What ceremonial cacao means to us

Our transparent creation & opinion

Ceremonial-grade cacao is a term used to describe cacao that is intentionally grown and worked from the bean of cacao. It is not a regulated term, but within our vision & the global cacao community, honoring ancestral traditions, it has a meaningful definition. Here’s what distinguishes ceremonial-grade cacao from chocolate, couverture, cacao pastes, or cacao liquors:

1. Sourcing and Farming

  • Native Cacao Varieties: These ancestral cacao varieties come from seeds from the region of South America. To nowadays, 25 genotypes of cacao have been identified, and research continues to identify more. Peru is the country where 17 of these varieties grow.

  • Agroforestry and Regenerative Methods: Grown in biodiverse systems that respect the land and local ecosystems.

  • Fair & Direct Trade: Working directly with cacao farmers, often with deep relationships and shared values.

2. Minimal Processing

  • Low-Temperature Roasting: Often sun-dried, slightly fermented, and roasted at 90c or less to preserve medicinal compounds, as flavonoids and natural attributes the cacao bean offers in flavour & aroma.

  • No Additives: No sugar, dairy, or emulsifiers. Pure cacao, just molded into blocks, made from the identified selected cacao beans.

3. Cultural Integrity & Energetic Transmission

  • Shared with Intention: The process of making cacao is often done mindfully. Some of our farming partners offer prayers or blessings during the cacao harvest season as part of their practices. At Kaukawa Cacao, once a full batch of cacao is ready, such as a 200 kg production, we hold a ceremonial blessing inspired by the  teachings of the Q'ero Nation priests, honoring the sacred journey of the cacao.

  • Ancestral Lineages: Often sourced from or guided by indigenous communities who have long-standing traditions of working with cacao as a sacred plant medicine. Blessed by a priest or person who is immersed in wisdom.

Kaukawa ceremonial-grade cacao

We call our cacao ceremonial because of the following guideline:

  1. 'Chuncho' cacao bean: 

    We work with the native Chuncho cacao variety from Cusco, one of the oldest known cacao types in the world. Grown in nutrient-rich soil free from heavy metals, some Chuncho trees are over 150 years old and still thriving. Renowned for its exceptional flavor and aroma, Chuncho cacao offers delicate floral and fruity notes. The beans are small and round, while the pods vary in shape, reflecting the diversity within this ancient variety. Chuncho cacao includes several unique cultivars, such as Chuncho Señorita, Chuncho Achoccha, and Chuncho Pamuco. It also grows at the highest altitudes and contains the highest natural cacao butter content of any cacao variety in the world.

  2. Quality: The cacao beans come from organic and agroforestal farms, and they are carefully selected as 'chuncho' beans.
  3. Fermentation:  fermentation practices are done in three to four days, to preserve the nutrients of the cacao bean, due that the 'chuncho' is delicate.
  4. Low roasting: We roast our beans at 90 Celsius or less for thirty minutes.
  5. Energetic transmission: once we receive one cacao production, we offer a blessing prayer, a ritual taught and shared until nowadays by the priest from the Q'ero Nation in Cusco, Peru. Made by a 'paco' or Fiorella, as she has been initiated in this lineage.