In October of 2019 I was taken to Alto El Sol, a plantation in Peru who supply beans to Cacao Barry - a brand who we work closely with for our origin chocolate supply. It was my first trip to plantation although not my first encounter with a real cacao tree. My first face to 'face' experience was at The Eden Project in Cornwall where I unexpextedly stumbled across the tree in their Tropical Biome. I wept under the tree remnisicing all the moments I had spent for years with chocolate. I expected that the plantation would also have me in floods of tear but this was not the case. I was almost surprised by me lack of emotion whilst I was there. However I told myself to just be present and accept whatever it is that I was feeling. The visit was truly spectacular and awe inspiring. I realised that it was just too gigantic a moment to really taken in and only later after leaving the plantation did it dawn on me as to how profound the visit was.
The most iconic moment was a surpise - we planted our own trees. A plaque is stood in the plantation today with my name on it, markng my tree. In five years time the fruit of this tree will be in the chocolate that we use! I prayed to the plant and left it with positive vibrations for a healthy and long life. No doubt I will return one day to Alto El Sol to see the part of my I left behind.
