Maya chocolate culture: Ancient cacao traditions in Belize | STC 2026

From ancient Maya civilizations to modern-day sustainability, chocolate has always been Caribbean. This feature takes an immersive look at Belize's Che'il Mayan Chocolate — tracing the journey of cacao from farm to factory, exploring its deep cultural roots in Maya heritage, and celebrating authentic Caribbean culinary traditions that have endured for centuries.

This video showcases the Saqui family's decade-long mission to offer visitors a genuine farm-to-factory chocolate experience — from harvesting cacao pods to fermenting, drying, roasting, and processing — preserving Mayan chocolate-making traditions for the world. This feature was filmed by News 5 Live, Greater Belize Media.

0:00 Introduction to Che'il Mayan Chocolate
0:18 How the family business took off
1:05 The cacao farm tour with farmer Narciso Saqui
1:38 From harvest to fermentation and roasting
2:15 Inside the chocolate processing facility
2:44 A balance of mass production and authenticity
3:21 Created a hybrid chocolate with an authentic flavour
4:41 A healthy Mayan chocolate bar with filling, but no artificial ingredients

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#CaribbeanCulture #BelizeTourism #MayanChocolate #CaribbeanHeritageTourism #CulinaryTourism