cacao oro

What cacao oro does

Cacao Oro de Nicaragua is a privately held agroforestry enterprise established in 2014 and headquartered in Nicaragua's North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN), operating from a single 3,200-hectare farm called Finca La Rosita. The company produces fine-flavor cacao beans, rust-free Robusta coffee, and micro-grafted cacao plants, serving international chocolate manufacturers, coffee importers, and buyers requiring tailored cacao specifications through direct export from Nicaragua's eastern and western coast ports.

The company's core operations combine 2,000 hectares of cacao cultivation (with more than 2.8 million planted trees across 19 selected varietals including Catie-influenced genetics), 150 hectares of Robusta coffee, a permanent nursery producing up to 1,500,000 micro-grafted plants per year, and 770 hectares of natural habitat reserve supported by 250,000+ reforested native hardwood trees. A new 6,800 square meter industrial processing center handles fermentation, mechanical drying, custom sorting, and climate-controlled storage, with export logistics shortened by recent road paving that brings the east coast port of Puerto Cabezas to 100 km away.

The business model is direct B2B export of agricultural commodities, with pricing negotiated privately per buyer based on quality, volume, and specification. Revenue streams include cacao bean sales, Robusta coffee sales, nursery plant sales, and processing services. The company is founder/investor-led (President & CEO John Warrington, VP Corporate Development David Glossinger) with no disclosed institutional funding or M&A activity, and it pursues Rainforest Alliance certification, UNIDO engagement, and partnerships with IDH/LDN TAF and Morganics to maintain sustainability credentials and ESG positioning with international buyers.

Name

cacao oro

Legal name

Cacao Oro de Nicaragua AN y Cia. Ltda.

Website

https://cacaooro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cacao Oro is a Nicaragua-based agroforestry company that produces fine-flavor cacao beans, rust-free Robusta coffee, and micro-grafted cacao plants on a 3,200-hectare plantation, exporting directly to international chocolate manufacturers, coffee buyers, and tailored-product customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cacao and Coffee Production

NAICS

Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee & Cacao Plantations (Coffee, Cocoa) (AFAGACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee (Roasted, Ground, Whole Bean) (CRADAHAG), Green Coffee Processing (Hulling, Grading, Decaffeination) (AFAFADAA)

Keywords

• Fine flavor cacao
• Robusta coffee production
• Agroforestry commodities
• Cacao bean processing
• Sustainable cocoa farming

Headquarters

HQ city

Rosita

HQ country

Nicaragua

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Cacao Bean Sales: Sale of high-quality, fine-flavor cacao beans tailored specifically to buyers' requirements. Products are processed at industrial facilities with custom sorting and packaging to ensure consistent quality.
2. Robusta Coffee Sales: Sale of genetically advanced rust-free Robusta coffee cultivated alongside cacao under the agroforestry model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cacao Oro is a large-scale agroforestry company that produces fine-flavor cacao beans from 19 selected varietals, rust-free Robusta coffee, and micro-grafted cacao plants at its 3,200-hectare Finca La Rosita plantation in Nicaragua. It sells these agricultural products directly to international chocolate manufacturers and coffee importers, with in-house industrial fermentation, drying, sorting, and packaging at a 6,800-square-meter processing center. Products are tailored to buyer specifications and exported globally through Nicaragua's eastern and western coast ports.

