For the last eleven years, chocolate experts and lovers alike have rallied around the protection and promotion of heirloom varietals, those who help them grow, and the makers that lovingly morph them into craft chocolate bars. As our twelfth annual Chocolate Festival approaches, we are full of gratitude and excitement for the continued future of our most beloved cacao.

This year, we invite you to join us as we venture Into the Wild. Twenty years ago, agronomist Volker Lehmann discovered a rare type of cacao growing in the wild of Baures, Bolivia. The discovery made waves in chocolate headlines; but despite the fame, bringing this very special “Beniano” cacao to market proved nearly impossible. Even in the world of fancy chocolate, not enough money flows back to the farmer. Caputo’s followed Volker’s story closely and helped fund genetic testing and heirloom certification of his beloved Hacienda Tranquilidad cacao.

Fast forward to 2023, in conjunction with Caputo’s Preservation Program, we partnered with local craft chocolate makers Ritual Chocolate to execute our vision for this unique and wild cacao. Paying top dollar directly to Tranquilidad without intermediaries, Ritual masterfully crafts these jewels of the jungle into chocolate bars to Caputo’s specifications. Caputo’s gives back a full dollar to Tranquilidad for every bar sold. Today, this collaboration is an example of how we can change the paradigm to involve farmers in the protection, preservation, and production of craft chocolate.

While highlighting our Wild Tranquilidad collaboration, the focus of this year’s Chocolate Festival is on our neighborly partner, Ritual Chocolate. We are filled with appreciation and anticipation to see what Salt Lake City’s finest chefs and mixologists will create with them. As always, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Initiative.

More about Caputo’s Annual Chocolate Festival.