Leading Sustainable Cultural Heritage Project 2024

Che’il Mayan Chocolate, is owned and managed by Julio Saqui and Heliodora Saqui, of Mopan Maya descent, who live in Maya Centre Village, Belize. The business came about after being unable to secure employment, due to my physicality. I decided to create my own employment, which is now Che’il Mayan Chocolate ( “WILD Mayan Chocolate” in my Mopan Maya language), using Organic cacao beans from Dad's farm, established in December of 2010.

Though late Mom was a traditional Mayan chocolate drink maker, I want more. I then ventured into chocolate making. 1 year later, I still don’t know what I was doing. However, I was offered the opportunity to go on a one-week artisanal chocolate making training. It was a golden opportunity. It was then, when I realized there is so much potential in the cacao industry and went into TRADITIONAL Maya chocolate making. I quickly realized that we have a powerful living Maya culture and as Maya people I realized I can use my Maya culture to market my chocolate in the tourism industry and use Chocolate to market my Maya culture sustainably in the Tourism industry, while creating community employment at the same time. They complement each other and it has worked for me! You are welcome join us on our Traditional Maya Chocolate Making experience.