Page 13 - Demo

FROM COCOA
IN THE COUNTRIES
OF ORIGIN
Cocoa cultivation dates back to around 3,000 B.C. when the Mayo Chinchipe started preparing an energy drink with cocoa beans. Today ICAM is one of the few companies in the world to guarantee control over the entire production chain, from cocoa to chocolate. A demanding industrial approach that allows the highest quality standards to be achieved and sustained in every production phase. ICAM works with selected, top quality producers.
PLANTATION
The control of the supply chain from cocoa to chocolate starts in the plantations. Here, the conditions of the natural forest are reproduced: tall trees are planted to provide shade required by the cocoa trees, as being delicate they cannot stand sunlight and temperature variations.
CULTIVATION
Every year thousands of small white or yellowish-pink flowers blo- om on the cocoa trees. Only 1% becomes fruit as “pods” which grow directly on the trunk and branches. In recent years ICAM has been progressively introducing a new and revolutionary approach into cocoa plantations which guarantees increased productivity through implementing a number of clone varieties enriching the three classical cocoa varieties known so far (Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario).
• CRIOLLO: represents 2% of global production. Delicate and sensitive quality, it produces a very fine cocoa.
• FORASTERO: about 80% of global production. It co- mes predominantly from the Amazon. It has purple be- ans and green pods which, once ripe, turn yellow or red.
• TRINITARIO: a hybrid of the previous two groups. Origi- nating from Trinidad, it is about 18% of global production.
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