M. Libânio Agrícola a company founded in 1922 by Manoel Libânio da Silva Filho, owns eight plantations spanning a total of 2,298 hectares. M. Libânio is driven by a philosophy that promotes harmony between people, soils, and plants so that all can live together in a sustainable environment. The company is located in one of the richest ecosystems in the world, the Mata Atlantica, an area which has been named a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
M. Libânio protects forests: Old growth forests represent 47% of the land available on our Brazilian partner's estate, 27% more than required under the country's forest law.
M. Libânio’s employees use the “Cabruca” system, which involves allowing taller trees, such as fruit trees endemic to the Mata Atlantica, to grow above smaller varieties such as cacaos. Recently, M. Libânio has developed a modern agroforestry system which grows cocoa under the shade cast by rubber trees, generating a secondary income through selling latex. Today, the plantation is Rainforest Alliance certified.
Our relationship with M. Libânio began in the early 2000s, becoming even closer thanks to the signature of a long-term partnership agreement in 2013, renewed for 10 years in 2020. Today, the whole property is Rainforest Alliance certified. M. Libânio's focus on producing the highest quality cocoa, coupled with its environmental values and technological innovation makes them a natural partner for us.
