Karkar Island Ceremonial Cacao
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Temporarily out of stock. ETA: Tuesday 4 August
On a remote, tropical, volcanic island off the coast of Papua New Guinea grows some of the most highly prized cacao in the world. The rich lava soil provides fertile ground for this highly potent cacao to grow with ease.
Our Karkar Island Cacao has won multiple awards, including winning a Silver Medal at the 2018 Australian Fine Food Awards in its chocolate form, and it also won Silver at Papua New Guinea’s highly competitive inaugural Cocoa Show - Cocow Warwagira, out of more than 80 cocoa samples from across the country.
CACAO CONTAINS CAFFEINE
Soma Cacao contains between 17 - 45mg caffeine per standard 25g serve (the equivalent of a cup of weak black tea). For more info, visit this page.
The Mayans called cacao “the food of the gods”. Along with its rich history of ritualistic and medicinal use, cacao’s crown jewel is theobromine: a gentle, long lasting stimulant that energises us like caffeine, without punishing us with brain-fog and jittery hands later in the day. It’s also rich in essential minerals and produces mood-boosting bioactive compounds - dopamine, serotonin, anandamide (the 'bliss molecule') and P.E.A, an antidepressant also known as the 'love drug'.
For more health benefits including scientific sources, visit our cacao benefits page.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2-3 Tbs Soma Cacao
- 110 mL hot water
- 50 mL milk (we like oat milk)
- 1-2 tsps sweetener (honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup work great)
METHOD:
Blend all ingredients together using a blender, milk-frother, or whisk. Inhale, sip slowly, and savour!
Cacao powder (or cocoa powder) has undergone intensive processing to extract cacao butter from the paste. This leaves the cacao chalkier and more insipid, and also reduces the fat content, which is vital for the transmission of the neuro-active substances. Studies have proven the widely used method to produce cocoa powder (dutch-processing) significantly decreases the levels of compounds with positive physiological effects.
Our cacao contains the entire cacao bean (excluding the husk/shell). We add nothing, we take nothing away, maintaining the highest concentration of antioxidants, essential minerals, and bliss-inducing compounds.
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.
Ceremonial Cacao refers to a premium, pure cacao that is ethically sourced from small family-run sustainable farms.
Ceremonial cacao is made from a single ingredient, whole cacao beans, with nothing added or removed. This is what distinguishes is from cacao powder: a product that has the highly prized cacao butter removed.
Our cacao is minimally processed to retain the highest concentration of antioxidants, bliss-inducing compounds and essential minerals.
Our sourcing methods disrupt the commodity cacao supply chain, which notoriously cuts corners and is notoriously corrupt.
We offer 30-day returns and exchanges on unopened items — you’ll cover return postage for change of mind, and we’ll cover it if we made a mistake. Full details here: Returns & Exchanges Policy
Our cacao contains just one ingredient: 100% pure cacao paste. Nothing added, nothing removed.
For a breakdown of macronutrients visit our nutritional info page.
Peruvian and Solomon Islands Origins: Processed in facilities certified free from nuts, gluten, soy and dairy.
All Other Origins: While cacao is naturally free of common allergens, these products may contain traces of nuts, gluten, soy and dairy as they are processed in facilities that also handle these allergens.
You can find our shipping policy here.
PREMIUM CACAO: SEASONAL BY NATURE
Nothing in nature is standardised, and no batch of cacao is the same.
Like vintage wine or local honey, our cacao changes slightly from batch to batch shaped by season, farm & terroir, fermentation, and roasting profiles. These variations are the hallmark of premium, small-batch cacao.
Read more about why no two cups of Soma Cacao is the same here.
*There's a small chance your cacao may melt and resolidify during transit. Rest assured, it's still perfectly fine—just let it fully solidify at room temperature and chop it up. Many brands sell cacao this way - in a block - we simply shave it for a little added convenience.
Customers praised this ceremonial cacao for its smooth, creamy texture and rich chocolate flavor. Many described it as "delicious" and a daily ritual they look forward to. Shoppers noted calming effects and energy benefits, calling it the "best cacao" they've tried. A few preferred stronger-tasting varieties. Most appreciate the ethical sourcing and quality.
The Karkar Cacao was a great taste it’s smooth. I find this Cacao enables a calming effect.
