Harvest Chronicles: Copoazú, the Amazon White Cacao with Untapped Potential
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
By Paula Perrelli dos Anjos
Our series Harvest Chronicles continues to spotlight the extraordinary produce that grows in the Amazon forest. After exploring Murumuru, Aguaje, Camu‑Camu, Amazon Nut and Dragon’s Blood and many others, we turn to Copoazú, one of the Amazon’s most promising forest‑positive ingredients.
Known locally as “white cacao”, Copoazú (Theobroma grandiflorum, known in Brazil as cupuaçu) is native to the Amazon Basin and belongs to the same family as cacao. The flavour is one of its greatest assets: a fragrant blend of chocolate, pineapple, pear and banana, with a creamy pulp that has become a favourite in fine pastry, natural beverages and functional foods. The seeds yield a rich butter increasingly used in premium skincare, prized for its restorative fatty acids and slow‑melting texture.
Copoazú trees grow naturally in humid tropical forests, reaching between 5 and 15 metres in height and thriving under canopy shade. They fit well into agroforestry systems, tolerating the acidic, nutrient‑poor soils typical of the Amazon. Pollination is carried out by stingless bees and small chrysomelid beetles, which makes the crop sensitive to heavy rain, when pollinators are less active.
The fruit is large, often the size of a melon, with a thick brown shell that protects a white, aromatic pulp rich in vitamin C, B‑complex vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, fibre and unique antioxidant compounds such as theograndins I and II. Studies suggest these compounds give Copoazú a higher antioxidant capacity than many common fruits, which makes it attractive for functional beverages and nutraceuticals.
Last week, Amazonia Impact Ventures (AIV) announced that it is leading the first comprehensive mapping of Copoazú production in Madre de Dios. With support from the UK PACT programme, the work will identify existing plantations and production volumes, look at what holds farmers back and what training they need, support local associations and offer technical help on disease management. The goal is a business case for a sustainable Copoazú value chain.
PROMISING FUTURE
In Peru, Copoazú is cultivated mainly in Madre de Dios, where families harvest the fruit from scattered plots across their concessions. Production is still fragmented, with limited post‑harvest infrastructure and problems caused by a fungal disease called moniliasis.
Buyers do exist. Specialised in organic products sourced from the rainforest, Candela Perú sells Copoazú butter to the Brazilian cosmetics company Natura, and the cooperative Coopssur has taken certified organic Copoazú overseas. In the UK, the cosmetics retailer LUSH also buys Copoazú butter from Peru, a sign that demand isn’t the problem.
Indicative figures from Credence Research show that the global market for cupuaçu butter was worth USD 37.5 million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 59.8 million by 2032, growing by around 6% a year. Cosmetics and skincare account for 57% of demand, mostly from moisturisers and body butters. North America is the largest market (32%), ahead of Europe (28%) and Asia Pacific (23%).
Across the border, Brazil offers a glimpse of what Copoazú can become when research and market integration align. In Pará, Embrapa’s decades-long breeding programme has produced disease‑resistant varieties of the fruit that reach up to 14 tonnes per hectare — four times Peru’s current average of 4 tonnes per hectare.
These gains stem from systematic clonal selection, improved pollination, and integrated agroforestry systems that ensure consistent fruiting. Peru, by contrast, still faces rising disease pressure, and lacks post‑harvest infrastructure. This contrast highlights the scale of the opportunity, with targeted investment, Peru could unlock a Copoazú sector capable of matching the neighbour's success.
Bolivia also maintains a growing Copoazú sector, particularly in Beni, with semi‑industrial processing capacity and a stable presence in regional markets. Despite the hurdles, the market outlook is strong. Copoazú also has two routes to market: pulp for food products and butter for cosmetics.
Comments