ABOUT CACAO.
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There is only one ingredient in our cacao: cacao.
It is 100% pure whole-bean cacao paste, which is solid at room temperature. We add nothing, we take nothing away.
We’ve shaved up our solidified cacao paste so that you can easily scoop out your preferred dose to prepare your morning cup (or evening nightcap!), or alternatively to sprinkle on cereal, use in smoothies, or make delicious vegan treats. See our recipes for inspiration!
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Cacao powder is to cacao what instant coffee is to an espresso - a poor imitation.
Cacao paste contains the whole bean: both the cacao solids and the naturally occurring cacao butter, ground into a smooth, aromatic paste. Nothing added, nothing removed.
Cacao powder is what you get after pressing most of that highly prized cacao butter out. This makes it cheaper to produce, store and transport, but also removes many of the compounds carried by the fat: fat-soluble antioxidants, flavanols, healthy fats like oleic and stearic acid, and the natural “delivery system” that helps your body absorb theobromine and other bioactive compounds.
Most commercial cocoa powders (especially Dutch-processed/alkalised ones) also lose a significant amount of antioxidants during processing - in some studies, up to 60–90%.
So while powder has its place (great for baking and smoothies!) cacao paste is the closest you’ll get to the full chemistry, flavour and richness of the cacao fruit itself.
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The use of the word “cacao” vs “cocoa” is inconsistent. The general rule of thumb is that “cacao” should be used when referring to the pods, beans and ground contents of the beans (i.e. the cacao nibs or whole bean cacao paste), and “cocoa” for the powder left after pressing the fat out of the ground beans. Increasingly “cacao” is also used to describe powder that has been processed raw or at a very low temperature. Raw cacao is a healthy supplement, but it does not contain the same psychoactive compounds as whole bean cacao paste, nor does it have the same decadent flavour or texture. Don’t take it from us though! You’ll be able to taste, and feel the difference for yourself.
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As an energy source cacao feels more gentle, long-lasting and smooth, while coffee is intense, fast-acting and short-lived. This is because caffeine is a nervous system stimulant, and it produces cortisol, the stress hormone, which can lead to the jitters and anxiety. By contrast, cacao's active ingredient, theobromine, reduces cortisol. This helps us to relax. Cacao also stimulates the cardiovascular system, and opens our blood vessels. This helps blood flow more freely, sends more oxygen through the body, and lowers our blood pressure. We’ve elaborated on this in a recent blog post..
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Soma Cacao contains a modest amount of caffeine compared to coffee. Depending on the origin, a serving of Soma Cacao's ceremonial cacao has between 17 mg and 47.5 mg of caffeine—significantly less than the 120–180 mg typically found in a classic flat white, slightly less than the 60-80 mg found in matcha, and about the same as a cup of green tea.
This lower caffeine content, combined with higher theobromine levels, offers a smoother, more sustained energy boost. Read more. -
Our Daintree and Peruvian cacaos are made from certified organic cacao beans, so if the certification is important for you, these are your best bet.
Our Solomon Islands origin was certified organic until recently, but the farmers chose not to renew due to the growing cost and complexity of the certification process.Our Mexican and Karkar Island cacao are also grown without synthetic pesticides and use traditional, sustainable methods - they simply don’t carry formal certification. In many cacao-growing regions, organic certification is extremely bureaucratic, involves large amounts of paperwork, and comes with ongoing fees that smallholder farmers are often expected to shoulder themselves.
This is where the organic system becomes ethically complicated. Certification can create a kind of economic gatekeeping, where only farms with enough money and administrative support can access the label — even if uncertified farms are producing cacao that is equally pure, sustainable, and environmentally respectful. Some agricultural researchers and NGOs have raised concerns that global certification schemes unintentionally reinforce inequality and exclude smaller, rural producers who can’t afford the process.
What matters most to us is how the cacao is actually grown. We work directly with our farmers, visit the farms where possible, and ensure that every batch meets our standards for purity, sustainability, and traditional processing, regardless of whether a third-party label is attached.
So while not every origin carries formal certification, all of them align with the ethos people seek in organic products: clean growing practices, environmental respect, and ethical treatment of farmers.
If the certification is important for you - choose our Daintree or Peruvian. -
Please rest assured that all of our cacao is heavy metal safe in accordance with EU, Australian, and US regulations. You can find our latest test results in our recent article: Heavy Metals, Chocolate & Cacao: Weighing in on the Media Frenzy.
