Sierra Sagrada Chocolate (Colombia)
The Gold Winner of the International Chocolate Awards Colombia Competition 2021
Chocolate Sierra Sagrada was born from the idea of the biologist Marco Caraballo Pérez and the industrial microbiologist Andrea Díaz Ovalle, who in addition to being the founding partners of C & D CACAO SAS, the Colombian company that owns the brand, have been passionate about chocolate since they were children, so deciding undertake, with the pleasant surprise of falling madly in love with the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and its wonderful cocoa.
The company is located in Santa Marta, department of Magdalena, in the north of Colombia and we are 100% dedicated to the production and marketing of high-quality premium dark chocolate.
The origin of the cocoa beans is the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the highest intertropical coastal mountain in Colombia and on the planet and the fifth highest peak in the world. The Sierra Nevada is declared by UNESCO as a Biosphere and Man Reserve and in its vicinity is located the National Natural Park that bears the same name and adjacent to it the Tayrona National Natural Park, both areas exuberant in biodiversity, endemic to species of fauna and flora having functioned as a refuge from the Pleistocene.
It is also the sacred place of four indigenous peoples (Arhuacos, Koguis, Wiwas and Kankuamos) who have protected, preserved and guarded their natural wealth for thousands of years, making spiritual payments to mother earth, in gratitude for crops such as cocoa. The Arhuaco people that inhabit this imposing massif cultivate white cocoa or “bunsi” as it is called in the Iku language, a Criollo beans that is distinguished by its soft, less bitter and aromatic notes, giving magic to the chocolates.
The company contributes to improving part of the quality of life of small producers by making direct purchases and at a fair price for special high-quality lots in each harvest. The elaboration of this real chocolate is done under the bean to bar concept, where from the farm visit, collection and manual selection of grains play an important role, to the luxurious detail of its manual wrapping. We are convinced that through cocoa and chocolate life in the countryside can be positively impacted, making known the natural, cultural and social values of this mountainous massif, generating harmonious development in the territory, peace, permanence and opportunities for future generations at the same time, to have a greater commitment to the "Heart of the World" irreplaceable place on the planet.
Sierra Sagrada's process begins with visiting cocoa farms and collection centres where the beans are processed. Once batches are verified under strict quality standards, direct purchase without any intermediaries is made from Arhuaco indigenous paying a fair price, generally above the competitive price offered by other buyers. The cocoa obtained in a form of dried beans that were processed in accordance with the highest standards of chocolate-making. Later it is processed manually into pure dark chocolate bars with 64%, 72% and 85% cocoa content. All bars have very distinctive taste that reflects the differences in the original flavour of this mountainous massif. If you want to have an idea how cocoa content can influence the taste of your chocolate, this collection is for you.
