Cocoa Varieties

Cacao vs Cocoa

Cacao is the bean that chocolate is made from. The term cacao is referred to the tree and the raw and unrefined bean. The term cocoa is reserved for the bean after it has been roasted and processed into the various chocolate products we know as cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, and cocoa butter.

Types of Cacao (Cocoa Beans)

There are about 20 known varieties of the cacao tree but hundreds of hybrids. For chocolate making, there are 4 types of cacao trees that are cultivated.

Forastero ("Foreign")

discovered in the Amazon jungle primarily cultivated in Africa but also in some parts of Central and South America
the tree grows fast and has a high yield and is very resistant to disease
considered "bulk" cocoa: it is used as a base to be blended with superior types of cacao such as the criollo, nacional and trinitario

Criollo ("of the New World")

found in Central America and some parts of the Caribbean
about 7%f the world's production is criollo.
low yields, fragile, difficult to cultivate
the most rare and sought after of all the cacao varieties as it produces "very fine" grade chocolate sought after by high end chocolatiers to produce artisan chocolate.

Nacional also known as "Arriba Nacional Cacao" is a form of criollo

mostly cultivated in South America west of the Andes.
fragile and is prone to disease and difficult to grow
sweet floral aroma and very little bitterness
It is creamy and strong

mostly cultivated in South America west of the Andes.
fragile and is prone to disease and difficult to grow
sweet floral aroma and very little bitterness
It is creamy and strong

Trinitario ("from Trinidad")

accidental cross-fertilization of criollo and forastero cacao trees in Trinidad around 1730
hybrid combining the superior taste of the criollo bean with the resilience of the forastero bean
cinnamon spiciness
Central and South America and Asia

Cacao (Cocoa Bean)

From these main 4 types of trees, there are 2 main categories of cacao (or cocoa beans).

Bulk Beans - Forastero

- represents ~90% of all commercial cacao

- West African country of Côte d'Ivoire is the largest producer of cacao

- Ghana is second largest producer

Flavor Beans - Criollo, Trinitario, Nacional

- represents ~5-10% of all commercial cocoa
- found in Ecuador, Colombia, Indonesia, Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, Grenada and some Caribbean and Latin American countries.