Ecuadorian cacao, from the coastal farms

Arriba Nacional, the bean the trade calls fine flavour, and the high-yield CCN-51 clone, bought at the farm, screened, bagged and shipped from Guayaquil.

Request a quoteCompare the beans
Ripe cacao pods hanging on the tree
Varieties
Arriba Nacional and CCN-51
Moisture
Max. 7.5%
Packing
60 kg jute bags, big bags on request
Port
Guayaquil (ECGYE)
Cacao pods growing on the trunk and branches of a cacao tree

Ecuador is where fine flavour cacao comes from

Ecuador is the home of Nacional cacao, the variety the trade calls Arriba and the ICCO classifies as fine flavour.

We buy directly at the farm or the collection centre in the coastal provinces, check fermentation by cut test before we pay, and stay with the lot until the container is closed.

See how a lot is checked

Two beans, two jobs

Nacional is bought for flavour, CCN-51 for volume and fat. Most buyers take one or the other; some take both in the same container.

Agreed per order and stated in the written offerAll other values apply to every shipment

Arriba NacionalCCN-51
TypeNacional (Arriba), fine flavourCCN-51, bulk cacao
ProfileFloral and nutty rather than flat and bitterFuller-bodied and more acidic than Nacional, high fat content
Typical useOrigin cacao for chocolate makersCouverture, cocoa butter and mass
GradesASSPS, ASSS, ASS, ASEOn request
Fermentation and dryingFermented in wooden boxes, sun-dried on the farmWell fermented, sun or mechanically dried
MoistureBothMax. 7.5%
Bean count and cut testBothAgreed per contract, confirmed on the quality certificate
PackingBothJute bags of 60 kg, big bags on request
VolumeOn requestFull container loads, year round
Certified lotsBothOrganic or fair-trade, subject to availability
Port of loadingBothGuayaquil (ECGYE)
IncotermsBothFOB Guayaquil, CFR or CIF

Organic and fair-trade certified lots are possible subject to availability. Ask before you plan around them.

What we check before the bags are closed

Cacao is bought on fermentation and moisture, not on a photograph. Both are measured before payment and written on the certificate that travels with the lot.

  • Cut test

    Fermentation

    Beans cut and counted per sample to confirm the fermentation level agreed in the contract.

  • Moisture

    Max. 7.5%

    Measured at the collection centre and again before bagging, so the lot travels dry.

  • Foreign matter

    Screening

    Screened for husk, stones and flat or broken beans before the bags are weighed.

  • Bean count

    Per 100 g

    Counted per sample and stated on the offer where the buyer works to a size grade.

  • Documents

    Per shipment

    Phytosanitary certificate, certificate of origin, quality certificate and packing list.

  • Stuffing

    Guayaquil

    Kraft-lined container, bags counted in, photographs sent before departure.

Where the beans go

How we quote

Send the bean, the quality, the quantity and the destination port. You receive a written offer with specification, packing, lead time and payment terms, normally within two working days.

Incoterms
FOB Guayaquil, CFR, CIF
Payment
L/C at sight or T/T

Destination ports

Mainly European grinders and chocolate makers, plus buyers in Asia and the Gulf, where our Ajman office handles the contact directly.

  • Rotterdam
  • Antwerp
  • Hamburg
  • Barcelona
  • Genoa
  • Istanbul
  • Jebel Ali
  • Shanghai

Most frequent: Rotterdam and Antwerp. Transit time and freight are confirmed with every offer.

Tell us what you need.

Give the bean, the quality, the quantity in tonnes and the destination port. We answer with a written offer.

For example 2 × 40′ containers or 50 t.

Specification, grade or size, packing and timing.

This opens your email program with the enquiry filled in, ready to send to m.azeezjan@ayaj-woods.com. The website itself does not send or store anything.