The title of this article may sound like a playful compliment, but it was actually the phrase most heard at June’s Vassar Fair by customers visiting Madrevieja’s stand. After being selected by Páramo Impacta to represent the sustainable business lineup at the fair, and meeting Ricardo Rojas, the brand’s founder, at Clean Energy we were drawn into a world of biodiversity and local gastronomy.
In Colombia, cacao is more than a fruit: it’s memory, territory, and opportunity. In the heart of the Llanos Orientales, an artisanal venture is transforming this natural treasure into a sensory experience that blends conservation, design, and flavor. Its name is well known: Madrevieja – Artisanal Chocolate, and its mission is to win over those who believe in a sweeter, more sustainable future.
🌱 From the forest to the palate: A conscious origin story
Madrevieja was born among rivers and trees, on a family farm in Tauramena, a municipality where fertile soil and warm-hearted people come together around cacao. Using a “tree to bar” model, this chocolaterie manages the entire transformation process at origin—from responsible cultivation to final product design—with premium 70% and 72% cacao.
Each piece pays tribute to Colombia’s biodiversity—not only in flavor, but in form: jaguars, Amazonian frogs, sloths, macaws, and titi monkeys come to life in chocolate, reminding us which species we help protect when we choose ethically made products.
🎨 The art of telling nature’s stories through chocolate
Madrevieja is more than delicious: it tells a story. Its bonbons, shaped like miniature sculptures, speak of Colombian ecosystems, aiming to spark curiosity and pride in every bite.
“Our cacao was selected among the top 7 in Colombia by Fedecacao,” said the founder proudly.
🌿 Sustainability in every detail
Madrevieja’s environmental commitment is present at every stage—from eco-conscious packaging to working with local farmers. This is more than a chocolate brand; it’s a declaration of purpose: to stand for the artisanal, the natural, and the intentional.
“We’ve cultivated 21 hectares—equivalent to 21,000 cacao trees. We’ve also created jobs for several families, including single mothers working on crop maintenance,” Ricardo emphasized.
🛍️ A store that showcases Colombia
Through its online store and physical spaces at fairs and brand collaborations, Madrevieja offers:
- Bonbons shaped like Amazonian animals (in 5- or 10-piece boxes)
- Dark chocolate bars (72% and 75%) with single-origin cacao
- Bars with passion fruit, orange, and other tropical flavors
- Dehydrated orange peel covered in dark chocolate
- Seasonal editions inspired by native species and regions
Each product is an experience. Every box, an invitation to rediscover the connection between flavor and conservation.
“We grow fine-flavor cacao genetics; this is not ordinary cacao. We work with citrus and herbal notes…” exclaimed the founder.
🌎 A brand that plants as it sweetens
Through its work, Madrevieja reminds us that biodiversity can be protected with creativity, fair trade, and good taste. At Clean Energy, we continue to spotlight ventures like Madrevieja because we believe sustainability is not a trend—it’s a way of inhabiting the world.
