Pura Vida Chocolate — Regenerative Farming

About Pura Vida

Based in Colorado, Pura Vida Chocolate is one of North America’s only farm-to-table, tree-to-bar chocolate makers. The sustainable chocolate startup operates a 15-hectare (35-acre) tropical cacao farm near La Tigra in Costa Rica.

Pura Vida Chocolate was founded in 2019 to support a regenerative syntropic cacao farm in Costa Rica, along with various farm partners, including native, indigenous, and women-led cooperativos. Since then, company’s the cacao orchards have steadily improved the biodiversity of its surrounding landscape and have also sequestered significant quantities of atmospheric CO2 into stable soil carbon, making them dramatically carbon-negative.

In March 2024, the Fir Foundation helped contribute to a $11,000 loan over 42 months for Pura Vida Chocolate. Here’s what founder Antonio has to say about the proceeds of the loan:

“To enable off-grid production, we need a 3k—4kWh solar power station and panels; an industrial blender; off-grid hot water heater/sink; and stainless steel wall panels. The mobile kitchen will run the chocolate-making equipment, refrigerators, and cleaning equipment off-grid, allowing us to work from campsites, farms, anyplace!

This offers tremendous potential for pop-up events, brand message building, resiliency to economic shifts, and partner collaborations.”

Business Description

Industry: Agriculture
Years in operation: 3 years - 5 years
Website: pura-vida-chocolate.com