Suchitepéquez, on Guatemala's Pacific piedmont, is a core cacao department of the country's southern producing region, with San Antonio Suchitepéquez regarded as a heartland of prime cacao-growing land worked by cooperatives and smallholders.
Country
Guatemala
Region
Suchitepéquez (Pacific piedmont)
Growing region
Americas
Coordinates
14.54°, -91.42° (approx.)
Elevation
100-600 m
Producer
regional
Genetic groups
admixture
Traditional class
mixed
Also known as
San Antonio Suchitepéquez
Bean notes
Mixed Trinitario and Criollo-type material grown under shade canopy; cultivated populations are largely admixed.
Harvest season
main Oct-Feb
Fermentation
Cooperative and farm box fermentation.
Drying
Sun-dried on patios and raised beds.
Flavour
cocoa · nutty · mild fruit · caramel
Updated
2026-05-22
Sources
Make Mine Fine — Guatemala: https://www.makeminefine.com/cocoa-sustainability/guatemala/
USDA FAS 2019 — Advances and Opportunities of Cacao Production in Guatemala: https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Advances+and+Opportunities+of+Cacao+Production+in+Guatemala_Guatemala_Guatemala_8-9-2019.pdf