Single Origin Chocolate: Guatemala

The Guatemalan Mayans are referenced in some of the earliest-documented records of using cacao for indulgence, particularly drinking chocolate. With little time after its initial ‘debut,’ the Mayans were using cacao beans as currency, and when colonists arrived it struck them by surprise as to how important this fruit’s role played in their culture. The country is more traditionally known for the production of coffee and sugar, although recently the cocoa industry has been on the rise, with over 10,500 tons of chocolate produced from the country each year. Staying true to their roots, far more chocolate is drunk in the country nowadays, not eaten.

Reference: Nelson, S. (2017). A Brief History of Guatemalan Chocolate.