Raw Cacao Products: Choosing the Right Variety & Form

Last updated: June 2026
This guide is regularly updated with our current cacao range.

Raw cacao comes in many forms and origins, which can make choosing tricky. Paste or powder? Handy drops or a ready-to-go mix? And which bean variety suits your taste? In this guide we lay it all out clearly, so you find exactly the raw cacao product that suits you. All pure, cold-processed and ready for a heart-warming cup or a ceremony.

Why is raw cacao so special?

These products are nothing like your regular store-bought cacao. Raw cacao is cold-processed and therefore keeps its natural nutrients: generous amounts of magnesium and iron and a high antioxidant content. Raw cacao is traditionally associated with a good mood, as it supports the production of mood-lifting compounds in the brain. And preparing it is wonderfully simple: heat water or milk, add cacao, mix and enjoy. Our cacao is vegan and sourced from smallholder growers in South America.

The forms: paste, powder, drops and mix

Ready-to-go mix with spices

The Easy Instant Mix is made from Peruvian cold-pressed cacao paste and already enhanced with cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, gentle chilli and vanilla. This becomes your go-to drink for cosy nights and ceremonies when you want ease. Mix with hot milk or hot water and enjoy.

Drops: easy to dose

Don't fancy cutting blocks of cacao paste? Then raw cacao drops are a lifesaver. They're easy to dose and melt, with no added sugars or spices: pure raw cacao. Take as many drops as you need and melt them into a warm cup of cacao or use them to make healthy chocolates.

Paste: the pure ceremonial form

For ceremonies, pure cacao paste is traditionally the best choice: it still contains all the cacao fat, for a rich, creamy profile and a strong effect.

The origins: Criollo, Arriba and Beniano

Peru - Native Criollo

100% raw, unroasted and cold-pressed cacao paste from Peru, made from the fine native Criollo beans. Criollo is known for being less bitter and more fruity, and is rarer because the variety is harder to grow and needs extra care. Often the favourite for refined ceremonies.

Ecuador - Arriba Nacional

The Arriba Nacional bean from Ecuador is known for its exceptionally full flavour and fruity, floral aromas in a creamy texture. A premium cacao bean, available as paste, powder and handy drops.

Bolivia - Beniano

The wild Beniano bean from the province of Beni has grown for centuries without crossbreeding with other varieties. If you're after a sweet, nutty and fruity flavour, this is often the crowd-pleaser, as paste and in drops.

Ready to host a ceremony?

Once you've chosen your favourite cacao, you're probably curious about what it has to offer. Hosting a cacao ceremony, for yourself or with others, is a beautiful way to fully experience cacao's gentle, heart-warming effect. We explain it step by step, recipe included, in our guide to a cacao ceremony. Want to dive deeper into the world of raw cacao? Read the complete raw cacao guide.

Last updated: June 2026 | Next Level Smart