Frequently Asked Questions

KAKAO is made from native cacao beans sourced from native lands.

KAKAO is made using the whole cacao bean.

KAKAO is minimally processed using traditional methods.

KAKAO is crafted with intention & integrity during every step of the process.

Please read the following link here for our more in depth definition.

KAKAO is never pressed, conched, or tempered, meaning if it is exposed to high temperatures, like those found in the summer months or those of traditionally warmer climates, the cacao butter in KAKAO will melt. Once cooled (brought inside, shaded, or refrigerated), the cacao butter will re-solidify forming a hardened mass similar to a cacao block.

If this happens, we assure you, your KAKAO is still in 100% perfect condition and safe to enjoy. If KAKAO shows up on your doorstep melted and/or hardened, you have a few easy options. Please click on this link to learn more.

Please note: we cannot replace product that has melted and hardened as it is a natural process and is completely safe to consume. Thank you for your understanding.

While we do know many moms who have safely consumed KAKAO throughout their entire pregnancy and while breastfeeding, we as a company cannot make recommendations as to what is safe for you and your baby. 

We of course always encourage all mothers to check in with their intuition, in addition to inquiring with a licensed, holistic medical professional that you trust.

With all of this said, if you have been told that cacao is safe for you during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, we feel very confident that KAKAO is a brand that can be trusted as the highest quality ceremonial-grade cacao as KAKAO exceeds the standards for both mold and heavy metal levels set by the FDA, EPA, USP, ATSDR, and California Proposition 65.

There really is no such thing as 'raw cacao' in our humble opinion. While 'raw cacao powder’ has become somewhat of a trend in the health-food world, here's why we think the use of the word 'raw' here is a bit of a flawed premise.

All cacao beans are fermented prior to being transformed into chocolate, even 'raw' cacao beans. During the fermentation process, temperatures can reach anywhere between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit over a duration of 2-7 days. A traditional raw food diet is all about preparing foods without heating them above 42 degrees Celsius, or 115 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, even when cacao beans are only fermented prior to being processed into chocolate, they're still not technically 'raw.' In addition, this 'raw cacao' is still being heated again at the conching and tempering stage.

While the cacao beans we use are fermented and roasted, they are never pressed, conched, or tempered. Although KAKAO is not 'raw,' it is minimally processed using traditional methods. Once fermented and roasted, our beans are stone ground into a paste where they're mixed with our Signature Blend ingredients. This is where our processing ends, ensuring that the most nutrients are preserved as possible.

‘Cacao Powder’ is a derivative of the cacao bean (only one part). It has been separated from the cacao butter (using a hydraulic press) making it an easy addition to smoothies and healthy desserts.

Our KAKAO, however, is much different. KAKAO uses the whole cacao bean, meaning all of the cacao butter from the cacao bean is still present and intact. Unbeknownst to most, the cacao butter contains most of the plant compounds that elicit cacao's 'ceremonial' effects.

A few other other key distinctions:

1. We source chuncho beans from Peru and criollo beans from Guatemala. These are both strains of cacao that are native to Central and South America. Most companies do not elaborate on which strains of cacao they source because they either don't know or don't care enough to find out for themselves. We avoid all man-made, hybrid, or genetically altered strains and our mission as a non-profit is to help save the native strains of cacao that are currently endangered due to cross-pollination and cacao's commercialization.

2. We do not use any industrial processing equipment when creating KAKAO. A traditional stone grinder is used to create our drinking chocolate from whole, native cacao beans.

3. We handle every step in the supply chain with intention, integrity, and respect for all involved. 

You can find our current batch blessing listed here.

In addition, we always include the energy and batch blessing description on our product page.

We will always post on Instagram @kakaodrinkingchocolate and in the KAKAO Hub when new editions are created.

Our KAKAO recipe never changes.

However, because we use native, wild grown, unadulterated cacao beans, there are some natural fluctuations in our cacao bean flavor profile from one harvest season to the next. There are many factors that play into this but the biggest thing to remember here is that nature thrives on diversity, not sameness. No two cacao beans are the same, just as no two cacao pods are the same, just as no two cacao trees are the same. Plus, cacao's tasting notes are heavily influenced by the types of plant life growing around them. Pollinators introduce pollen from all different kinds of trees throughout the growing season. In addition, the degree and length at which cacao is fermented can drastically change its tasting notes. You get the picture.

