Dominican Republic
Natural Cacao Powder
Cacao powder is typically a highly processed product made with a blend of low-quality beans and no transparency – we’re hoping to bring some exciting new opportunities for bakers, makers, and cacao producers alike with this ultra premium, fully Transparently Traded option.
2023 Data - People
Community-focused initiatives: Monetary support for repair of local roads
Trainings conducted: Farm productivity, ecological practices & cacao quality
Producers purchased from: 70
Female producers: 8
Producers under 35 y/o: 3
Organic producers: 70
Total # of producers trained: 45
Total # of female producers trained: 6
Total # of producers under 35y/o trained: 3
Full time employees: 16
Full time female employees: 8
Part time employees: 8
Part time female employees: 5
Average farm size (ha): 12.9
Average sales per producer (dry kg): 1,297.14
Average annual cacao revenue per producer: $3,696.86
2023 Data - Planet
Crops that are used for intercropping: Avocado, banana, plantain, orange, malanga, breadfruit & yam
Environmental practices: Plastic collection & wall building
Organic hectares cultivated: 900
Average percent of shade of cacao farms: 60%
Percentage of power from solar: 95%
Distance of producer to facility (km): 96
Distance to port (km): 180
Ocean freight CO2kgs per MT (US): 44
2023 Data - Product
This natural cacao powder was pressed from Öko Caribe cacao beans.
Bean Quality: Ultra Premium
Powder Flavor: Rich, fresh cacao
Bean Fermentation Style: Box
Bean Drying Style: Solar dryers
Bean Quality Practices: Temperature monitoring during fermentation, specific protocols for flavor & cut tests during fermentation
Bean Hand Sorting: Yes
Bean Certifications: Organic
Number of awards in 2023 for these beans: 9
Sliky Smooth Texture
High Fat Content 10-12%
Fresh, rich flavor profile
Great for baked goods
Organic & Kosher Pareve Certified
100% natural, non-alkalized, high fat, cacao powder
Pressed from Transparently Traded Öko-Caribe ultra premium cacao
The Öko Caribe producer network farms are scattered across the Duarte province of the Dominican Republic.
Characterized by fertile, clay loam soils and lush tropical rainforest, Duarte and the surrounding region of El Cibao are where the majority of cacao is produced in the Dominican Republic. The Cordillera Septentrional, a mountain range that runs parallel to the north cost of the Dominican Republic and which reaches up to 1,250m in altitude, crosses through Duarte running just north of Pimentel, where the Öko Caribe post-harvest facility is located. The current genetic mix includes Trinitarios, Ecuadorian Nacionales, Venezuelan Criollo, and hybrids that are primarily mixes of Trinitarios and Nacional.
* Storage tips: do not freeze cacao powder since that can introduce moisture which can create a mold-friendly environment. Cacao powder stores best in a cool, dry place to preserve flavor and shelf life. Storage temperatures below 86°F (30°C) are necessary to maintain overall quality.
The Öko Caribe producer network farms are scattered across the Duarte province of the Dominican Republic.
Characterized by fertile, clay loam soils and lush tropical rainforest, Duarte and the surrounding region of El Cibao are where the majority of cacao is produced in the Dominican Republic. The Cordillera Septentrional, a mountain range that runs parallel to the north cost of the Dominican Republic and which reaches up to 1,250m in altitude, crosses through Duarte running just north of Pimentel, where the Öko Caribe post-harvest facility is located. The current genetic mix includes Trinitarios, Ecuadorian Nacionales, Venezuelan Criollo, and hybrids that are primarily mixes of Trinitarios and Nacional.
* Storage tips: do not freeze cacao powder since that can introduce moisture which can create a mold-friendly environment. Cacao powder stores best in a cool, dry place to preserve flavor and shelf life. Storage temperatures below 86°F (30°C) are necessary to maintain overall quality.
Samples are only available from the USA
2023 Öko Caribe Farmgate price
$2.52 USD
This is the actual price paid to the cacao producer for their product (typically on a per kg or per lb basis) when they sell it to the first buyer. Farmgate price is often paid for "wet" or fresh cacao, recently harvested and scooped out of cracked pods for sale. Wet cacao loses 60-70% of its weight during fermentation and drying, typically reaching 7-8% humidity before it is sold.
Uncommon calculates farmgate price for each cacao supplier based on the specific weight loss conversion percentage provided to us by the supplier, and we report farmgate price on a per kg dried equivalent basis for all cacao beans we source.
2023 Öko Caribe FOB price
$4.16 USD
This is the price paid by Uncommon to our partners for cacao transported and loaded onto a ship for export.
Uncommon then covers all of the costs of shipping, freight charges, insurance, import, domestic logistics, warehouse ingestion, customs and duties.
Free on board (FOB) is an international shipping term that represents the seller's responsibility for bringing the cacao over the rails of the export ship.
2023 Öko Caribe Average sales price
$6.48 USD
This is the weighted average price per kg for cacao sold to the premium & ultra premium chocolate makers who purchased it during this year from Uncommon Cacao.
We believe that the difference between traceability and transparency is published and verifiable data for each and every step in our supply chain.