It’s important to note that no food can be completely “heavy metal free” due to their natural occurrence in the environment.
Claims promising 100% heavy metal–free cacao are therefore misleading.
Instead, we focus on strict sourcing and rigorous testing protocols to ensure our product not only meets but exceeds safety standards. This way, you can enjoy the benefits and rich taste of our cacao with complete peace of mind. -
1. Measure 25-30 grams (2 tablespoons) for a creative boost, or 45 grams (3 tablespoons) for a ceremonial dose.
2. Place in a heat-proof blender with:
- 100 ml hot water (not boiling);
- 50 ml milk (we like oat milk the best)
- sweetener to taste (we use 1-2 teaspoons of coconut sugar or honey)
- optional extras (we like adding cinnamon and sea salt. You can also try ginger, cardamom, vanilla or cayenne pepper).
3. Blend and pour into your favourite mug. Aaaaand enjoy!
NOTE: If you don’t have a heat-proof blender, a hand-held blender (or bar-mix) works very well too.
If you have access to neither, you can simply place the cacao in a mug, add a little hot water, and stir through to melt the cacao into a paste. Gradually add more water and the other ingredients, stirring continuously.
For more information on preparing your cacao, visit our preparation page. -
Because nothing in nature is standardised, and that’s a good thing.
Just like local honey or fine wine, each batch of real cacao has its own personality. Season to season, place to place, ferment to ferment, and roast to roast, cacao evolves.
Cacao grown in the rainy season is often fruitier and more acidic, while dry-season cacao tends to offer deeper chocolate and nutty notes. Even cacao grown on one side of a farm can taste different to cacao grown on the other, due to soil nutrients, shade, temperature, rainfall, and what other trees are nearby.
Then there's fermentation - a symphony of heat, microbes, and wooden boxes - followed by roasting, which either retains fruity and acidic notes or deepens butter and caramel tones. Time in storage rounds out the flavour again, just like wine.
We do our best to keep these fluctuations to a minimum by partnering with outstanding farmers and Australia’s best chocolate makers. But you’ll always taste some variation - that’s how you know it’s the real deal.
And if you've been enjoying another origin for a little while, it may take a few cups to readapt back to your favourite. It's a little like reacquainting yourself with an old friend.Real cacao changes with the season. That’s one way you know it’s premium.
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The primary uses of cacao include:
- for daily drinking as a jitter-free, mood-enhancing, anxiety-reducing, nutrient-rich alternative to coffee;
- for a creative boost to accompany dance, yoga, art, music or writing; and
- as a tool for self-exploration.
Cacao can also be used in baking, smoothies, or making delicious raw treats.
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Unlike other plant medicines (peyote, psilocybin mushrooms, ayahuasca, etc) cacao has no hallucinogenic effects. A daily dose of cacao will provide mild stimulation similar to a cup of coffee, but more soothing and with none of the anxiety or agitation associated with coffee. Many of our customers report experiencing a profound sense of calmness as its primary effect.
As you increase your intake the psychological effects may increase. For some this will bring a sense of tenderness or vulnerability, for others joy or euphoria. It will vary from person to person, and from day to day. We invite you to experiment for yourself.
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You may notice a slight discolouration of your cacao, or a whitish coating. This means its the real-deal: minimally processed whole bean cacao paste. The coating is called the ‘chocolate bloom’, caused by changes in the fat crystals of cacao. Cacao that has ‘bloomed’ is still completely safe to consume. As soon as you melt down the cacao in preparation for consumption, the discolouration will disappear.
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When stored correctly, ceremonial cacao paste can last many years. However for best flavour and aroma, we recommend enjoying your cacao within 18–24 months.
How should I store it?
Store in a cool, dry place, away from heat and sunlight, and keep it airtight once opened. Refrigeration isn’t needed, and can introduce moisture.How can I tell if it’s gone off or is just aged?
Aged cacao may develop a pale or whitish coating (called cacao butter bloom). This is normal, harmless, and disappears when melted.
Cacao is likely off only if it smells sour, musty, or damp, or shows signs of moisture-related mould (rare with proper storage). -
No. Our cacao is processed in the way cacao has been prepared for millennia: fermented, sun-dried, stone-ground, and gently roasted.
Roasting is a vital part of the process. It reduces bitterness, brings out the complex flavour and aroma of the bean, improves digestibility, and supports the availability of key compounds naturally present in cacao.
