A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
IN ALL ITS DIMENSIONS
Cacao Oro is a large scale, social impact driven, sustainable agroforestry business, producing fine flavor cacao and high-quality Robusta coffee.
Our success allows for creating shared growth, economic opportunity and social support for our neighboring communities; focusing on the small farmers and the families within.
OUR STORY
THE
CACAO ORO
STORY
As a large industrial scale (3000 hectare) Agroforestry company formed in 2014 and located in RACCN (Region Atlantica de la Costa Caribe Norte), we focus on reclaiming and reforesting land by planting native precious hardwood trees, fine-flavor cacao varietals, and genetically advanced rust-free Robusta coffee on restored land. The company’s efforts are reflected not only in restored landscapes on degraded land, but also in better lives for our 350+ employees and for the neighboring communities surrounding our farm.
CACAO ORO STORY / WHY NICARAGUA
COUNTRY
ADVANTAGES
Tropical Climate: Nicaragua’s climate is a boon for diverse agricultural activities, offering a predictable growing season.
Stable Currency: The Nicaraguan currency’s convertibility and pegging to the USD provide economic stability, facilitating international trade.
Investment Incentives: The country champions free foreign land ownership, a policy that encourages international investment in agriculture and other sectors.
Strategic Location for Exporting: Nicaragua’s geographical position is ideal for logistics, offering efficient routes to both Eastern and Western markets.
Skilled Labor Pool: The country has an abundance of skilled labor, vital for both agricultural and industrial sectors, supported by a rich history in agriculture.
Agricultural Infrastructure: With a history deeply intertwined with agriculture, Nicaragua offers readily available farm inputs, enhancing production capabilities.
Robust Infrastructure: Good quality multi-lane paved roads ensure that transportation across the country is efficient, crucial for the export of goods.
Energy Access: The availability of grid-power linkage is essential for the operation of modern agricultural and processing facilities, ensuring sustainability and efficiency.
CACAO ORO STORY / WHY NICARAGUA / CONT.
IDEAL FARMING CONDITIONS
Our operation takes full advantage of Nicaragua’s ideal farming conditions for growing superior cacao, a native crop in Latin America. Nicaragua offers rich, fertile, volcanic soil on affordable land, motivated labor, plentiful rainfall, and ease of export from ports on both the east and west coasts. The country also has strong laws to protect their rainforest lands, while respecting those territories owned by the various indigenous peoples in the country.
OUR FARM / FINCA LA ROSITA
FINCA LA ROSITA
The Cacao Oro plantation is designed around a single, 3200-hectare farm that supports our 2000 hectares of cacao production. Cacao Oro has planted more that 2.8 million cacao trees, and more than 250,000 hardwood trees for reforestation under our agroforestry model. Within this landscape, we have dedicated 150 hectares to the cultivation of Robusta coffee, and we have responsibly set aside and expansive natural habitat reserve spanning 770 hectares.
The size of the plantation provides optimal economies of scale along with the need for innovation at all operational levels. The production of micro-grafted cacao plants is carried out twice a year our permanent nursery with 1.5 hectares under sun shade cover and a production capacity of 1,500,000 plants per year. Delivering fine quality cacao extends to genetic selection, where we maintain and select from 19 cacao varietals to achieve the desired flavor characteristics and consistency of quality. These varietals include some with a Costa Rican Catie influence with fine flavor and strong production attributes.
OUR FARM / FINCA LA ROSITA / CONT.
NEW PROCESSING CENTER
We have designed an industrial-capacity cacao bean fermentation center with specialized mechanical dryers, and we use custom designed sorting and packaging equipment, all designed to control production quality.
The new facility is 6800 square meters with adjoining structures that will hold our fermentation equipment. The center includes connection to the national power grid (to compliment available renewable energy sources), climate controlled covered storage, truck docking area, and the necessary internet coverage. The new center improves our export logistics by reducing the distance to the east coast port of Puerto Cabezas from 140 kilometers down to 100 kilometers on a road that has now been paved.
OUR FARM / FINCA LA ROSITA / CONT.
Farm Facts
At the heart of our operations lies a profound commitment to sustainability and the well-being of our community. Our farm, sprawling across a vast expanse, is not just a place of agricultural productivity but a testament to our dedication to environmental conservation and social responsibility.
