Where to Buy Cocoa Beans, Nibs and other Cacao Ingredients? This is the Ultimate List of Cocoa Bean Suppliers!

Many of the most unique and respected chocolate makers are traveling the world for their cocoa bean supplies. By buying cocoa beans directly from farms in Dominican Republic, Honduras, Madagascar and other tropical locations, they make a unique product that is truly single origin - and not the same origin that everyone else is making chocolate from.

However, not every new chocolate maker has the time or money to travel the world looking for cacao. Yet many want beans that can be purchased at a price that is fair to the farmers, and with guarantees of quality. But it is a tough job looking for a steady bulk source of beans or nibs to make bean-to-bar chocolate, so I have put together a list of all the suppliers I have come across over the last few years.

This list includes export/import entrepreneurs, farms, cacao processors, and co-operatives who supply from the source.  This list is NOT complete - it is definitely a work-in-progress - so please feel free to add any cacao suppliers to the comments below, so I can research them and get them added to the list. Also, I often work with cacao to make chocolate and review it, and I will try to include the links to cacao reviews in this list where possible. If you want to send me your cocoa beans for review, please contact info (at) ultimatelychocolate.com for more information.


In Canada...

The Mexican Arabica Bean Company (Toronto) - provides two delicious beans, from Honduras and Mexico. A review will be up shortly of these beans and the wonderful chocolate that I made from them. Also supplies Mexican organic cacao butter and cocoa nibs. Always on the lookout for new origins, so stay tuned, more may be added soon. Visit www.mabco.ca for more information, or follow on Twitter: @mabcoimporter and Juan Gonzalez on Instagram.

Delicacies Valley (Calgary, AB) - Supplying Venezuelan cocoa beans and cocoa butter. The beans come in 5kg bags or 60kg jute sacks for larger purchases. https://www.delicaciesvalley.com/cocoa-and-derivatives

César Aguilar (Toronto) - importing Colombian cocoa beans from the region of Llanos Orientales in the Province of Meta. The cocoa beans come from a variety of farms and have a lovely, sweet light agave syrup & mild honey flavour with low acidity. For more information, contact César at: cesaragui@gmail.com.


In the U.S.A....

Tomric Systems, Inc. (Buffalo, NY) - Offers four types of beans from Nicaragua, in partnership with Ingemann Cacao Fino (see below for more info on Ingemann). Of the four types offered, the O'Payo beans are Organic. Farmers are paid a high price for the beans, and scientifically fermented. Contact cocoa@tomric .com for more information or visit: http://tomric.com/cocoa-beans-new.

Cacao Bahia (Brazil, sales office in California) - Providing 'single-estate' organic cacao from the Fazenda Camboa farm in the state of Bahia in Brazil. The farm cultivates fine Forastero and fine Trinitario cacao. These beans have a nice, lightly acidic, fruity flavour. Read my review of the bean samples from this farm here: http://ultimatechocolateblog.blogspot.ca/2015/11/cocoa-beans-from-brazil-where-to-buy.html. For more information, contact: info@cacaobahia.com or visit www.cacaobahia.com.

Chocolate Alchemy (Eugene, OR) - The Chocolate Alchemy website is designed to help home chocolate makers, and small-to-medium-sized chocolate start-up businesses to make better chocolate. They supply a wide range of fine flavour cocoa beans buy the pound, so you can order as much or as little as needed (as much as is available), depending on your storage concerns or equipment limitations. It is a great way to experiment and choose the beans that are right for you.  Shop online: http://shop.chocolatealchemy.com/collections/cocoa-beans.

Cocoa Supply Company (Brooklyn, NY) - Supplies whole raw organic Arriba Nacional cocoa beans from Ecuador, as well as cocoa nibs. They also supply natural, organic, and deodorized cocoa butter. http://www.cocoasupply.com/organic-raw-cocoa-beans/

Meridian Cacao Company (Portland, OR) - Offering at least 8 origins, you can buy cocoa beans in bags as small as 5 lbs. Meridian sources directly from the farms, and provides detailed information about where your cacao comes from. Beans are of high quality. http://www.meridiancacao.com/

Edgar Soria - beans from Ecuador edsebas@yahoo.com possibly selling out of New York. If you have further information on this supplier, please post below in the Comments.