Large chocolate-making corporations go to great extent to ensure their beans and products taste exactly the same every time, typically at the expense of biodiversity and against nature's natural rhythms and cycles. KAKAO, a 501c3 non-profit, is committed to collecting native cacao beans from small family farms and keeping them both protected from industrialized cacao and corporate greed.

Feel free to play with the KAKAO you receive to make it your own. You may consider adding your own chile powder, vanilla extract, coconut oil, maca powder, cinnamon, lucuma, or other superfoods.

All of our products are indeed cacao paste made from whole cacao beans. However we take our processing one step further to make your life easier.

Our process:

1. We take WHOLE cacao beans and put them through a traditional stone grinder.

2. A paste comes out!

3. For our Signature Blend we add and mix in our 3 core ingredients (Panela, Chile, & Vanilla Beans) into the Paste.

4. Instead of drying our KAKAO Pure or KAKAO Signature Blend into a block form and selling it to you as a block, we place the broken up chunks of paste into a food processor and pulverize it into a powder to create a product that is easy for you to use in your every day life.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not alter, change, or omit any part of the cacao bean. We created this innovative process so that you don't have to do all the block chopping at home in your kitchen. With that said, it WILL melt back into a block if exposed to heat and/or left out in the sun.

When stored properly, KAKAO's shelf life is a minimum of 18 months. However, it is our personal experience that KAKAO can remain consumable for up to 3 years.

STORAGE recommendation:

For extended shelf life and ultimate freshness, we recommend keeping your KAKAO in ziplock bags or air tight containers inside of your refrigerator.

Please note, KAKAO Ceremonial Drinking Chocolate is not liable for negatively impacted product due to poor storage conditions.

KAKAO is made from native cacao beans sourced from native lands.

KAKAO is made using the whole cacao bean.

KAKAO is minimally processed using traditional methods.

KAKAO is crafted with intention & integrity during every step of the process.

Please read the following link here for our more in depth definition.

KAKAO is never pressed, conched, or tempered, meaning if it is exposed to high temperatures, like those found in the summer months or those of traditionally warmer climates, the cacao butter in KAKAO will melt. Once cooled (brought inside, shaded, or refrigerated), the cacao butter will re-solidify forming a hardened mass similar to a cacao block.

If this happens, we assure you, your KAKAO is still in 100% perfect condition and safe to enjoy. If KAKAO shows up on your doorstep melted and/or hardened, you have a few easy options. Please click on this link to learn more.

Please note: we cannot replace product that has melted and hardened as it is a natural process and is completely safe to consume. Thank you for your understanding.

While we do know many moms who have safely consumed KAKAO throughout their entire pregnancy and while breastfeeding, we as a company cannot make recommendations as to what is safe for you and your baby. 

We of course always encourage all mothers to check in with their intuition, in addition to inquiring with a licensed, holistic medical professional that you trust.

With all of this said, if you have been told that cacao is safe for you during pregnancy and/or breastfeeding, we feel very confident that KAKAO is a brand that can be trusted as the highest quality ceremonial-grade cacao as KAKAO exceeds the standards for both mold and heavy metal levels set by the FDA, EPA, USP, ATSDR, and California Proposition 65.

There really is no such thing as 'raw cacao' in our humble opinion. While 'raw cacao powder’ has become somewhat of a trend in the health-food world, here's why we think the use of the word 'raw' here is a bit of a flawed premise.

All cacao beans are fermented prior to being transformed into chocolate, even 'raw' cacao beans. During the fermentation process, temperatures can reach anywhere between 120 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit over a duration of 2-7 days. A traditional raw food diet is all about preparing foods without heating them above 42 degrees Celsius, or 115 degrees Fahrenheit. As you can see, even when cacao beans are only fermented prior to being processed into chocolate, they're still not technically 'raw.' In addition, this 'raw cacao' is still being heated again at the conching and tempering stage.

While the cacao beans we use are fermented and roasted, they are never pressed, conched, or tempered. Although KAKAO is not 'raw,' it is minimally processed using traditional methods. Once fermented and roasted, our beans are stone ground into a paste where they're mixed with our Signature Blend ingredients. This is where our processing ends, ensuring that the most nutrients are preserved as possible.

