From Bean to Cup of Cacao
How sun-ripened cacao fruits become high-quality ceremonial cacao - handpicked, directly imported, and gently refined by hand.
Our Manufacturing Partner
We're delighted that we've been working with LoyalFood from Bad Honnef for several years now, and that we have a partner by our side who understands and loves their craft. LoyalFood processes the cacao beans of our AURA, FLOW & ROOTS Cacao into fine cacao mass. In doing so, LoyalFood draws on 30 years of experience in cacao manufacturing, and you can taste that in the quality and purity as well as in the fine aromas of our cacaos. LoyalFood is, of course, also certified organic and works to IFS standards.
By the way, the HEART & BODY varieties are processed directly in Peru at Norandino and then refined by LoyalFood.
Harvest & Fermentation
We source our rare cacaos directly from small farmers. The ripe cacao fruits are harvested by hand, opened, and the beans, along with their pulp, are removed. Fermentation follows over three to ten days – this is where the first aromas develop. Afterward, the beans are dried in the sun and gently roasted, before the shell is removed and the aromatic core remains.
Conching & Refining
The cores are then broken into cacao nibs, ground, and slowly conched for 32 hours in a stone mill. The friction heat melts the cacao nibs, gradually creating liquid cacao mass – left entirely natural, as nothing is added and nothing is taken away. After cooling, it's finally broken into pieces of about 1 cm and filled into our lovely pouches.
Even though our cacao can't be called raw cacao in the strict 42-degree sense, its especially gentle processing keeps it exceptionally natural and rich in its original plant compounds, aromas, and effects. You'll find more information on the nutrients in our cacaos here.
By the way, our spices are also blended and filled by LoyalFood using the same manufacturing process.
For us, quality doesn't just mean wonderful cacao or an especially fine spice blend, but also origin, transparency, care, and a mindful way of working with the plants that give us so much.
Our Promise
Quality begins with the selection of our original cacao varieties and our partners, with whom we work closely. Just as important is gentle processing using traditional manufacturing methods - from fermentation, through careful roasting, to conching into fine cacao mass.
Our cacao remains as natural as possible throughout, and is afterward simply broken into pieces of about 1 cm. This way, the valuable plant compounds, the original character, and the full flavor of our cacao are preserved as well as possible.
