Pacific Cacao & Chocolate Show

In July 2022 Rautini exhibited at the inaugural Pacific Cacao & Chocolate 2022 event, showcasing our work in the Asia-Pacific and a sponsoring a supply of Vanuatu cacao which were processed into three delicious value-added products by Otago Chocolate Company (OCHO). These were produced and packaged in commercial quantities for members of the public, and sector stakeholders to sample and purchase:

• Cacao Nibs
• 'Plunge It’ Cacao
• Drinking Chocolate

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All three of these products were big hits with the other stall holders and the public, and perfectly showcased value-added Vanuatu cacao. 

Cacao vs Cocoa

One big question for everyone new to the cacao industry is always ‘What is the difference, if any, between cacao and cocoa’. Well, the simple answer is that there is no difference cacao and cocoa are the same thing and are often used interchangeably when talking about the farming, processing, and end product whether that be chocolate, nibs, drinking chocolate, or beauty products etc. However, cacao is used more often to depict a product as being healthier or as a more natural alternative.

However, when you delve deeper into the cacao industry, you’ll find that the words cacao and cocoa are used for more exact terms. Cacao or cocoa is used to identify the produce determined by the amount of processing the beans have gone through, raw beans are often referred to as cacao while cocoa is used to describe beans that have undertaken the processes of fermentation, roasting, and or grinding.