Kaukawa Cacao is rooted in the Andean understanding of reciprocity between people, land, and spirit. Working almost exclusively with Chuncho cacao, Fiorella collaborates directly with independent farmers and cooperatives who cultivate and protect these native beans through agroforestry and regenerative practices.

Depending on the harvest and availability, Kaukawa sources cacao from farmers such as Sonia Valverde (see pictures below), Iris of the Machiguenga community, Miriam — a women cooperative leader — José Luis Perez from Conveca and his family, as well as the Alto Urubamba cooperative for larger volumes.

The cacao profiled here comes from Conveca and combines several Chuncho cultivars, mainly Chuncho de montaña & Pamuco, giving it a deeper nutty profile compared to the brighter fruit-forward expressions often associated with Chuncho señoritas.

Grown between 700 and 1000 meters altitude, Chuncho cacao thrives in biodiverse systems with minimal shade. Harvested in December 2025, the beans were fermented in wooden boxes for 4 to 5 days to preserve the delicate nature of the cultivars, then sun-dried for around a week. In this case, the entire process happens on the farm itself — truly tree-to-bar.

Once dried, the cacao is roasted gently at temperatures below 90°C for around 30 minutes, preserving both its active compounds and its natural aromatic complexity.

Beyond technique, Kaukawa also honors the energetic dimension of cacao: each finished batch is blessed through a prayer inspired by the teachings of the Q’ero Nation of Cusco, continuing a lineage of gratitude and intention carried through the entire journey of the cacao.