Know exactly what's in your cup
✓ Certified organic ✓ Single origin, Peru ✓ 5 star food hygiene rating
We think you should know exactly what's in your cup and where it comes from.
Here's how we source, check and pack our cacao.
What makes our cacao ceremonial
There's no legal definition of ceremonial cacao, so here's what it means to us:
- Whole bean. Our cacao is made from whole cacao beans ground into a paste, not pressed to separate the butter from the powder. Nothing is taken out, so you get the full richness of the bean.
- Single origin. Every batch comes from Peru. Our ceremonial Criollo cacao is harvested in Satipo, a region in central Peru within the province of Junín. The producers of our organic Criollo cacao are the Asháninka people of the Ene River.
- Minimally processed. The paste is set into blocks, which we break and hand-grind in Brighton.
- Nothing added. 100% cacao, with no sugar, fillers or additives.
Certified organic
Certified organic by the Organic Food Federation (GB-ORG-04). Licensed as an organic importer, processor, trader and storage operator, our serial number is 02369/26, and you can check our current status on the OFF website.
To keep that certification, we're inspected and audited. Organic cacao is stored and prepared in a dedicated organic-only area, every batch is labelled and recorded, and our process can be traced from delivery to dispatch.
What makes Cacao Co stand out?
Certified organic by the Organic Food Federation
No pesticides, GMO ingredients or preservatives
Grown in Peru by cooperative farmers
Made in small batches and hand-ground in Brighton
Fermented after harvest and gently roasted at a low temperature, with nothing added
Shipped within two days of ordering
Independent lab testing
Every year we send our cacao to an independent UK laboratory and share the results. Our annual tests cover cadmium, magnesium, caffeine and polyphenols.
Cadmium occurs naturally in the soils of many cacao growing regions, including parts of Peru, and it can be taken up by the cacao tree. Our most recent cadmium result is 0.670 mg/kg (2026).
Our most recent tests (PiQ Laboratories, 2025):
- Magnesium: 366 mg per 100g
- Caffeine: [197] mg per 100g
- Total polyphenols: 34.9 g per kg, expressed as gallic acid equivalents
Results apply to the sample tested. If you’d like a copy of any certificate, email connect@cacaoco.co.uk.
Food safety & processing
Our Brighton processing area holds a 5 star (Very Good) food hygiene rating from Brighton & Hove City Council, the highest rating available. You can see our rating on the Food Standards Agency website.
Grown in Peru by our cooperative farmers and certified organic. We’re a small business, and we’ll keep you updated on how we source it.