Ceremonial Cacao Pack Sizes: Home, Circles and Cafés
If you're buying cacao for the first time, the pack sizes can be a bit confusing. A small pouch looks plenty until you start making regular cups. A large block looks like a bargain until you realise you only want cacao every second weekend.
There is no need to buy the biggest size because it sounds more serious. Start with how often you'll make it. Our Ceremonial Cacao collection brings the main origins together so you can compare the current formats.
Trying cacao for the first time
A smaller pack is a good way to get to know an origin without making a big commitment. It gives you room to work out whether you prefer a rich, straightforward cup, something gentler or cacao with an addition such as cardamom.
Think about the drink you will actually prepare. Will you make a cup at home, try it with a friend or bring it to a small gathering? You can begin with one origin rather than ordering every option on the shelf.
Buying for regular home use
If cacao has become part of your normal week, a larger block or pouch may make more sense. You will use it more steadily and don't need to place small orders as often. Follow the storage information on the pack, keep the cacao away from excess heat and moisture, and use clean equipment when portioning it.
Venezuelan, Ecuadorian, Guatemalan and Indian cacao are not interchangeable labels. They come from different people and places. For the story behind our three Guatemalan origins, read Entre Nubes, Caoba and Cahabón. For another angle, we have a Venezuela and Ecuador comparison.
Buying for a circle
Once other people are involved, working backwards from the group size is far more useful than guessing from the size of the bag. Count your confirmed guests and decide what serving options you will offer.
Our separate guide, How Much Cacao Do You Need for a Group?, goes through that calculation and the practical preparation considerations. If you are starting to facilitate professionally, check our Cacao Practitioner Kits too.
Buying for a café or hospitality business
A café needs consistency. It needs a recipe, a cost per portion and reliable availability. That is different from buying a block for occasional personal use.
Rather than choosing a kilo quantity solely because it looks cheaper per gram, work out how many cups you expect to sell, the recipe you can repeat and how you will store and rotate stock. We explain the wider setup in Adding Ceremonial Cacao to a Café Menu.
You can ask about trade quantities on our Café Supply page. A sensible order is one that suits the actual business, not the one that looks most impressive on paper.
