot of patience as each step can take days to get to the final product. There is no step I enjoyed less than others. The cacao’s beautiful aroma and the gentle oils were so fascinating. The process enriched all my senses and I felt myself falling in love with every aspect of it.
Later, when I was in University, I became known for my “chocolatadas”, or meet ups at my apartment that centered around big olletas of cacao. These meetings were the perfect excuse to get together with close friends in the gloomy and cold Bogotá evenings. The cacao offered an alternative to alcohol and allowed us to connect deeper with one another. For some reason, conversations around a cup of cacao always have some sort of nourishing and loving magic.
Cacao has been a constant source of joy and connection for me with others and with my homeland. The ritual of preparing cacao has instilled in me a deep appreciation for the process and the precious gifts from Mother Earth. For me, cacao is more than just a beverage; it's a symbol of love, heritage, and connection. It serves as a reminder of the moments shared with loved ones and the interconnectedness of all living beings. As I continue on this journey with Pachamama Goods Cacao, my hope is to share the magic of this sacred plant with others and inspire a deeper reverence for the wonders of nature.
I hope you can fall In love with cacao just as I have!
Con amor,
Suaty