Stann Creek District in southern Belize is a secondary cacao zone alongside Toledo, where smallholder farms grow cacao in agroforestry plots. The area was the focus of a 1980s commercial cacao project along the Hummingbird Highway that collapsed when world prices fell.
Country
Belize
Region
Stann Creek District
Growing region
Americas
Coordinates
16.97°, -88.30° (approx.)
Elevation
20-200 m
Producer
multiple
Genetic groups
admixture
Traditional class
Trinitario
Also known as
Hummingbird
Bean notes
Mixed hybrid populations; the district includes plantings descended from the 1980s commercial cacao programme along the Hummingbird Highway as well as smallholder farms.
Harvest season
main Aug-Jan
Fermentation
Smallholder and small-facility box fermentation.
Drying
Sun-dried on raised platforms.
Flavour
cocoa · nutty · mild fruit · balanced
Certifications
organic
Updated
2026-05-22
Sources
Make Mine Fine — Belize: https://www.makeminefine.com/cocoa-sustainability/belize/
Chocolopolis — A Visit to Hummingbird Farm in Belize: https://www.chocolopolis.com/blog/2014/07/a-visit-to-hummingbird-farm-in-belize