Rabot Estate, St. Lucia
The 140-acre (0.57 km2) Rabot Estate is in the south west of St Lucia, near Soufrière –the original French capital. St Lucia lies in the cocoa belt which girdles the earth, plus or minus 20 degrees latitude from the Equator.
The estate is divided up into 16 different cortès or areas of terroir, with names steeped in history, such as L’ Hermitage, Ti Jardin, Marcial, Mathilde and Rameau.
The cocoa trees of Rabot Estate are primarily Trinitario species rich in Criollo genes, and with new trees continually being planted, record quantities of cocoa are being harvested.
The Rabot Estate is part of Hotel Chocolat’s 'Engaged Ethics' Cocoa Programme (HCCAPEE). Over a hundred new jobs have been created since the estate’s opening, and with prices guaranteed to be 30-40% above the world market price of cocoa, as well as being paid within a week of selling their crops, local farmers are provided with a secure income.
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