We’re not growing new plants to make our product, we’re simply trying to make the most out of each and every cocoa pod that’s already being harvested for its beans. As it stands, only about 10% of the cocoa pod weight is finally used in the production of chocolate (not the 30% commonly quoted).
By separating the pulp and using the fresh juice (that would usually be discarded), we rachet this up by another 3-4%. Not great but typically 70-75% of the weight is the husk alone, then there is the placenta and moisture lost in the bean fermentation process.
Can you guess how many pods go into one glass bottle of Wow Cacao?
Reveal Answer
No deforestation.
Deforestation is a huge topic for cocoa people. It’s also been an issue in Ecuador for a long time – particularly in the Northern Amazon region. That’s why we source our cocoa from an area that was more savannah than forest.
This land has not been deforested in the owners’ lifetimes. Due to the semi-arid conditions, for generations it was used as rough pasture with some livestock and with limited planting of crops such as yuca (cassava), banana, and sweet potato along with some fruit trees such as papaya. When the government opened a series of canals to facilitate irrigation it became a hotspot for growing bananas (Ecuador is the world’s top exporter of bananas) as well as a cocoa producing zone.
A close eye on your supply chain.
All farms in our supply chain are regularly inspected as part of the exporter’s sustainability programme. They were all previously UTZ or Rainforest Alliance certified (which means they’re held accountable for their sustainable practices) but they’re now covered by an in-house sustainability standard that’s much more appropriate for Latin America.
Every farm in our supply chain is 100% polygon mapped — fully traced on satellite, with clear boundaries. This allows complete traceability and deforestation monitoring. All sustainability claims are independently verified through third-party audits, and our own team visits regularly to check in person.
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cacao pods to produce the juice in each glass Wow Cacao bottle
Meet Paulo
What Is Wow Cacao?
Cacao fruit naturally contains Vitamin C and Potassium. We add a small amount of ascorbic acid and potassium chloride to make sure the levels are consistent in every bottle. Both are natural in origin. No added sugar. No sweeteners. Nothing artificial.
