Organic raw cacao beans - Nacional variety
Raw cocoa beans
Nacional variety
Not roasted
Certified organic
250g or 1kg bag
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€13.90
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In stock
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Organic raw cacao beans - Nacional variety images
ORGANIC raw cacao beans - Nacional variety
(available in 250g or 1kg bags)
Our cacao beans can be used like almonds. Eaten as they are, to take the edge off hunger or to finish a meal on a cacao note. By crushing them you can use them like cacao nibs, to add crunch and character to all your savoury and sweet dishes.
The beans can also be macerated in oils or honey, for example.
A symbol of abundance, the cacao drink remained a privilege of the upper classes and of soldiers in battle: it was supposed to give courage for war. The bean also became a currency of exchange at that time.
Arriving at the Spanish court in 1528, the Europeans added sugar, vanilla and cinnamon to the cacao drink to reduce its bitterness. In the 17th century, cacao consumption gradually spread throughout Europe; roasting then became essential for preserving the beans and, little by little, cacao became the chocolate we all know today.
Today, our knowledge and techniques allow us to skip the roasting stage and preserve cacao without any food safety problem.
☀️ The beans we offer you here come from cacao trees of the Nacional variety from the Ecuadorian forest of Esmeraldas. This area has been planted very little with Trinitario cacao trees (hybrid species between the Nacional and Criollo varieties), so pure Nacional cacao is found there.
It is a cacao much appreciated for its fragrant floral and fruity aroma, which reveals subtle notes of wood, earth and ash. Nacional cacao is not widespread (it is estimated at 2% of world production); it has floral notes of jasmine and orange blossom, which makes it particularly interesting. The Nacional variety also has a very characteristic taste known as the "arriba" taste.Note that there are mainly 3 varieties of beans:
- Forastero : the most widely grown in the world, it has a high yield and is very disease-resistant. However, it has little aroma and a pronounced bitterness. It is the one used in industrial chocolates.
- Trinitario : a hybrid of the other 2 varieties, it represents roughly 10/15% of world production. It is characterised by its cocoa butter content and much more developed aromas.
- Criollo : the noblest variety, its yield is low and global warming disrupts its production, which makes it exceptional. It has a powerful, fine and aromatic taste. Very low in acidity and almost without bitterness, Criollo is the most interesting from an aromatic point of view. Criollo is also interesting for its fruity secondary aromas that linger on the palate, with notes of nuts, caramel and even blueberries! (it is the one closest to Nacional in terms of quality)
For us, beyond the quality of the final product, choosing a little-known variety also means helping small producers, preserving the ancestral know-how of local populations and helping this ancient, original variety to thrive.
☀️ You will find in our Raw Cacao Ebook and on our blog various recipes using cacao:
Raw cacao yoghurt
Vegan chocolate mousse
Raw cacao and barley grass brownie
3 ways to eat raw cacao
Composition of raw cacao
- Theobromine
Raw cacao naturally contains theobromine (a molecule also found in maté and guarana). For this reason, raw cacao is not recommended for young children.
How to use cacao powder?
Our supplier: SolAlter
SolAlter, a member of MINGA, an association for the development of a Fair Economy, was created to take part in a change in trading practices. It is not simply a matter of paying producers in the South more, but of building lasting relationships based on trust built through communication and time.
Its founder and director Tomas Landazuri explains, in the lines that follow, the reasons behind the existence of SolAlter:
" Born in Ecuador and the product of migration from the Andean countryside to the capital, I have always been confronted with the huge social differences of a South American capital. These differences are often accepted as coming from "fate".
Wanting to discover other ways of life, I went for a few years to Brazil, France and then Belgium. Encounters, discussions, reading and exchanges shaped my point of view on "fate": "disadvantaged" people are, for the most part, not so by chance. Their situation is the result of a long history in which certain groups of people conquered and kept abusive economic power. This reality is stronger in third-world countries, as is the case in Ecuador, where 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.
I managed to study at university in France. I obtained an engineering degree in food industries. My professional experience took place in various companies in Ecuador, France and Belgium. I was a researcher in the laboratory of a Belgian group manufacturing ingredients for the food industry. For five years I was immersed in this environment. I saw up close the tactics of the big manufacturers to increase their profits: the race to cut production costs, at the risk of sacrificing product quality, or even the long-term health of the consumer. This was always accompanied by carefully calculated marketing tactics to "seduce the consumer". After this experience I understood that when all of a company's efforts are directed towards profit, the human being remains a production tool. This is a source of political, economic, social, environmental and even nutritional imbalance.
So I moved to the INBP (Institut National de la Boulangerie) in France, where my position as project officer allowed me to develop projects to defend the interests of artisan bakers. At that time, the creation of SolAlter was inevitable. I left that institution to devote myself fully to this project."
SolAlter also adheres to the SPP system (Small Producers' Symbol), which is a demanding guarantee of Small Producers' Fair Trade. 100% of the cacao bought by SolAlter is guaranteed by the SPP.
Best before: 31/12/2027
Ingredients : Raw cacao beans from organic farming, unroasted
Packaging: Resealable bag of 250g or 1kg
Sustainable, recycled packaging certified "Plastic neutral by CSR"
Store in a cool, dry place, away from moisture
| Average nutritional values | 100 g |
| Energy value
Energy |
588 kcal
2423 kJ |
| Fat of which saturates: |
51.6 g 32.3 g |
| Carbohydrate of which sugars |
4.7 g (of which sugar 0.1 g) |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Salt | 0.015 g |
Frequently asked questions about organic raw cacao beans
Are these cacao beans really raw (unroasted)?
Yes, our beans are raw cacao beans from organic farming, unroasted, as stated in the ingredients list. They do not go through any roasting stage.
How do you eat cacao beans day to day?
They can be eaten as they are, like almonds, to take the edge off hunger or to finish a meal on a cacao note. Crushed, they can be used like cacao nibs to add crunch to your savoury or sweet dishes, and can also be macerated in an oil or honey. Find our recipe ideas and our Raw Cacao Ebook in the HOW TO USE tab above.
How many cacao beans can you eat per day?
There is no officially recommended dose. Because of their theobromine content, it is advisable to eat cacao beans in moderation and to listen to your own sensitivity, especially at the end of the day. They are not recommended for young children.
What is the difference between cacao beans, butter and powder?
The whole bean contains both the fat (the future cocoa butter) and the dry matter (which becomes the powder): 14 g of protein and 51.6 g of fat per 100 g. Cocoa butter is only the fat extracted from the bean, while the powder is what remains once this fat has been removed.
How do you store organic raw cacao beans?
Store them in a cool, dry place, away from moisture, in their original resealable bag. Well protected, they keep their aromatic qualities for several months.
Do cacao beans contain theobromine?
Yes, like all products made from the cacao bean, they contain theobromine. For this reason, they are not recommended for young children.
Updated: July 2026. Article approved by Éric Viard, founder of Biovie and ISTOMengineer, co-author of Algues au quotidien (Gallimard, 2024) - Best Cookbook in the World, Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2025, and Best Cookbook in France, Académie Nationale de Cuisine 2025.
Disclaimer: The information presented on this product page is provided for information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before making any change to your diet or supplementation. As part of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
The documents that back up what we write about this product. Every document is dated; we remove those that are no longer valid.
Biovie organic certificate
Valid until 31/03/2027SolAlter organic certificate
Valid until 31/03/2027Wondering… ?
Everything you need to know before ordering.
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