CCN-51: What Do We Ask a Cacao Tree to Be?
CCN-51 has been praised for its productivity and criticised for its flavour. But perhaps the more interesting question is what we actually need a cacao tree to do.
Sustainability Isn't the Problem. The System Is.
For more than twenty years, sustainability has shaped conversations around coffee and chocolate. Yet many farmers still struggle to earn a stable living. What if the challenge isn't sustainability itself, but the system we've built around it?
New Research Reveals Hidden Diversity in Peruvian Cacao
A new genetic study has identified four previously unrecognised cacao lineages in Peru, expanding our understanding of one of the world's richest centres of cacao diversity. Here's what the discovery means for farmers, chocolate makers and the future of cacao.
Four New Cacao Varieties Have Been Discovered in Peru. Here's Why That Matters
Researchers in Peru have identified four previously unrecognised cacao lineages, but the real story isn't the discovery itself. It's what it reveals about the extraordinary diversity of cacao and why protecting that diversity matters for the future of chocolate.
Why People Are Trying to Replace Cacao
Around the world, food companies are searching for alternatives to cacao as climate change, disease, and rising prices reshape the chocolate industry. But beyond the headlines lies a more interesting question: if chocolate flavour can be recreated, what makes cacao truly special? This article explores the industry's search for cocoa alternatives—and why the story of real cacao is about far more than flavour.