Trees we love: Cacao

Whether it is Christmas or a birthday, chocolate is the perfect gift for millions of people around the world. But why stop there? Why not gift a tree made to grow chocolate? At Treedom, we pride ourselves on sustainable social impact and offer the opportunity for anyone to plant a tree online, helping the environment in the process. 

So, let’s go into detail about why we love the cacao tree.

The cacao tree, also known as theobroma cacao, is a small evergreen and blossoms all year round. It’s a colourful tree, growing white, green or pink depending on the species. Some of these flowers then slowly develop over time into the famous cocoa beans.

The theobroma cacao is Greek for ‘food of the gods’ and is believed to have been first discovered in the Amazon rainforest. The cocoa bean then spread up north to central America and became an integral part of their diet and the local culture. Nowadays, around 70% of cacao trees are grown in the west African region.  

The cocoa beans are taken from the plants and then fermented in the manufacturing process. This turns the flavour from a bitter-flavoured cocoa bean to the sweet and lovely taste of chocolate that we all know and love.

At Treedom, we take great care in every tree-growing project we undertake. By devoting great research to ensuring the trees are always placed in the right area and in the right environment, we can always ensure maximum environmental and economic impact for our cacao trees.

We currently plant cacao trees in eight countries around the world.

By planting a cacao tree online you will be providing great advantages to the environment. Cacao trees store a large amount of CO2, making it great for those wanting to offset their carbon footprint. As well as this, they protect the soil, encourage biodiversity and provide sustainable ecosystems in the area it is grown in.

What’s more, there are also fantastic economic and social benefits for the locals in the places they are grown in. Cocoa is sold at all the local markets, giving the farmers much-needed livable income.

Being able to support the environment and local communities is a great feeling. But how do you know that the trees are growing successfully?

Well, each tree is first photographed and then geolocated. As a result, you will be provided with a personalised digital profile of your tree as well as receiving regular updates on its progress.

This is a great gift for friends, family or even as a feel-good treat. Making the planet greener at the same time.

Plant a tree for a loved one or yourself today.

Keep up with the top stories from Reader’s Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter.