Conservation-Driven Cacao – Rooted in Impact

Organic Development Finance (ODF) has provided financing to Zorzal Cacao, a Dominican Republic–based cacao company that integrates specialised cacao production with long-term conservation. Established in 2013, Zorzal Cacao produces and exports speciality cacao to craft chocolate makers worldwide, while supporting sustainable conservation initiatives. The company buys cacao directly from local smallholder farmers for export, thereby supporting the local value chains.

Here’s the impact Zorzal Cacao is delivering:

Private Conservation in Practice
Reserva Zorzal is a 1,019-acre private bird sanctuary, 70% of which has been designated “forever wild” in order to protect the habitat of the rare Bicknell’s thrush. This demonstrates that conservation and commerce can coexist.

Conservation Finance Through Cocoa Sales
Zorzal supports reforestation and conservation initiatives through cocoa revenues and other mechanisms such as carbon payments and Fair for Life certification incentives. This positions cacao as a means of funding sustainable conservation.

Structured Post-Harvest Quality & Traceability
A structured approach to fermentation and drying is used to harvest, ferment, dry, sort and prepare cacao for export, ensuring consistent quality for fine flavour markets.

Zorzal Cacao shows how agricultural production can finance biodiversity protection directly, while creating market access for high-quality cacao from the Dominican Republic and supporting local farmers.

Photo Credits: Charles Kerchner, Ph.D.