Colombia is known as one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, and cacao is one of the elements that make up its rich environment.
In addition to cultivating most of the cacao distributed in the world, there are also rare species of cacao that are not registered as varieties.
Colombian cacao originated before the colonial period by indigenous peoples (Olmecs) in the basins of the Orinoco and Amazon rivers, the areas that are now part of Colombia and Venezuela, and cacao was both a medicine and a currency of exchange for the indigenous peoples.
The Spaniards brought Colombian cacao back to their homeland as one of the treasures they had gained from the conquest of Colombia, and the high quality of the cacao led to its export. This ignited cacao cultivation, and in the 16th century, cacao cultivation began.
Today, the highly rare Criollo cacao is considered to be of high quality and outstanding flavor and has become a priority for cultivation in Colombia.
In the latter half of the 18th century, cultivation reached its peak mainly by indigenous peoples, but in the 20th century, left-wing guerrillas rose in Colombia, and farmers began cultivating from cacao cultivation to the illegal drug coca, and many people were displaced from the civil war.
In 2016, the Colombian government and the left-wing guerrilla FARC concluded a civil war. The government has designated cacao as a crop of peace, and the cultivation of high-quality cacao has been restarted as an alternative to illegal crops.
"Taita" means "father" and "wisdom" in the local aboriginal language. The name expresses respect for the rich environment that nurtures high-quality Colombian cacao and the ancestors who have survived in it.
Out of respect for the natural environment and the cultural activities that have taken place in it, Taita Chocolate supports the sustainable production of native cacao and is certified by the province of Tolima as a sustainable quality management system that protects ancestral wealth.