Agrandir

Panamanian cacao has quickly become one of the most coveted commodities in terms of that country’s exportations, but it’s also a hope to foster the production of 100 percent made-in-Panama chocolates.

Panama produces one of the few chocolates that are internationally labeled “Fine Cacao”, as it stands out for its intense aroma, low acidity, taste and purity. It had already grown by the native dwellers way before the Spaniards stepped on those lands over 500 years ago, and it has since then become one of the most sought-after commodities on the list of the country’s exportations.
The production of chocolate, based on the use of local consumables, is mainly focused on the Bocas del Toro province, where over 1,000 producers grow nearly 1,500 hectares of hybrid species, with eco-friendly practices and no agrochemical products.
Nevertheless, the Panamanian people are the highest consumers of national chocolate. Every year, the country consumes five times the average Central America intake. All in all, the annual per capita consumption is 650 grams –barely 130 grams in the other nations.
This figure is paradoxically in contradiction with the number of Panama-based companies devoted to the production of the chocolate that is consumed in the country. The raw material, the precious cacao grain, is sent to other countries and returns as mouth-watering chocolates.
This situation is fortunately changing and there are projects in the offing to start making chocolate in Panama by using authentic national products, with a touch of originality and freshness. That’s the case of Oro Moreno Chocolate Gourmet, a brand-new company that develops the art of chocolate-making and handcrafted chocolate with all-Panamanian cacao.
Taking the thorough selection of raw material as the main guideline, Oro Moreno Chocolate Gourmet presently delivers national products that invite to enjoy the country’s tropical flavor, to taste “PANAMA IN CHOCOLATE”.
Panamanian cacao can be a sustainable resource. There’s a need, though, to increase public awareness and recognize the value and strength this product chips in to the economy and development of the Central American nation, which is taking steps toward a true gastronomic evolution.