Photo: Nicholas Gill
Discovering the Ancient
Chuncho
of Peru
Learn the Story Behind This Coveted Old World Cacao
Photo: Nicholas Gill
In the Sacred Valley
In the rugged, mist-laced heart of the Peruvian Andes, a cacao variety quietly thrives—Chuncho, a small bean with an epic story. Chuncho is found primarily in the Cusco region, especially within the legendary Urubamba and La Convención valleys.
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Quelloúno Valley,
Alto Urubamba,
District of Quillabamba,
La Convención Province, Department of Cusco, Peru
These valleys are not only physical places but living archives, with mountain slopes climbing from 400 to 1,200 meters above sea level. The land is a tapestry of microclimates, waterways, and lush forests, all of which shape Chuncho’s unique character.
Photo: Nicholas Gill
Generational Wisdom:
Cultivating the Valley
Most Chuncho is cultivated on smallholder farms, with plots seldom exceeding two hectares. In Quillabamba, Alto Urubamba, and Quelloúno, over 200 farming families are the keepers of Chuncho, tending some trees over a century old. Their relationship with the land is as organic and intricate as the forest itself, guided by knowledge passed down across generations—some ancestral, some fine-tuned through recent training and cooperative efforts.
A tradition of agro-ecological farming is central. Chuncho cacao grows among a living web of companion plants: citrus, banana, avocado, guava, pacay, and coffee, as well as towering forest trees that host monkeys, birds, and squirrels. This system, rooted as much in spirituality as ecology, does more than boost productivity or health; it safeguards biodiversity, replenishes soils, and acts as a defense against plant disease and climatic unpredictability.
The Incan Connection
Cacao was invaluable to the Incas, who used it as a ceremonial drink—ground with spices or fruit juices—and, at times, as currency. The trade routes through Urubamba were arteries pulsing with culture, goods, and knowledge. When the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, these valleys became havens of resistance and resilience, a theme echoed in the Chuncho bean’s narrow genetic survival over the centuries.
Agroforestry on these farms means much more than shading cacao. Citrus, bananas, and guavas provide food and supplemental income—while pacay trees, in the legume family, enrich the soil. Coffee flourishes in the same dappled light, and larger native trees are refuges for local wildlife. This matrix allows cacao to thrive in a near-wild setting, giving rise to complex flavors and healthy, disease-resistant pods. With the proceeds from Chuncho, there's a growing movement to reforest abandoned lands with native plants and special cacao seedlings. The ethos: Care for the forest, and it will care for you.
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