There is also an important safety element. Fermentation and roasting help reduce naturally occurring microbes and moulds that can be present on raw cacao beans. This makes the cacao safer to consume, more stable over time, and easier for the body to tolerate.
Cacao is not a food that historically or practically benefits from being completely unroasted. Careful roasting transforms the bean rather than diminishing it.
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There is a very small chance your cacao will melt on its way to you, and arrive as a solid mass instead of fine shavings. Rest assured that this cacao is still perfectly okay - you just need to solidify it at room temperature (or in the fridge if it’s hot) and chop it up again. We receive our cacao in blocks, and only shave it to make your experience more convenient.
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We (Rose and Alistair) spent several years using Guatemalan and Mexican cacao that came in 500g or 1kg solid blocks. As daily cacao drinkers, and regular travellers, we found it a little frustrating to chop our cacao on the go. We would end up grating up the whole block and putting it in a sealed container so we could easily spoon out our dose each day. This is why we don’t sell it in a block. Once you place your order we chop it up for you and send it ready-to-scoop.
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Our pricing reflects the way we choose to source and work with cacao. We partner directly with small farms and co-operatives, many of whom produce exceptional, award-winning cacao in limited quantities. These growers cultivate and ferment cacao with extraordinary care, and we pay stable, premium rates that sit well above both commodity and Fair Trade prices. This protects farmers from market volatility and ensures they and their families are supported - not just covered.
We also use cacao paste, which is the whole bean: cacao solids and the naturally occurring cacao butter. Keeping the butter intact preserves the full chemistry of the cacao bean - including healthy fats (oleic and stearic acid), fat-soluble antioxidants, flavanols, and minerals like magnesium and iron. These fats also play a role in how theobromine and other bioactive compounds are absorbed.
Cacao powder is made by pressing most of this butter out. Removing the butter changes the flavour, texture, and nutritional profile significantly. Paste is simply closer to the cacao fruit itself - richer, fuller, and more complete
All of these choices - direct trade, small-batch origins, quality-first processing, and truly ethical pricing for growers, shape the final price. It’s a slower, hands-on model, but it’s what allows us to offer cacao we can wholeheartedly stand behind.
CACAO AND OUR HEALTH.
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Please visit our nutritional information page for a full breakdown of macronutrients.
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As arguably the most nutrient-dense, chemically complex food on the planet, cacao has so many health benefits we’ve created a cacao benefits page to tell you all about it. But in short - it’s a mood-lifting, heart-opening, endurance-enhancing, appetite-suppressing superfood with an impressive array of scientifically proven benefits.
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Generally, cacao is contraindicated with antidepressants, especially MAOIs and some SSRIs. It may result in a really bad headache, or worse, cause the development of serotonin syndrome which can have severe implications. Cacao paste contains tryptophan and MAO inhibitors that may cause a synergistic intensification when combined with antidepressants.
So it is definitely best to steer clear of cacao while on antidepressants.
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Generally, cacao is considered totally safe during both pregnancy and breastfeeding, however a lower dose is recommended, just in case the theobromine content (the stimulant in cacao, a compound similar to caffeine, but more gentle) causes any aggravation/irritation, or nausea (we've only heard of this happening in first trimester though). The anti-depressant characteristics of cacao, i.e. the production of dopamine, serotonin, P.E.A and anandamine (the bliss molecule) could be potentially helpful for any pre- and post- natal issues, plus give a nice little energy boost too 😊.
But, we aren 't health practitioners so as with anything it is always best to double check with someone you know and trust in the realm of health.
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Our cacao is 100% pure and contains no added allergens. However, it is processed in facilities that also handle nuts, soy, and dairy, so there may be trace amounts present. We recommend those with severe allergies consult a healthcare professional before consuming.
(SO-CALLED) "CEREMONIAL" CACAO.
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Ceremonial cacao refers to premium, pure cacao ethically sourced from small, family-run sustainable farms. It’s made from a single ingredient: whole cacao beans - with nothing added or removed. This is what sets it apart from cacao powder, which has the highly prized cacao butter extracted.
Our cacao is minimally processed to retain its full spectrum of antioxidants, bliss-inducing compounds and essential minerals. And our sourcing methods intentionally bypass the conventional commodity cacao supply chain, a system known for cutting corners and, historically, for deep corruption.