Love all the varieties of somao cacao, I use it in the morning as a coffee alternative and in the evening as a sleep tonic. Love, love, love.
Karkar Island is my favourite cacao from the Soma range. I have it daily as a delicious drink (pro-tip...prepare it according to Rose & Alistair's recipe). However, you'll also find me in the pantry digging straight into the choclatey goodness with a spoon, just shovelling it straight into my mouth....nothing wrong with that 😂
And another added bonus is that any purchase from Soma is helping and nurturing our environment and many global indigenous communities...how fabulous is that! Soma has been created with so much love and Rose & Alistair are really good, kind and genuine humans. All of the Cacao they source is delicious, but Karkar Island is my number one! 🙌🏾🤎🙌🏾
The Soma Karkar Island is the very FIRST Ceremonial Cacao I have ever tried and could immediately taste the quality behind this Cocoa but it’s pretty darn rich and in my opinion, it’s equivalent to a strong Ghana Dark Chocolate! So, then I took my luck on purchasing the Peruvian..and well, now this one tastes like the perfect flavour Palatte for making Milk Chocolate Fudge or Chocolate Fudge Brownies or a creamy Milk Chocolate Cacao. I am yet to try the Mexican but for now, I would have to say Peruvian is my Favourite!
My 35yr old daughter absolutely loves this & describes it as smooth & yummy without the disturbing effects of caffeine.
So I bought here 2 packets for Christmas :)
A cup everyday makes the world a better place ✨️
Absolutely afire thos cacao. Beautuful tadte, so rekaxing drinking it.
Absolutely delicious. Just the right texture, taste, depth, and boost of energy. My everyday go-to and my favourite from your range currently. Thank you! ☕️ 🤍
Delicious!
This is absolutely 10 out of 10. I have tried a few different brands of Cacao and Soma Cacao is absolutely the BEST. Love my Karkar Island Ceremonial Cacao and its good to know I'm having the best there is ...
Yummy 😋
I look forward to my Cacao every day!
This cocao is outstanding. Tastes delicious. Gives you such a boost, smooth in texture. Ilook forward to my cup of cacoa everyday. I even make iced cocoa for the hot weather
Delicious, one of our go to origins
Delightful! I only add some honey to a small tea cup of cacao. Love it!
Super smooth with great flavour
Super yummy Cacao!
Very near perfect!
This cacao is like a daily cup of love.
A moment of intention and bliss.
I always look forward to my daily cacao 💙
I have tried a few of the wonderful cacao from Soma Soma, and other brands too, but keep going back to Kar Kar as my absolute favourite. I can't wait for my creamy cacao every morning. Hands down, the best cacao I've ever tasted.
The Karkar cacao is delicious and doesn't give me the caffiene jitters that some other cacao powders have given me in the past. I also love the fact that it's a paste, rather than a powder. I won't be going back to powder!
Always a fave! smooth delicious cacao for anyone to love.
The absolute BEDT
I have tried a few different Cacao's ... Karkar Island Ceremonial Cacao is exceptional. Its has a rich, complex flavor profile. I can taste notes of malted barley, molasses, and caramel. It is a great product. Each sip offers a smooth, velvety experience that agrees with my taste buds. I relly look forward to my morning Cacao, which kick starts my day.
So addicted to my cacao, my go to each morning I wake up.
Fixed my low iron levels and general health.
This cacao is amazing! It is a real treat to be able to access such quality cacao.
I wake up thinking about when I'm going to bless myself with my cup of cacao from Karkar Island.
With Australian raw unfiltered honey and a pinch of Murray River salt, it is a delight second to none.
Rich and soothing to my soul, I am well and truly in love. Thankyou Rose and Alistair 🙌✨️
I really loved my first try of Karkar Island Ceremonial Cacao,the flavour was rich & creamy, which I loved, I look forward to my daily cup, will definately order from you again, & try a different flavour this time, many Thanks :)
I am a regular purchaser of Soma Cacao, and love it even more after reading multiple studies about the brilliant health benefits of pure Cacao.
Thank you as always Soma, for a gorgeous product and wonderful service.
Best wishes from Dianne
Exceptional quality and service. There is no better part of the day than when I'm sipping a cup of Soma cacao. Karkar Is cacao has a beautiful flavour and it's very soothing. It's very easy to prepare and stores well. It's everything the pretend chocolate drinks aren't.