‘Cacao Powder’ is a derivative of the cacao bean (only one part). It has been separated from the cacao butter (using a hydraulic press) making it an easy addition to smoothies and healthy desserts.

Our KAKAO, however, is much different. KAKAO uses the whole cacao bean, meaning all of the cacao butter from the cacao bean is still present and intact. Unbeknownst to most, the cacao butter contains most of the plant compounds that elicit cacao's 'ceremonial' effects.

A few other other key distinctions:

1. We source chuncho beans from Peru and criollo beans from Guatemala. These are both strains of cacao that are native to Central and South America. Most companies do not elaborate on which strains of cacao they source because they either don't know or don't care enough to find out for themselves. We avoid all man-made, hybrid, or genetically altered strains and our mission as a non-profit is to help save the native strains of cacao that are currently endangered due to cross-pollination and cacao's commercialization.

2. We do not use any industrial processing equipment when creating KAKAO. A traditional stone grinder is used to create our drinking chocolate from whole, native cacao beans.

3. We handle every step in the supply chain with intention, integrity, and respect for all involved. 

You can find our current batch blessing listed here.

In addition, we always include the energy and batch blessing description on our product page.

We will always post on Instagram @kakaodrinkingchocolate and in the KAKAO Hub when new editions are created.

Our KAKAO recipe never changes.

However, because we use native, wild grown, unadulterated cacao beans, there are some natural fluctuations in our cacao bean flavor profile from one harvest season to the next. There are many factors that play into this but the biggest thing to remember here is that nature thrives on diversity, not sameness. No two cacao beans are the same, just as no two cacao pods are the same, just as no two cacao trees are the same. Plus, cacao's tasting notes are heavily influenced by the types of plant life growing around them. Pollinators introduce pollen from all different kinds of trees throughout the growing season. In addition, the degree and length at which cacao is fermented can drastically change its tasting notes. You get the picture.

Large chocolate-making corporations go to great extent to ensure their beans and products taste exactly the same every time, typically at the expense of biodiversity and against nature's natural rhythms and cycles. KAKAO, a 501c3 non-profit, is committed to collecting native cacao beans from small family farms and keeping them both protected from industrialized cacao and corporate greed.

Feel free to play with the KAKAO you receive to make it your own. You may consider adding your own chile powder, vanilla extract, coconut oil, maca powder, cinnamon, lucuma, or other superfoods.

All of our products are indeed cacao paste made from whole cacao beans. However we take our processing one step further to make your life easier.

Our process:

1. We take WHOLE cacao beans and put them through a traditional stone grinder.

2. A paste comes out!

3. For our Signature Blend we add and mix in our 3 core ingredients (Panela, Chile, & Vanilla Beans) into the Paste.

4. Instead of drying our KAKAO Pure or KAKAO Signature Blend into a block form and selling it to you as a block, we place the broken up chunks of paste into a food processor and pulverize it into a powder to create a product that is easy for you to use in your every day life.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not alter, change, or omit any part of the cacao bean. We created this innovative process so that you don't have to do all the block chopping at home in your kitchen. With that said, it WILL melt back into a block if exposed to heat and/or left out in the sun.

When stored properly, KAKAO's shelf life is a minimum of 18 months. However, it is our personal experience that KAKAO can remain consumable for up to 3 years.

STORAGE recommendation:

For extended shelf life and ultimate freshness, we recommend keeping your KAKAO in ziplock bags or air tight containers inside of your refrigerator.

Please note, KAKAO Ceremonial Drinking Chocolate is not liable for negatively impacted product due to poor storage conditions.

Add your products to the cart on the relevant website (see websites by country below) and go to check out. You will be given shipping options and costs prior to completing your order.

For mid-size & larger groups we suggest you use the following:

* Large stockpot (or several medium-large saucepans)

* High Quality Immersion Blender: Click here for example

* A countertop scale to measure 40 grams (or 4 tbsp) of KAKAO per person


* 7 oz of water per person (can be heated in stockpot or using hot-water kettles)


* Optional: Coconut Oil (few spoonfuls depending on the size of group)

* 8oz Biodegradable paper cups: Here is an Amazon link for reference.

* Wooden spoons. Click here for example.

* Ladle for scooping the KAKAO in cups or a pitcher to easily pour into cups.

If there is a stovetop to keep the KAKAO hot, you can prepare the KAKAO beforehand and heat it on the stove before people arrive!

