Learn · Peru
Macambo: the wild cousin of cacao from the Amazon
Macambo (Theobroma bicolor), also called majambo, is a close relative of cacao that grows in the northern jungle of Peru. It tastes like macadamia and cashew and is gathered mostly from the wild.
- Region
- San Martín, northern jungle (Chazuta)
- Altitude
- 400–1,000 m
- Genetics
- Theobroma bicolor, a wild cousin of cacao
- Flavour
- Macadamia and cashew with a hint of toasted almond
Where it grows
In the green north, cacao grows in the forest together with the peoples who have always lived there. Here you find both native Amazonian cacao and one of its wild relatives.
Its story
Macambo is not cacao in the strict sense but its close cousin. Its pods drop to the ground when ripe, so it is gathered in the forest or from a few trees on a farm; big plantations have not worked well. Communities around Chazuta collect, peel and dry the beans together. Macambo is not fermented: the beans are peeled while still wet and then dried in the sun. It tastes more like nuts than chocolate, contains theobromine and has only 35–40% fat. The harvest is from March to May.
Scientists in Peru and Ecuador are studying macambo more and more, measuring its fat, protein and minerals, and testing how it behaves when fermented.
In your cup
Macambo is not a replacement for ceremonial cacao, but a lovely addition. A little grated macambo in your cacao adds a soft, nutty depth.
How it is processed
Macambo is not fermented. The beans are peeled by hand while still wet, because dry shells are very hard to remove, and then dried in the sun.
Peruvian cacaos on our list
- Sumaq Cacaosito · Chuncho
- Kawsay Cacaosito · Kichwa-Lamista communities
- Moruga · Chuncho Chuncho
- Pure Kakaw · Cusco Cusco
- Ritual Cacao · Peru Asháninka Asháninka
Tasted one of them? Give it your score from 1 to 5 on the ranking. Scores come only from people who drink cacao and are never for sale.
More Peruvian cacao origins
Sources
- Cacao Life: Macambo
- Wikipedia: Theobroma bicolor
- Vera-Chang et al.: Characterization of macambo (Theobroma bicolor) (Revista Agrotecnológica Amazónica, 2024)
- UNAP Iquitos repository: Macambo (Theobroma bicolor) seed and its nutritional value
- Motilal et al.: Genetic structure of traditional cacao reveals four new genetic lineages in Peru (PLOS ONE, 2026; INIA repository)
- Sci.News: Birthplace of cacao identified in Amazon region (Zarrillo et al., Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018)
- ICCO: Panel recognizes 23 countries as fine and flavour cocoa exporters (Peru: 75%)
Facts gathered from the sources above, including Cacao Life (a Peruvian cacao exporter), scientific studies and Peruvian news agencies; the text is our own. Photos from Unsplash. Last checked 2026-11-04.