Pedro Caetano Magalhães Neto's Page

Cocoa Forest
Rich in diversity
The Fazenda Lajedo do Ouro is located in the south of the state of Bahia, Brazil. The cocoa plantation is integrated into the Tropical Forest, which confers a singular ecosystem to this farm. This biodiversity is a richness inherited in the cocoa fruits and selected seeds, as evidenced by the excellence of our beans and their derivatives.
The cocoa forest is born from the symbiosis of preserved native trees with river springs, groves and Atlantic rainforest still intact and motley. The tall trees protect the cocoa trees with their vital shade, and house many other plant and animal species. In addition to this natural diversity, the forest is also home to Caiporas and Boitatas, creatures from the local folklore.
Proud to partake in such cultural, ecological, historical and economic wealth, the Fazenda Lajedo do Ouro is committed with a group of local entrepreneurs through the Association AGIIR. This association aims to develop a sustainable local economy based on culture, environmental preservation and the maintenance of the cocoa cultivation.

Development, vigour, and quality
The perfect soil of our cocoa farm and the specific processes of fermentation and drying adapted to the region’s climate give our beans a unique flavour. Our clients can thus combine each cocoa variety in the desired proportions in order to create an exclusive chocolate, as with wines and coffees.
Each cocoa species is grown in a distinct area. They are hybrids from Forastero and Trinitario species which can only be found in Brazil. One notable species is the Catongo SR162 cocoa, a Forastero variety with a white cotiledon, born from a spontaneous genetic mutation.
For thèse reasons and many others, the quality, taste and flavour of the Lajedo do Ouro cocoa can be compared to no other.

Social responsibility
The quality of our product was conquered in the respect of the workers. In accordance with Brazilian laws, we do not use child labour nor slave workers, unlike some cocoa producers. Our workers are given accommodation with electricity and drinkable running water, and they live at a short distance of a town for schooling and leisure.

Flavour and Savour of a Superior Cocoa
Other quality features from Fazenda Lajedo do Ouro :
The selected fruits are picked at the same ripening level and are free of any hole or disease;
The pods are broken open in a clean environment, and the beans are put into fermenting tanks on the same day;
Alcoholic fermentation begins, in anaerobic conditions, thanks to yeast that turns the sugar into alcohol;
From the second day on, the beans are stirred so that the oxygen induces the acetic and lactic fermentations, caused by bacteria;
The acetic acid produced by the reaction of acetobacteria with alcohol erodes the husk of the beans, letting the enzymes into the kernel for further transformation;
We pay particular attention to equally fermenting all the beans at every fermentation stage, which is vital to obtain high quality cocoa;
The bean are allowed to dry on large platforms in open air, in a temperature that does not exceed 40°C, and undergo the last chemical reactions that intensify the cocoa’s aroma and flavour