Nicaragua O'PAYO Organic (1KG)

REGION AND COUNTRY
Nueva Guinea, South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, Nicaragua

THE STORY
Historically, few Nicaraguans have called themselves cacao farmers. For most
producers, cacao still is the third or fourth crop produced on their farms. In
the beginning of the 21st century, cocoa started to increase in popularity and
the sector became more professional: NGO programmes provided technical
support to producers, cooperatives were formed, and the first growers obtained
Fairtrade/Organic certification. While the sector did grow, quality control and
post-harvest processing remained underdeveloped for a long time. This changed
only until 2013 when Ingemann Fine Cocoa became a pioneer in researching and
developing quality post-harvest processing. In 2015 Nicaragua was recognized as
a producer of 100% fine and flavour cocoa by ICCO.
O'PAYO™ is a Nicaraguan fine cocoa variety, organically-grown and certified.
O'Payo comes from Waslala, from the Bosawas Natural Reserve in the Northern
mountains of Nicaragua. This remote nature reserve is the largest in Central
America and declared a Biosphere reserve by Unesco in 1997. Bosawas is
recognized as “the lung of Central America”. In the Bosawas nature reserve
there are three groups of inhabitants. The Miskitos and Mayangnas: ancestral
inhabitants who still maintain a high capacity for forest conservation, and the
Mestizos or farmers who carry an agricultural productive culture that, through
Ingemann’s educational projects and technical assistance, produce O'PAYO in
harmony with the flora, fauna and ancestral value of the Bosawas forests.

HARVEST
October - December (main harvest) April - June (mid-crop)

GENETICS
Trinitario & Acriollados

POST HARVESTING PROCESS
These beans are collected fresh from different producers in the area of Nueva
Guinea and are centrally processed. Fermentation takes place in tiered wooden
boxes and the beans. Fermentation protocols are especially developed for each
of the varieties in order to develop the best flavours. The beans are dried in the
sun on wooden tables.

Flavour profile
Strong body with a bright fruity acidity with notes of grapefruit
and tropical yellow fruit, lillies, nutskins and coffee