Preparing The Perfect Cup
This is a basic method for preparing your ritual cacao. A delicious, creamy, frothy cup.
We will be sharing more ideas and methods soon x
Why Cacao?
Cacao is much more than a comforting drink—it’s a centuries-old heart medicine. Rich in theobromine and antioxidants, it brings joy, clarity, and presence. Unlike coffee, it energises gently, while also calming the mind and opening space for reflection: “How am I feeling? What do I need? What do I desire?”
Why a Ritual Cacao Experience?
A cacao ritual offers more than just a warm cup—it’s an intentional pause in the flow of daily life. It provides:
Pause & Grounding – Space to slow down, reflect, and savour the moment.
Community & Connection – Sharing cacao invites openness and meaningful conversation.
Memorable Wellness – Turns a simple act of drinking into a holistic, embodied experience that nourishes both body and spirit.
Dear Cacao Community,
Over the past few months, we’ve received questions about what “ceremonial cacao” or “ceremonial grade cacao” really means. There’s clearly a lot of conversation in the cacao world around this, so we’d love to share our own perspective from Cacao De Mer.
Why We Don’t Say “Ceremonial Cacao”
We know that the phrase ceremonial grade cacao has become widely used in the West, but as others have pointed out, this concept doesn’t originate in Indigenous communities. The term is believed to have first been coined by Keith Wilson in the late 1990s, and while many people now use it as a shorthand for high-quality, energetically resonant cacao, it’s not a word with roots in the Asháninka or other Indigenous cultures who have stewarded cacao for millennia.
Because of this, and out of deep respect for Indigenous traditions, we at Cacao De Mer do not feel comfortable using the word “ceremonial.” To do so would risk blurring lines between our work and the sacred practices of communities whose cosmologies and lineages are not ours to claim or replicate.
Why We Call Our Offering “Ritual Cacao”
Instead, we describe what we share as Ritual Cacao. For us, the word ritual is universal. Every culture, every family, and every individual creates rituals—small or large—that help us pause, connect, and bring intention into daily life. Ritual can be as simple as lighting a candle, taking a breath, or sharing a warm drink with loved ones.
By choosing the language of ritual, we create space for cacao to be an ally in your own moments of reflection and connection—without suggesting that we are replicating Indigenous ceremonies. Ritual Cacao is a way of honouring cacao as a sacred plant, while inviting each person to build their own relationship with it authentically and respectfully.
Our Values at Cacao De Mer
We respect the cultural origins of cacao and do not claim ceremonial traditions that are not ours.
We believe cacao carries a unique energetic quality that each individual can feel for themselves.
We focus on transparency, reciprocity, and sourcing that supports families and ecosystems at origin.
We see cacao as part of a living, global ecosystem—each source carrying its own values, histories, and ways of being.
In Essence
For us, Ritual Cacao is about bringing intention to the everyday. It’s not about appropriation, hierarchy, or rigid standards—it’s about respect, relationship, and the timeless human act of creating rituals that connect us more deeply with ourselves, with others, and with the natural world.
With love and gratitude,
The Cacao De Mer Team