Product overview

Cacao Oro is a large-scale, sustainable agroforestry company that operates as a single unified business producing fine flavor cacao beans and high-quality Robusta coffee. The company operates from a 3200-hectare plantation (Finca La Rosita) and offers three core products: fine flavor cacao beans from 19 selected varietals, rust-free Robusta coffee, and micro-grafted cacao plants from its nursery. A 6800 square meter industrial processing facility provides fermentation, drying, sorting, and packaging services for its agricultural outputs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Flavor Cacao Beans High-quality, consistent cacao beans harvested from 19 selected fine-flavor cacao varietals, including Costa Rican Catie influence varieties, on 2,000 hectares of cacao production at the 3,200-hectare Finca La Rosita plantation. Beans are tailored to buyer flavor and quality requirements and sold to international chocolate manufacturers.
• Rust-Free Robusta Coffee Genetically advanced rust-free Robusta coffee cultivated on 150 hectares of the Finca La Rosita plantation using sustainable agroforestry methods, sold to international coffee importers and roasters.
• Micro-Grafted Cacao Plants Micro-grafted cacao plants produced twice a year at Cacao Oro's permanent nursery with 1.5 hectares under sun shade cover, supporting an annual production capacity of 1,500,000 plants for use across the plantation and select external propagation.
• Industrial Cacao Bean Processing Services Industrial-capacity cacao bean fermentation, specialized mechanical drying, custom sorting, packaging, and climate-controlled covered storage at Cacao Oro's 6,800-square-meter processing center, supporting export logistics from the Puerto Cabezas east coast port.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% grafted plants ensuring genetic quality and consistency
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNIDO has recognized Cacao Oro as a pivotal sustainable development beacon in northeastern Nicaragua. Organizations have conducted multiple visits to Cacao Oro's operations to assess cocoa plantations, social initiatives, sustainability strategies, and industrial facilities. UNIDO supports development of resilient infrastructure and promotes inclusive sustainable industrialization.
• LDN Technical Assistance Facility (TAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with LDN TAF under guidance of Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) for gender equality program development. Collaboratively co-investing in creation of comprehensive gender strategy and action plan integrated into Cacao Oro's ESG objectives.
• Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIDH provides guidance for LDN TAF's gender program partnership with Cacao Oro, supporting the company's ESG efforts in addressing gender-related concerns.
• PROCACAO (UNIDO/MEFCCA/COSUDE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2018, Cacao Oro has participated in PROCACAO project Phase II aimed at strengthening cocoa industry in RACCN. Company provides technical training to producers and shares best practices. Project funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (COSUDE) and implemented by UNIDO with MEFCCA support.
• Municipal Mayor's Office of RositaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on road construction project linking El Black with Rosario Kukalaya. Cacao Oro contributed machinery safeguarding, logistics for material mobilization, and select materials for road construction enabling community access.
• MorganicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for soil regenerative bacterial trials to enhance agricultural sustainability and soil health practices.
• Pelle BongominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCacao Oro has become distributor of Pelle Bongo products, indicating diversification into distribution partnerships.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cargill: Global agricultural commodity trader with significant cocoa sourcing, processing, and sustainability operations (Cargill Cocoa Promise). Comparable as a large-scale, sustainability-certified supplier of cacao to industrial chocolate customers.
• Nestlé: Global food and beverage giant operating the Nestlé Cocoa Plan with direct sourcing from origin countries. Comparable as a major sustainability-certified cacao buyer with requirements for traceable, large-volume fine-flavor beans.
• Hershey: Major chocolate manufacturer with cocoa sourcing programs in West Africa and Latin America. Comparable as a downstream buyer of cacao beans requiring certified, large-volume supply chains.
• Barry Callebaut: The world's largest chocolate manufacturer and a major cocoa processor with sustainability programs and direct sourcing from Latin American origins. Comparable as a dominant buyer/processor of fine cacao beans and operator of large-scale fermentation facilities.
• Mondelez International: Major global chocolate manufacturer with Cocoa Life sustainability program sourcing cacao from multiple origins. Comparable as a sustainability-driven cacao buyer that demands certified, traceable fine-flavor supply.

Direct peers

• ECOM Group: One of the world's largest cocoa traders and processors with extensive origin operations across Latin America and Africa. Directly comparable as a large-scale, sustainability-certified cacao producer/trader serving international chocolate manufacturers.
• Cacao Hunters: Colombian specialty cacao company focused on fine-flavor and single-origin beans with direct trade relationships. Comparable as a Latin American specialty cacao producer serving premium chocolate makers.
• Valrhona: Premium French chocolate maker that directly sources fine-flavor cacao from Latin American origins and other terroir-specific regions. Comparable as a downstream premium buyer that prioritizes traceability, varietal distinction, and sustainability certifications.
• ofi (Olam Food Ingredients): Major global supplier of cocoa, coffee, and other food ingredients with sustainability programs and large-scale origin operations. Comparable business model as a vertically integrated, sustainability-focused commodity ingredient supplier.
• República del Cacao: Ecuadorian premium cacao company engaged in direct fine-flavor sourcing, fermentation, and chocolate production. Comparable as a Latin American specialty cacao producer emphasizing origin differentiation and sustainable practices.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cacaooro

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about cacao oro