Our Story
Cacao Life is the realization of two Peruvian childhood friends’ dream: to share Peru’s cacao and superfood diversity with the world, while simultaneously having a positive social and environmental impact.
Our story begins with a Non-Profit Organization we founded in the mid 2000s that focused on creating sustainable social and regenerative projects in various Peruvian Amazonian communities. Over the next 12 years, we were intimately involved in establishing healthy drinking water, sustainable fish farms, crop and tree management for quality yields, optimizing cacao fermenting and drying techniques, and more.
Having found our purpose, we began working hand-in-hand with local Peruvian farmers and co-operatives to grow and process premium cacao and other superfoods. In 2016, we officially founded Amazon Specialties (parent company of Cacao Life) with our head office in Lima, Peru. By 2017, thanks to our partners in the field, we had already established various collection centres throughout Peru. In 2018, we opened the doors to our processing plant in Mala, a mere 1.5 hours south of Lima. Nice and close, where we can oversee the final processing and ensure our products are created to the highest standards. And, in 2019, we opened a satellite office and small warehouse in Vancouver, Canada.
Today we work with over 4500 farmers, associations, and co-ops throughout Peru. The momentum that started with an NPO nearly 20 years ago has only grown stronger—as we continue to focus on developing sustainable supply chains and regenerative processes while respecting the Amazonian and Andean environments.
We’re happy to report, our dream is becoming a reality.
Our Mission
To share Peru’s cacao and superfood diversity with the world, while simultaneously having a positive social and environmental impact through regenerative, sustainable, transparent, and fairly-traded practices.
Ethical Code of Conduct
Amazon Specialties (parent company of Cacao Life) was born after years of directing a non-profit organization whose sole purpose was to execute social and environmental projects in Indigenous communities throughout the northern Peruvian Amazon.
Our business model holds those same values. At our core, we believe in creating a value chain that not only delivers the highest quality products but supports local farmers and their communities through ethical trade and sustainable growth.
When it comes to compensating farmers, we rarely pay Fair Trade prices. Why? Because, in Peru, cacao market prices are typically higher than those set by the Fair Trade certifiers. Instead, we aim to pay farmers above market price; at times as high as double. Furthermore, we provide them with funding, an uncommon practice in this industry. And, we’re constantly helping farmers optimize their processes and teaching them cost-saving techniques—whatever we can do to help them generate more value and revenue, and improve their margins in a way that also benefits the environment.
Because sustainability is key.
We believe that if a company’s product or service comes from Mother Nature, then that company must operate with utmost respect for her. That’s why we work with farmers, co-operatives, and farmer associations that partake in traditional and regenerative agricultural practices. And why we strive for carbon neutrality through projects such as Amazon Reforestation. We currently have 25 hectares of old deforested livestock land in Villa Rica, Oxapampa that is being reforested little by little. So far, 16 hectares of native timber species have been replanted.
Finally, Amazon Specialties is very concerned about forced and child labour practices that plague the cacao production industry, predominantly in West Africa. We will never engage in business with any entity that is, has, or is suspected of partaking in any of these
atrocious acts.
For us, the goal is very clear. Every entity in the supply chain must benefit from their participation in it. The farmers. Their communities. The environment. The processors. And you, the consumer. Everyone.
No exceptions.