SAAQ’ ACH’OODI NIMLA K’ALEB’AL (SANK)
This project benefits 33 indigenous communities in northern Alta Veraplaz. The Sechocho community association has 115 growers of Maya Red Cacao the key ingredient in award winning gourmet chocolate. The cacao price is set at the NYSE. Most farmers receive much less than this price though the red cacao is worth 50% more. This situation is typical for all of the growers in SANK’s network, not just those growing cacao. While SANK is working to change this, an agreement with Maya Global would alter the entire equation by allowing the Maya to enter the retail marketplace and bypass the wholesalers.
SANK started in 1998 and now supports a wide range of activities that are aimed at long-term change. They are working with local authorities to promote interaction with the Maya and encourage their participation in the decision making to counteract the traditional exclusion and discrimination. They are promoting more community land ownership. They have also secured some funds to develop 12 to 30 different products that could utilize the red cacao.
They now have about 850 trees on over 250 acres. Over 75 of the trees are producing 50,000 pounds of cacao beans in the shell. They could expand production to an additional 250 acres once a global market is established. The key to this will be producing consumer products such as chocolate bars and cocoa that allow them to use their cacao as the main ingredient. Facilities to process those products will bring much-needed jobs to the region and greatly change the local economy.
SANK has other growers producing crops like sweet potatoes, yucca and a wide variety of fruits. Plans are in the works to combine these additional products in the efforts to produce more value added products.
Some of these products are:
- Maya Cacao ‘Gold’ (world’s #1 cacao and most beneficial antioxidant cocoa in the world) products – with various Maya nuts and fruits.
- Crunchy Maya Cacao ‘Gold’- 100% Cacao nibs naturally processed into a crunchy nut-like state, semi-sweet.
- Maya Cacao – Coban Chile (variety of Serrano) – Black Salt: seasoning and hot sauce condiments.
