CATAPPAEXIM

Origins (1955)

Santiago Cocoa (Catappaexim E.I.R.L.) began in 1955, when a 17-year-old Spaniard named Santiago Cuesta Ortega arrived in the Dominican Republic searching for a new beginning. Leaving behind post-war scarcity, ration books, and limited opportunities in Spain, he believed he was heading to the United States. Instead, he found himself in the Caribbean, faced with raw land, machetes, long days under the sun, and the challenge of rebuilding his life from nothing. He learned to work the fields with his bare hands—often barefoot, often hungry—but always driven by determination.

Building a Legacy

Over the years, Santiago forged strong relationships with growers across the region and founded the cocoa enterprise that would later evolve into Santiago Cocoa. His discipline, respect for the land, and decades of hands-on experience shaped the identity of the company. Known as “El Chaval” for being the youngest of the Spanish settlers who arrived in the mid-1950s, he dedicated his entire life to cocoa until his passing on August 23, 2021.

Today: Heritage Meets Precision

Santiago Cocoa continues his legacy by blending more than seventy years of tradition with modern, auditable processes. We source cocoa from the Dominican Republic’s best micro-regions and use controlled fermentation methods designed to generate stable, complex flavor profiles. Our beans are sun-dried with care and hand-selected to ensure consistency and low defect rates. Each batch is tracked through detailed lot-by-lot documentation to ensure complete traceability from origin to shipment.

Our Commitment

Santiago Cocoa is committed to connecting Dominican producers with international buyers who value excellence, transparency, and honest communication. We deliver reliable logistics, clear specifications, and cocoa that reflects the richness of Dominican terroir.

Our Mission

Our mission is to honor our founder’s legacy by providing authentic, high-quality Dominican cocoa that embodies the history, character, and craftsmanship of a family dedicated to this land since 1955.