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These days, a ‘cacao ceremony’ is a broad concept that includes any activity involving cacao combined with intention-setting, personal-development, creative expression, and/or spiritual exploration. It can be formal or informal, performed alone or in group, in silence or with music, and at any time of day. Refer to our recent blog post on the debates surrounding ceremonial cacao for more information.
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The term ceremonial-grade cacao usually refers to Mesoamerican cacao paste that’s minimally processed, organically grown, and harvested in small batches using traditional methods.
In reality, there's very little consistency in how this term is used. There’s “ceremonial-grade” cacao powder (which, by definition, has had the cacao butter removed). There’s cacao marketed as ceremonial even when it’s mass-produced, exported in bulk, or grown far from its Mesoamerican roots - Bali, Trinidad, Sri Lanka, Tanzania. Confusing, to say the least.
There’s also a very real and very heated conversation about the cultural appropriation of cacao and how the term ceremonial-grade is being used, which you can read about on our blog post regarding the “ceremonial-grade” cacao conundrum.
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We choose not to use the term ceremonial-grade because there’s no consistent definition and no central body deciding what qualifies and what doesn’t. The term is all over the place, and tends to be defined by those selling cacao.
That said, our Mexican and Peruvian cacao would technically meet every item on the ceremonial-grade checklist: organic, heirloom beans, sustainably grown, traditionally processed, and produced in small batches by family farms with a long lineage of cacao culture.
Our Mexican cacao comes from Chiapas, where some of the earliest traces of theobromine have been found on ancient vessels - cacao has been part of family ritual and ceremony there for thousands of years.Our Daintree, Karkar Island and Solomon Islands cacao wouldn’t technically qualify as ceremonial-grade because they’re grown outside Central and South America. They’re also not Criollo, which is often treated as the defining genetic group for ceremonial classifications. (Although, as Steve Bergin from Conservation Cacao puts it, “classifying cacao as Criollo/Forastero/Trinitario was one of the great foundational linguistic screw-ups in the history of the New World, though rather short of Columbus calling the Arawak peoples he met Indians.”)
Linguistic tangles aside, these origins are predominantly Trinitario - a hybrid prized for its fuller, rounder, smoother flavour. Trinitario cacao has the same psychoactive qualities attributed to Criollo, often with an even higher natural concentration of theobromine.
Shipping & Delivery.
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Our team tends to fulfil orders between 1-2 business days (that's excluding weekends and public holidays).
On top of that, we need to add the time it takes for Australia Post to delivery your items. We ship from Far North Queensland.
For the most up to date shipping times, best to check with the Australia Post website directly here.
Our full shipping policy is available here. -
We currently do not offer free shipping. While many large retailers often include it as a standard perk, free shipping comes with significant costs that we, as a small business, need to manage. Your support helps us keep our business sustainable and continue offering quality products.
We've written about this more extensively here.
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At this stage we only ship to Australia and New Zealand. Our supplies are limited so we need to take care of our local customers first, but we'll be sure to let you all know if we are able to expand this at any point.
Refunds & Exchanges.
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We offer a 30-day return and exchange policy. Items must be unused, unopened, in their original packaging, and accompanied by proof of purchase. Just email hello@somacacao.com.au to get started - please don’t send anything back without contacting us first.
Our full policy is available here. -
For change-of-mind returns or exchanges, return postage is covered by you.
If we’ve made an error (e.g. sent the wrong item), we cover the return postage.
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If an item arrives damaged, defective, or incorrect, email us straight away and we’ll sort it out.
Please note: cacao melting in transit isn’t considered damage - it can happen in warm weather and is still perfectly safe to use (just wait for it to resolidify, and chop with a regular knife). Most companies around the world sell cacao in solid blocks anyway, we just chose to shave it up for your added convenience, noting it's possible (but unlikely) it could melt along the way.
We’ll assist with lost or delayed parcels, but refunds can only be issued once the carrier completes their investigation. -
Yes - we can’t accept returns for gift cards, opened or used cacao products, flavour variations (a natural part of single-origin cacao), cacao that has melted in transit, or items sent back without approval.
Once a return is approved, it must be posted within 7 days. Refunds apply to product cost only and exclude original shipping unless the issue was our error.
SHOP CACAO
Our 100% pure, award-winning ceremonial cacaos are crafted from a single ingredient—minimally processed cacao beans—finely shaved for easy preparation. Each cacao has a unique flavour profile, a little like fine wine.
