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We hear you — and I appreciate where you’re coming from. It’s true that cacao can seem expensive compared to what’s commonly sold, but nothing in life is truly “cheap.” Everything has a cost, and when we seek out cheap products, that cost is usually carried by the farmer, or by the land itself. It’s also worth mentioning that cacao powder and cacao paste are two very different things. Powder is made by extracting the cacao butter — the healthy fats that make up around 50% of the bean — often sold off to the cosmetics industry because it commands a higher price. What’s left is essentially a by-product, which still has value but not the full nutritional profile or energetic integrity of the whole food. With our cacao, we work directly with the farmers, we know their lands, and we see the time and care that goes into cultivating one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. It’s this very process — the proof of work behind each block — that we honour. And just like Bitcoin, it’s a free market: everyone is free to decide what they value most. Grateful for the conversation and for the chance to share a bit more of what goes on behind the scenes.

Thanks for the info. The powder is a pretty tasty byproduct, so now I'm curious to try the paste. Is the paste made entirely of mashed cacao beans?

100% pod to block! Nothing added, nothing taken away! Retaining all the potency of the cacao, revered by Mesoamerica as The Food of The Gods. The process is very scientific and requires a real master to ensure the fermentation of the cacao is done correctly. This is where 80% of the chocolatey flavours of cacao comes from. The cacao should not exceed 49 degrees celsius during this process and can take up to 7 days to complete, requiring daily turning to ensure an even fermentation. Once fermented, the cacao is dried in the sun to take out any humidity from the bean. This also requires regularly turning. Once dried it is moved to the sorting station where the beans are selected for quality and organised into sizes. Size matters because when they are roasted it is is important they receive an even roast, if one bean is smaller than the others, this bean will burn in the roasting process and thus add a burnt flavour to the cacao you receive as paste (we like to call the finished product a Block - for obvious reasons!). Once roasted the beans need peeling to remove the shell. This is either done by hand or by running them through a special machine that cracks open the shell and then blows with air the lightest particles away from the nibs. We are working with small holders, the work is undertaken by two people at each farm, this is an incredible amount of work and care that is required to bring high quality cacao to the table. One error in any of the processes and the whole batch can be left tasting very bitter or burnt. But this is the glory of artisanal produce, the love and care is always present! This isn’t mass produced, this is batch produced. It is our dream to invite everyone who receives our cacao to come and visit us and to get to know your cacao more deeply, to take verify: don’t trust to the next level! Once you connect with the full circle of creation of this magical food, life does not remain the same! We shall be launching out into the US hopefully early next week once the packaging solution is delivered. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for further info. Have a magical day!

I wish them the best of luck. Perhaps there are a lot of rich folks out there who are willing to pay 51.8K sats per pound of cacao. I am curious to taste the difference, but I live on a budget and those kind of luxuries don't fit into it. I'll stick with my 5.5K/lb cacao and leave the extra 46.3K in the bank. If I am ever so wealthy I don't need to be on a tight budget, I'd be happy to give my money to these artisan creators, at least once, so I can make an educated decision on whether I want to do it again. ❤️ nostr:nevent1qqsrpf7avxm0vjy86lsznrkuwjp5ns472drwtkpjucq0nvh2vpe2x8gpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0wd68ytnsw43z7q3q6v82nr4xt62nlydtj0mtxr49r6enc5r0sl2f7cq2zwdw7q92j5gsxpqqqqqqzgsak4m