Cacao vs Cocoa: What's the Difference?

1. Fermentation : raw humid beans are fermented by yeasts and other microbes.
2. Drying - Séchage : Several days later the product is called Cacao and available for chocolate makers.
3. Roasting - Torréfaction : Unless a raw product is desired. From this step Roasted cacao Beans are called Cocoa.
4. Crushing : Produces nibs, small pieces of cacao Beans.
5. Grinding : Produces a liquor, separated into Cocoa Butter (50%) and Cocoa Powder (50%). Pressure is required for separation.

There’s not complete agreement on when to use the terms cacao and cocoa respectively.

Makers of raw (unroasted) or less processed cacao bean products often use the word cacao rather than cocoa, which may imply that they’re more natural & healthy products.

In a Nutshell :

• Cocoa ~ Processed
• Cacao ~ Raw