- Rainforest Alliance Sustainable certification
- 800 hectare nature reserve
- Free Trade Zone
- Low trace cadmium levels
- 100% grafted plants
- On-farm medical clinic
- Worker housing for 180+ employees
- 160-200 additional employees come in each day
- 295 kilometers of roads on the farm
OUR FARM / SUSTAINABILITY
SUSTAINABILITY
We could summarize our sustainability movement as doing the right thing for our employees, our various partners, the country we operate in, and the planet we all share. Cacao Oro de Nicaragua, a Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Certified Farming Operation, approaches the production of high-quality cacao beans to be in harmony with the environment and the native tropical forests of Nicaragua. At our core, we are stewards of the earth, committed to the restoration and reforestation of our land. We plant native, precious hardwood trees alongside fine-flavor cacao varietals and genetically advanced, rust-free Robusta coffee. This blending not only rejuvenates the soil but also enriches the biodiversity of our surroundings. Our agroforestry farming model touches on all the following elements: biodiversity, materials conservation, proper waste management, water and energy security, emissions reduction and innovation.
OUR FARM / PRIORITIES
CACAO ORO PRIORITIES
Sustainable Value Chain Enhancement: As a Rainforest Alliance sustainable certified farming operation, Cacao Oro sets standards for sustainable business practices in agriculture, focusing on environmental, labor, and economic sustainability.
Advanced Agronomic Practices: We employ leading agronomic techniques for cacao and coffee, prioritizing crop health, yield optimization, and minimal environmental impact through sustainable agriculture innovations.
Climate-Resilient Operations: Our operations incorporate climate-smart strategies to enhance resilience to climate change, focusing on reducing emissions, conserving water, and adapting crops to weather variations.
Land Restoration and Environmental Conservation: Cacao Oro commits to restoring degraded land and maintaining environmental health, using reforestation and sustainable land management to enhance biodiversity and soil quality.
Biodiversity Preservation: We’re dedicated to preserving the biodiversity and natural habitats around our farms, ensuring the protection of species and ecological balance within agricultural landscapes.
Rainforest and Bosawas Biosphere Reserve Protection: Our reforestation efforts are key in protecting critical ecosystems like the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, crucial for biodiversity, climate regulation, and indigenous livelihoods.
SOCIAL IMPACT / OVERVIEW
SOCIAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT
PROGRAMS
Cacao Oro is committed to expanding our social impact efforts, and to that end we collaborate with a diverse network of stakeholders, institutions, and development organizations to implement specific programs. We focus on circularity and stakeholder engagement in our framework to promote positive change within the neighboring communities. We decided that we have a responsibility to go beyond our core business activities to make a positive social impact on the local farmers and their families. This extends far beyond the boundaries of our farm. With a dedicated team of over 500 employees and the support of the communities we can shape better lives.
SOCIAL IMPACT / OUTGROWER
OUTGROWERS
Believing in the great potential of cacao and coffee production in the country, we ant to create entrepreneurial attitudes towards agriculture, while building relationships and trust between the local communities and Cacao Oro. Our efforts from the La Rosita plantation is to initiate programs that provide farm development support to the neighboring areas small farmers and their respective communities. We already work in collaboration with various local, regional and international organizations to deliver the skills and material necessary to provide the opportunity for economic improvement and social growth.
Our program goals include social elements that can provide employment opportunities, paths for personal growth, implored health facilities, fresh educational resources, all with safe working and living conditions. Through these programs, we expect to continue expanding the amount of degraded land that we can reclaim and restore. We see ourselves creating shared value. This vision includes supporting a variety of permanent crops; cacao, coffee, rubber, fruit trees such as plantains, and indigenous hardwood species such as Cedro Macho, Caoba and Nanciton. We are teaching a sustainable agroforestry strategy that encourages climate and environmental benefits. We can also provide access to a fair global market for offtake to maximize value received at the farmer level. Cacao Oro’s new processing center has capacity well above our own production levels, so we can support the processing and marketing needs of the community farmers. We eventually envision the development of cacao and coffee expansion by the communities along the corridor from the city of Rosita out to the east coast port city of Puerto Cabezas.
OUR TEAM
INDUSTRY
VETERANS
Cacao Oro’s management team is fully-integrated with dedicated agronomists and environmental sustainability experts who have several decades of experience. Long-term leadership is in place, along with a talent promotion track to keep and encourage properly trained managers as we continue to grow our Central American operation.
CACAO ORO
CONTACT US
LA ROSITA FARM
Cacao Oro de Nicaragua AN y Cia. Ltda. Finca Cacao Oro – Rosita, Comunidad El Black, Waspado, RACCN
MANAGUA OFFICES
Edificio Park Central Oficina #5 Del portón 2 del Colegio Teresiano 1.5 c. al Este, Los Robles, Managua, Nicaragua
FREE TRADE ZONE
Plantel Industrial Cacao Oro – KM 411 C. Pto Cabezas, empalme las Breñas, Comunidad Las Breñas, Rosita, RACCN
SOCIAL
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