Cocoa trees are, of course, the origin of chocolate. They are delicate and difficult trees and thrive only in very warm areas with lots of rain and specific components in the soil. When they are young, cocoa trees are particularly sensitive and can't grow in direct sunlight. This is why the rainforest is ideal for wild cocoa trees; the other trees “mother” them when they are young, sheltering them from harsh light.

The average life span of a cocoa tree is only 30-40 years and it produces millions of flowers every year. However, only 5-10% of these flowers are fertilized and develop into green or red-violet pods. When the pods mature, the become a bright yellow or orange. To this day, the pods are harvested with machetes and then cracked open to retrieve the seeds inside. It is these seeds that are used for chocolate production after fermentation.

The Latin (or botanical) name of cocoa trees literally means “the food of the gods”.