Why is To'ak Chocolate expensive and what makes it unique?
We purchase cacao directly from the cacao growers we work with in Piedra de Plata, and we pay the highest price per pound of freshly-harvested cacao in the country. As far as we know, we also pay the highest price per pound in the entire world. This is just part of our commitment to elevating dark chocolate onto the levels of the finest wines and in doing so having a positive impact on the environment and cacao farming communities in Ecuador.
How much do you pay your farmers?
We pay a farmgate price that is 3-8x the standard market price for “wet cacao" — well above the fair trade premium.
Healthy drinking cacao recipes
We offer tasty and easy cacao inspired recipes on our blog. Click to learn more.
Indulgent Drinking Chocolate recipes
Check our blog for our latest recipes! Here are some of our favorites.
What are the main steps in the production of your chocolate?
Our production of chocolate starts with planting the cacao tree, includes the key post-harvest step of fermentation, the traditional steps of chocolate making, and finishes with packaging your bar in Ecuador. Read on to discover all 14 steps!
What are your social and environmental commitments?
We're doing our best to contribute to positive change in the world of chocolate. This is a summary of our efforts. We discuss how we are paying the highest prices to farmers in the industry, going beyond certifications, building a technology platform for traceability of cacao, up-cycling byproducts, and protecting endangered varieties of cacao.
What is Ancient Nacional Cacao?
Nacional, which is native to Ecuador, is generally regarded as the most coveted cacao variety in the world. Its fame in the global market dates back several centuries, although its ancient origins run much deeper.
What is terroir-driven chocolate & why do you release different harvest years?
To’ak’s Harvest editions offer connoisseurs of dark chocolate this same opportunity—to taste not only the land, but also the characteristics of the particular year in which it was harvested.
What certifications do you have?
USDA and EU Organic, Fair Trade TSA, Heirloom Cacao Preservation. We’re proud to report that our chocolate is vegan, gluten free, non-GMO as well.