Our Cacao: Direct Trade Costa Rican Matina Cacao

From the forests of Costa Rica to your chocolate ritual

Hola, chocolate lover.
Before MYZO becomes a bar in your hands, it begins far away — where the air is humid, the jungle breathes, and cacao trees grow under a living green canopy.

Welcome to Talamanca. Welcome to our cacao.

Rooted in Costa Rica - Grown with the Gaitán Family

We work directly with the Gaitán family - cacao farmers in the Matina river valley of Costa Rica. No brokers. No commodity chains. Just people, trust, and long-term partnership.

This relationship means something simple and powerful: the people who grow cacao know exactly where it goes, and we know exactly where it comes from.

Direct trade lets us:

  • Pay farmers fairly and transparently
  • Support long-term cultivation, not short-term yield
  • Select beans for flavor, not volume
  • Build real human relationships - not transactions

Fair Trade sets a minimum. Direct trade builds a future.

Caribbean Coast of Costa Rican Talamanca region

Why Talamanca Is a Cacao Paradise

Talamanca is not just a place. It’s a living ecosystem.

Nestled between the Caribbean coast and the Talamanca mountain range, this region creates a rare microclimate:

  • Warm tropical rains
  • Rich volcanic soil
  • Dense biodiversity
  • Natural shade from towering jungle trees

Here, cacao grows slowly - absorbing the rhythm of the rainforest. Like a night in a tropical jungle - deep, layered, full of life. You can hear toucans, spot sloths, and feel the ocean air drifting inland. That environment doesn’t just grow cacao. It shapes its flavor.

Agroforestry - Chocolate That Grows with the Forest

The Gaitán farm does not follow industrial monoculture. Instead, cacao grows in agroforestry systems - alongside breadfruit trees, hardwoods, and native plants.

This matters. Agroforestry:

  • Protects soil health
  • Preserves biodiversity
  • Creates natural shade for cacao trees
  • Reduces need for chemicals
  • Supports long-term sustainability

It’s slower. More complex. More alive. And the result? Cacao that carries the taste of its ecosystem - not just the bean.

Costa Rican Cocoa Harvesting Methods
Two cocoa pods growing on a cocoa tree

Matina Cacao - Heirloom, Fino de Aroma

Most chocolate in the world comes from high-yield industrial cacao. But MYZO works with something rare.

Matina cacao - a regional selection grown in Costa Rica - belongs to the world of Fino de Aroma cacao. That means:

  • Recognized for complex flavor
  • Limited global supply
  • Often linked to heirloom genetics
  • Historically connected to Criollo and Trinitario varieties

This is the cacao once valued by ancient civilizations - Mayans, Aztecs, and local BriBri - for its depth and character.

Flavor notes often include:

  • Tropical fruit
  • Light acidity
  • Soft floral tones
  • Clean, lingering finish

Not bitter. Not flat. Alive, like the land it comes from.

Unique Qualities of the Matina Cacao
Myzo founder showcasing a dried cocoa bean with farmer

From Harvest to Bean - Care at Every Step

Cacao flavor begins long before chocolate making. After harvest, the Gaitán family:

  1. Ferments cacao in wooden boxes
    Covered with banana leaves - a traditional method that develops flavor naturally
  2. Sun-dries the beans
    Under the Costa Rican sun, locking in aroma and stability
  3. Hand-selects beans onsite
    Removing defects before export

This careful post-harvest process shapes up to 70% of chocolate flavor. No shortcuts. No industrial drying tunnels. Just time, knowledge, and care passed through generations.

First Steps of Flavor Creation