Pure Cocoa from Ronda to Europe

Ronda/Cacao cacao, which should not be confused with chocolate, is considered one of the world's superfoods, although finding high-quality, pure cacao is more complex. Interestingly, one of the few physical stores in the world is located in Ronda. From here, two of the best cacaos from Peru and Ecuador are distributed throughout Europe to be consumed as a drink, thus returning to its original form of consumption before it was transformed into chocolate when it arrived from America during the Spanish empire era.

A project initiated by Agostina Urbinati, an Argentinean who has been living in Spain for over 20 years, who claims that she signed a contract with this product following her own experience when she started consuming it and the improvement it brought to her worldview. Thus, Sumay was born.

After working with relatives who were in this business, she decided to start her own project and, in addition to selling cacao to clients in countries like England, France, Ireland, and Lithuania, she also decided to have her own physical space which she personally manages and where she does not hesitate to share her knowledge about the world of cacao, its production process, and those she considers the best in the world.

In her opinion, the highest quality cacaos are still found in America, although, interestingly, the vast majority of this product, about 60%, is produced in Africa. This was triggered by a major plague in the 1960s that destroyed many of the native trees in America, leading to the spread of a hybrid species resistant to this disease across different continents. Moreover, in recent times, it is also being produced in parts of Asia.

Regarding the quality of this product, which is attributed with various health benefits, especially in cardiovascular aspects, Agostina maintains that “it is directly related to the price; good cacao is never cheap.”

Additionally, another key element in good cacao is its color. “It must have a deep brown without turning black,” as this also determines whether the roasting process was adequate or if it was excessive and most likely added unwanted flavors to the taste.

In her case, she has two suppliers from whom she directly purchases pure cacao to import it and sells it at a price of 81 euros per kilo. “These are people I know; I was there to see the entire process, and it is a very high-quality cacao,” she assured.

Furthermore, she also explained that it is essential for the producers not to skip any of the existing steps in the production of cacao from the collection on the tree to the division into cocoa butter and cocoa paste.

Specifically, after harvesting from the tree, the process must include fermentation, drying, roasting, peeling, and grinding. Skipping any of these steps or performing them inadequately to speed up the process, Agostina states, has a direct repercussion on the quality of the cacao.

Cacao is not chocolate

Precisely, in this aspect lies another fundamental aspect when creating a product as well-known as chocolate. “To make good chocolate, good cocoa butter is essential, so a 90% pure chocolate does not necessarily mean it is better than another that is 70%, it depends on the pure cocoa butter it contains, as sometimes other products are added to make it more palatable which makes it of lower quality.”

“The best option is to look for high-quality artisan chocolate,” she noted, although she also has customers who purchase both products and make their own creations.

Consumed as a beverage

Regarding the way to consume cacao as a beverage, the recommended daily dose ranges from 15 to 30 grams which can be dissolved in water or milk, preferably vegetable-based. Additionally, it should be hot but not boiling to prevent excessive temperature from damaging the pure cocoa paste.

Agostina also explained that there are various ways to consume it, and she even offers classes on how to make beverages with cacao. However, for those who do not want to complicate things, they can take home different prepared combinations from her store.