Our cacao pods are harvested once mature and yellow to reddish-brown in color. Each pod is split open to reveal dozens of little beans that are coated in thick white, sweet pulp. After exposing the beans and their pulp, the cacao beans start to germinate and are quickly sent to be fermented. The beans are placed in fermentation boxes, where microorganisms react with the sweet pulp, initiating the fermentation and heating up the beans. Over the next five days, a series of reactions occur, causing the pulp to break down, heat up and ultimately kill the bean. This process breaks down the bean's cell wall and results in chemical changes that are responsible for the flavor and color. Most companies will roast the beans which destroy a lot of natural flavor and nutrients the plant took so long to develop. We believe these flavors and nutrients are important and something to be enjoyed, so instead of roasting, we remove the shell and gently crush the bean into nibs.
Source
The La Costa Region in Ecuador sweeps from the Pacific Ocean in the west, to the base of the towering Andes Mountains in the East. The region is a composition of ample plains, hills, several types of forests and crystal clear rivers.
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