Cuyancùa cacao is rooted in a unique story. The beans come directly from Finca Cuyancùa, Elisa and Juan-Ra’s family farm in Izalco, where cacao has been cultivated since the early 2000s. Originally dedicated to coffee, the farm held centuries-old cacao trees growing by natural springs. Diversifying into cacao became both an ecological opportunity and a long-term investment in land and community.

Juan-Ra’s father played a key role by planting new cacao trees, founding a local cooperative, and building a post-harvest facility. On the long-term, this strengthened the regional economy, supported biodiversity, and ensured the consistent quality of fermentation and drying—cornerstones of fine-flavor cacao. The land itself carries history: once home to an Indigenous settlement, it still reveals pottery shards and obsidian fragments from the past.

Today, cacao thrives under a lush canopy of mango, banana, star apple, avocado, citrus, vanilla, cinnamon, and tropical flowers. The farm cultivates trinitario acriollado alongside DNA-tested criollo trees, yielding beans of remarkable sophistication.

Every step—from seedlings to harvest, fermentation, and drying—is handled by the farm’s small team. The beans are then shipped directly to Vaicacao’s manufactory in Sardinia, where they undergo a minimal, artisanal process: light roasting, winnowing, crushing, and slow stone-grinding. No conching or tempering is done, preserving the cacao’s natural compounds. Once cooled, the paste solidifies into blocks, ready to be chopped and prepared as cacao drinks.

A true tree-to-cup journey.