Jedwards International (Braintree, MA) - Sells bulk organic cocoa nibs, raw or roasted and in certified organic, or also in certified organic & certified Fair Trade. Cocoa butter also available in deodorized and natural, organic and fair trade. http://www.bulknaturaloils.com/chocolate-cocoa/cocoa-liquor-nibs


From Origin:

Casa Franceschi - provides high quality cocoa from South America, including Trinitario and Criollo beans from Venezuela and Ecuador.  This company has been supplying Europe and Japan since 1830, and now has a warehouse in the U.S. They work to ensure the post harvesting process is sound, so customers receive the finest flavour beans are delivered consistently. They currently have Hacienda Victoria beans, which are rare Arriba Nacional beans from Ecuador. According to Casa Franceschi, it has low acidity and typcal Arriba Nacional flavour, including a taste of sweet and dry fruits, caramel, brown sugar and "well balanced between floral and bitterness." The finish offers a cocoa taste. Learn more about these beans at: http://www.hacienda-victoria.com/. And learn about Casa Franceschi at: www.casafranceschi.com. Sales rep: Pedro Rojas projas@casafranceschi.com

Cacao Fiji  http://www.cacaofiji.com

Ingemann Cacao Fino - Producing Fine Flavour cacao varieties of Trinitario-Acriollado, "A Trinitario with Criollo genes." produced by heirloom Nicaraguan trees. They are decidedly 'fair trade', claiming: "The price we pay our producers is reportedly amongst the highest paid worldwide to cocoa farmers" (ref) and claim it is also 100% traceable, and provide a 'lot identity sheet' to chocolate makers to show where the cacao came from, cacao type, analysis, etc. Learn more at: http://ingemann.com.ni/cocoa-id/ or e-mail: info@ingemann.com.ni. Also supplying through Tomric Systems out of Buffalo.

Ucayali River Cacao (Peru) - located in the Ucayali Province in Peru. Does NOT accept any CCN-51 from any of the farms, in order to stay a true supplier of fine flavour cacao. This business collects the cacao wet from each farm and tags it, so they can trace the supply chain throughout the processing of the cacao. They have specially built fermentation boxes on site to ensure fermentation is done well to produce a consistent product. 20 - 25% of their cacao is 'of the white variety' with very little bitterness or acidity. E-mail Robin Jordan  at robin_jordan14@yahoo.com for more information or follow on Instagram at: @ucayali_river_cacao. Website: https://ucayalirivercacao.wordpress.com/

Blue Cacao from Honduras - Honduras exporters, although contact has been difficult since samples were sent out initially.  If anyone has contact information, please add it to the comments below.

Maya Mountain Cacao (Belize) - Sources cacao from smallholder Belizean farmers for chocolate makers looking to make fine chocolate. Ensures farms keep up with organic certification requirements, picks up wet cacao and has a processing team to ensure fermentation and drying is consistent. CEO and Co-founder is Emily V Stone.  Contact: (+501) 630-9206 for more information or visit the website at: http://mayamountaincacao.com/.

Cacao Verapaz (Guatemala) - founded by Uncommon Cacao Group (Emily Stone - see above under Maya Mountain Cacao) in 2013. Connects producers of fine cacao in Guatemala with chocolate makers around the world. Learn more at: http://www.cacaoverapaz.com/.

Uncommon Cocoa Group - Founder of Maya Mountain Cacao, Emily Stone, is involved in this organization, having also founded Cacao Verapaz under the Uncommon Cacao name.  They supply various origins of cacao (including Bolivia, Haiti, Dominican Republic, etc.) with ensured quality and consistent processing methods. Learn more at: http://www.uncommoncacao.com/.

Maranon Chocolate - Discoverer of USDA Certified Pure Nacional Cacao and exclusive provider of world renowned Fortunato No. 4 of Peru. Considered "the world's rarest cacao". Family business. @MaranonChoc www.maranonchocolate.com

Heartblood Cacao - exporting Guatemalan Cacao https://www.heartbloodcacao.com/pages/about-us

Cacao & Beyond (Philippines) - Cacao farming, fermented cacao and "producing Pure 100% Cacao Tableya Davao, Philippines" (ref: Instagram). E-mail: comvaltropialharvest@gmail.com for more information.

Lilycious Chocolate (Indonesia)  - cacao farmers with a goal of preserving "biodiversity of cacao trees to good quality beans and strive towards implementing a sustainable chocolate farm ecosystem." ref: www.lilycious.com

The Haitian Chocolate Project
www.haitianchocolateproject.com - seeking to build US demand for Haitian grown chocolate to help build infrastructure in Haiti.


Cocoa Family (Dominican Republic) - Certified organic and kosher cocoa beans, nibs, paste, etc. from the Dominican Republic. Dorcas Astacio
Tel 626-544-0200


JT SocEnt Ventures, Inc. (Philippines) - Offering cocoa beans, nibs and liquor, as well as coconut sugar and virgin coconut oil from the Davao area of the Philippines. Works directly with farmer's groups, NGO's and cooperatives to ensure farmer's get a fair price for their beans. Contact Jowell L. Tan by e-mail at: jowelllt@gmail.com.

Agrofloresta (Tabasco, Mexico) - "Harnessing the genetic potential of cacao in the Selva Zoque by starting a carefully managed centralized fermentation facility." Cacao is sourced from communities in southern Tabasco and the northern Chiapas. Their goal is to bring higher cocoa bean prices to farmers while controlling the fermentation and post-harvesting methods for high quality fine cocoa beans. Visit their website for more information on how to buy cocoa beans : http://www.agroflorestamesoamericana.com/.