If there is no stovetop, you can either purchase a portable electric stove OR simply use hot-water kettles very shortly before people arrive.

Pro tip: weigh the KAKAO before arriving at the venue.

Directions:

Weight and measure the KAKAO (40g x the number of people attending)

Measure the water (7oz x the number of people attending)

Add the weighed KAKAO to your large stockpot

Add the appropriate amount of hot water (another way to do this is to pour the hot water into the large stockpot one cup (7oz) at a time)

Thoroughly mix with the immersion blender

Ladle blended KAKAO into cups for attendees

Enjoy!

PS. We go over this in detail in our Facilitator Training Course, which you can apply to below:

https://form.123formbuilder.com/6260670/facilitator-embodiment-application?ref=TEST7

Creating a sacred space before people arrive is an essential part of holding cacao ceremonies.

This may include:

Cleansing the space with Sage and/or Palo Santo; diffusing essential oils, cleaning/clearing space, setting up comfy seats, laying out crystals, oracle cards, candles, music, and whatever else you are guided to.

You can also ask people to bring yoga mats and/or cushions if you don't have enough seating space. We love holding cacao ceremonies on the floor, in a circle, while keeping in mind that some people may have trouble sitting on the floor for that long (so may need to lay down).

Decide how you want people to enter the space:

Do you want people to wait outside the room & enter when the ceremony is ready to commence; gather in the space beforehand (I'd recommend having a chime to ring when it’s time!)? Or do you want people to enter the space when they arrive, receive their KAKAO & sit quietly while waiting for the ceremony opening?

We like to have people sit quietly with their KAKAO in the space they choose to sit; you can tell them to drink their KAKAO while hot, or you can have them wait until opening blessing is complete. Ask the spirit of cacao to guide you on this.

This comes from the heart! Personal invites are best. Share that you are creating a sacred space for connection to self, each other, and your community.  If you are hosting this ceremony with a specific intention in mind, share about it! You may feel called to share why you are desiring to create this space in your community &/or why you feel called to invite him/her.

Cacao ceremonies can be one-on-one, say with you and your close friend, or they can be for a group. There is no right or wrong, so follow your guidance and always have the intention to open your heart and connect from that place.

At the beginning of ceremony:

Let everyone know that KAKAO is a plant medicine; ask them to invite the Spirit of Cacao into their heart. It is in reverence to the medicine & to Gaia for gifting it to us.  You can speak about KAKAO & cacao (the plant) - I recommend reading some of the info on our website & sharing the information that speaks to you  - don’t worry about sharing all of it!

Invite people to set their intentions/sip their KAKAO when they receive it as it takes 30-40 minutes to fully activate in the system.

You may want to share some of your own personal experiences with KAKAO, your connection to the medicine is what is gathering people in ceremony.

Share an opening blessing from your heart!

Create space for a period of meditation. You may choose to guide it yourself, listen to a guided meditation, or have a period of silence with music. This can last however long you feel appropriate.

You may choose to open the space & ask people to share their intentions, or you may have a guided question.

Anything else you would like to add into your sacred space: music, toning, breath work, sacred sounds, journaling, intentional sharing, affirmations, etc.

End with a closing blessing from your heart.

This heart medicine is calling us all forth to share her in a bigger way.

The world is so, so ready for her assistance in opening our hearts across the globe and dropping into daily ceremony.

We have had so many people ask us recently for our ‘blessing’ to lead their own ceremonies and conscious events utilizing KAKAO.

Yes yes yes.

You have our blessing and support. We couldn’t be more honored to be a part of this movement. And yet we are only ONE small part.

Ceremonial Cacao is simply a connector, meaning the opportunities are endless. Add KAKAO into the gatherings that you create and lead in your community. Whether it’s conscious comedy, couples' retreats, sound healing, yoga and breathwork classes, moon circles, support groups, and sooo much more, KAKAO has the power to supercharge the connection, heart-opening and intention for all of your offerings. .

Our top 5 tips for sharing KAKAO with your friends, family and community:

1. Let the spirit of cacao guide you.

2. Your higher guidance and personal intuition is more powerful than anything Michael and I could ever give you.

3. Remember the sacredness of this plant medicine.

4. Always set intentions and invite those you are sharing with to do the same (whether verbally or inwardly).

5. Be open to miracles!