Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario

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*According the ICCO (International Cocoa Organization), there are three varieties of cocoa: Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario.

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Criollos dominated the market until the middle of the eighteenth century, but today only a few, if any, pure Criollo trees remain.

 

Forastero is a large group containing cultivated, semi-wild and wild populations of which the Amelonado populations are the most extensively planted. Large areas of Brazil and West Africa are planted with Amelonado. Amelonado varieties include Comum in Brazil, West African Amelonado in Africa, Cacao Nacional in Ecuador and Matina or Ceylan in Costa Rica and Mexico. Recently large plantations throughout the world have used Upper Amazon hybrids.

 

The Trinitario populations are considered to belong to the Forasteros, although they are descended from a cross between Criollo and Forastero. Trinitario planting started in Trinidad, spread to Venezuela and then to Ecuador, Cameroon, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Java and Papua New Guinea​​​​​​​​​​.