Scott and Emilie are adventurers whose love for cacao took root during their travels across the cacao heartlands of Latin America. From planting cacao seedlings in the Amazon Basin of Bolivia to forging personal relationships in Nicaragua’s lush landscapes, their journey reflects a genuine connection rare amongst chocolate makers. Their work started in 2017 while filming an agroforestry documentary—a project that literally planted seeds in the area where cacao was first domesticated thousands of years ago. After years of exploration, they settled in Guatemala to work with cacao, laying the foundation for what would become Black Jaguar. Today, they craft exceptional chocolate on Vancouver Island, using beans exclusively sourced from heirloom cacao grown in La Dalia, Nicaragua, and certified by the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund, as well as cacao from the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve, the second largest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere and home to 13% of the world’s known plant and animal species. They also enjoy foraging on the Island, creating unique bars that weave together the flavors of cacao’s origins with the essence of their Vancouver Island home.