Meet Rancho Quemado Estates. A Sustainable and Innovative Agricultural Business
Rancho Quemado Estates, located in Trinidad and Tobago, is a 45-acre agricultural estate that has undergone tremendous revitalization in recent years. Originally developed in 1924 as Queensland Estate producing cocoa, oranges, bananas, coffee, grapefruit, and limes, it became Rancho Quemado Estates Limited in 2006. The estate’s current focus is on cocoa production, processing cocoa beans into cocoa powder, cocoa butter, cocoa wine & fruit-based wine, cocoa nibs, and drinking chocolate. In addition, they offer grass-cutting contracting services, educational and wine tours, and experiment with various revenue generators such as farming, making cocoa products, and renting out their estate house.
The company’s vision is to become a trusted partner in Trinidad and Tobago’s sustainable agricultural landscape, leveraging the country’s natural endowments towards sustainable growth and prosperity. Their mission is to remain advocates of the nation’s pride and essence through education, preservation, cultivation, and agro-processing.
Rancho Quemado’s cocoa beans, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate liqueur are mainly sold to Isabel Brash, owner and head chocolatier of Cocobel Chocolates, specializing in ultra-premium gourmet chocolate.
The estate’s logo depicts an Amerindian lady in cultural masquerade wear offering the gift of chocolate to the gods, with the Trinity hills in the background, and the name “Trinidad’s Natural” which emphasizes their product preparation from plant to process and supports their motto “sustainability through agriculture.”
Rancho Quemado Estates staff find it challenging to juggle their time, but they focus on completing one task at a time to achieve maximum productivity. Their inspiration comes from the satisfaction of producing high-quality, sustainably grown products while contributing to the economic and social development of their community. They also prioritize environmental conservation, utilizing organic and natural farming methods to promote biodiversity and protect the surrounding ecosystem.
In addition to their agricultural practices, Rancho Quemado Estates is committed to promoting education and community development. They offer educational tours for schools and groups to learn about sustainable agriculture, the cocoa products manufacturing process, their wine making process, and the raising and maintaining of bee apiaries as well as volunteering opportunities for community members.
Overall, Rancho Quemado Estates serves as an excellent example of a sustainable and innovative agricultural business here in T&T. By prioritizing environmental conservation, community development, and high-quality food production, they demonstrate how agriculture can contribute to economic growth and social progress in a sustainable and responsible way.
