We have been importing cacao directly from Ecuador and Peru since 2009 and work with cooperatives of family farms that have been growing cacao sustainably for generations. Our cacao farmers are masters in the growing, fermentation and drying of the cocoa bean to ensure the quality, taste and safety of CHOC Chick cacao. Our beans are minimally processed to retain the natural goodness and all batches undergo microbiological testing to ensure they are completely free of harmful bacteria. We're also incredibly proud of the complete traceability of production of our cacao; we can trace each batch from the plantation to fermentation, drying and production. We love our cacao and hope you enjoy and love CHOC Chick cacao ingredients as much as we do!