Cacao originated in the Amazon region of South America. Since its origin, cacao has evolved into different types as it has grown in different geographical populations. Two populations of cacao, with different origins, were initially thought to exist: one from Central America and the other from South America. These two groups were initially recognized as two subspecies, called cacao and sphaerocarpum, which were also recognized as the two cacao types most commonly known as Criollo and Forastero, respectively. These subspecies differed not only in where they grew, but also differed in some of their morphological features. The crossing between Criollo and Forastero trees gave rise to a third type, known as Trinitario. Now we know that Criollo, as well as other cacao types, came from an ancestral population in South America, and only spread into Central America when humans migrated there. We also now know that cacao can be divided not only in two or three groups, but into more than 10 different genetic groups.

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