A new generation of Cacao of Excellence
Today, Cacao of Excellence reveals its new but familiar name and visual identity. This launch follows a year-long transformative journey, from the most prestigious global Cacao Award and standardisation programme to an expanded collaboration platform that builds capacity across 65+ cacao origins, drives cutting-edge innovation and knowledge, and convenes the cacao community around quality at origin.
The new name, logo and house colors embody the platform’s energy, inclusive spirit and commitment to cacao producers and producing origins. “This name change is an important step in Cacao of Excellence’s transformational process. Our 5-pillar strategy aims to move the needle for more sustainable superior quality cacao value chains,” said Brigitte Laliberte, Cacao of Excellence’s Acting-Director. She added, “Our new identity captures this shift and pays tribute to cacao origins.”
In the new logo, cacao sector actors will recognize Cacao of Excellence’s familiar round shape and cacao pods and leaves – clear symbols of this everlasting and abundant crop. The typography and pod imagery has been simplified and modernized to represent Cacao of Excellence’s commitment to new producers and origins.
The transition to Cacao of Excellence is an important step in a new chapter for the collaborative platform. Participation in the Cacao of Excellence Awards competition continues to grow with a steady increase in the number of participating origin countries, as well as growing demand for national and regional competitions, trainings, certifications, and national centers of excellence. The platform is preparing to launch seminal cacao market research, internationally recognized cacao quality assessment protocols and a learning and innovation hub in Rome, Italy.
About Cacao of Excellence
Cacao of Excellence is a global collaborative platform led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future and supported by private and public partner organizations. Since 2009, Cacao of Excellence has held eight prestigious Award Editions, consolidated an extensive and globally diverse dataset on cacao production, assessed the flavour diversity and quality of over 1,250 exceptional and unique cacao bean samples from 55 origins; and led the development of the first International Standards for the Assessment of Cocoa Quality and Flavour. Its Global Network on Cacao Genetic Resources (CacaoNet) contributes to the safeguarding of the world’s cacao genetic diversity in the 2 international collections at the Cocoa Research Centre in Trinidad and Tobago, and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) in Costa Rica.
Cacao of Excellence was founded in 2009 and has become the leading champion for promoting superior quality cacao and diversity to empower farmers, increase sustainability in cacao value chains and improve farmer livelihoods.
