Our cacao products are directly sourced from certified organic cultivation in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon. The single origin raw cacao beans are grown at a renowned fine cacao finca in San Martín. This cooperative of small farmers strongly supports regional development and local environmental protection. With their 25 years of experience, they are considered pioneers in sustainable cacao cultivation in Peru. Both cultivation and working conditions are fair, and natural resources are used sparingly and conscientiously. Larger plantations often do not adhere to such standards, and instead may employ pesticides, unsustainable land practices, and unfair working conditions for the local population.
Many cacao products as well as the majority of cacao raw products for mass chocolate production are exclusively made from the lucrative trinitario cacao variety due to its ease of cultivation. The more exclusive and significantly more expensive criollo variety is predominantly used for premium products because it has a more mild flavour with nut and fruit aromas. Our premium organic cacao nibs are a perfect combination of both, and achieve a balance between the potent flavour of trinitario and the mildness of criollo. Our nibs do not contain any sugar, sweetener, or milk products, and as such offer a crispy delight made from 100% pure cacao.
During the harvest period, exclusively ripe cacao is carefully picked by hand. The cacao fruit is then cut open so that the seeds can be removed, and then dried and fermented in the sun. This stage of production is very important because the optimal temperature and air flow contribute significantly to the development of aroma. Gently roasting at temperatures below 45°C disrupts the fermentation process while maintaining the raw quality of the cacao seeds, also referred to as cacao beans. Large-scale production often does not allow enough time for this stage, and instead the seeds are roasted at higher temperatures more quickly and at the expense of valuable nutrients.
For our cacao nibs, the cacao seeds are peeled and coarsely chopped mechanically. Conventional production frequently also includes alkalisation with alkaline salts such as potassium or sodium carbonate to reduce the naturally sour and bitter taste of the cacao. We do not alkalise our cacao nibs because we wish to preserve the full natural aroma of the cacao.
