Hi, friends! I’m Kris, founder of Cacao for Beings.
I’m a yoga teacher (traditional hatha yoga, yin yoga, and meridian yoga therapy), sound healer, plant-based chef, and cacao-obsessed human deeply passionate about holistic living, sustainability, and sharing practices that bring us back into harmony — within ourselves and with the natural world.
Ceremonial cacao first came into my life during my first Yoga Teacher Training in Portugal in 2022. While I grew up drinking hot chocolate, my experience with ceremonial cacao was something entirely different. The cacao itself was rich, grounding, and deeply nourishing— but on a deeper level, I felt something shift within me. A deeper connection to myself, an opening in my heart, and a sense of aliveness and gratitude that stayed with me long after the cup was empty.
This gentle opening sparked a deep dive into the world of cacao — its incredible medicinal properties, mood-boosting compounds, and its ability to support focus, clarity, and emotional well-being. Most surprisingly, I learned that cacao has been honored for thousands of years across ancient traditions as a sacred plant that supports heart connection and emotional openness.
Cacao soon became my daily ritual, and I began to experience firsthand the benefits I had read so much about. I felt more grounded, more focused, more connected to myself. Listening inward became easier, and my creativity flourished.
As cacao supported my return to harmony within my own being, my mission became clear: to share this sacred plant with others and create a space rooted in connection, nourishment, and embodied ritual.
From this intention, Cacao for Beings was born.
I traveled across cultures to learn about cacao directly from the source—from Oaxaca, to Bali, to the cacao farms surrounding Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. I saw firsthand the care, intention, and reverence that go into cultivating and crafting truly ceremonial cacao, and its powerful ability to support embodied connection and harmony.
Today, I feel deeply honored to share the ceremonial cacao of Nuevo Amanecer, a Guatemalan women’s collective devoted to cultivating and crafting heirloom Criollo cacao with intention, respect, and care—for the land, the cacao trees, and their community. Together, we bring beautifully crafted, 100% ceremonial cacao directly to you.
The mission of Cacao for Beings is to support the nourishment and well-being of all beings—from the ecosystems our cacao trees support, to the community that cultivates our cacao, to you. As you nourish your own being with cacao, this sense of nourishment ripples outward.
Based in San Diego, California, I prepare, package, and ship your cacao with care. You’ll also find me at local markets, leading cacao ceremonies and sound healings, teaching yoga — and most likely, sipping cacao.
Welcome to Cacao for Beings.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to nourish the well-being of people and planet through heirloom Criollo ceremonial cacao, meditation, sound healing, and yoga — simple practices to invite embodiment, slowness, and presence.
Our Values
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Reciprocity
Cacao gives to us, and we believe in giving back. This means working directly with the people who grow and tend it, paying fairly, and honoring the communities and traditions that have cared for this plant long before us.
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Embodiment
Cacao invites us inward — to listen to our bodies, trust our intuition, and reconnect with our own inner wisdom. In a world that pulls us outward, sipping cacao is a gentle practice of coming home to yourself.
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Integrity
From the farms in Guatemala to the packaging on your doorstep, every decision is made with care. We don't cut corners on sourcing, quality, or how we show up.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Ceremonial cacao is sourced from small farms where care for the land, the cacao trees, and the people who cultivate them comes first. Nothing is added and nothing is removed — it's pure, minimally processed cacao from the heirloom Criollo bean.
While most chocolate and cocoa products are heavily processed at high temperatures that degrade the majority of cacao's natural compounds, ceremonial cacao is prepared using traditional methods — gently toasted on hot plates at low temperatures. This preserves cacao's naturally occurring nutrients, antioxidants, and rich flavor.
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Ceremonial cacao is naturally rich in antioxidants, magnesium, iron, and compounds that support focus, heart health, and mood. Theobromine offers a gentle, steady lift — warming the body and sharpening the mind — while magnesium supports calm and relaxation. See our Cacao Benefits page for more detail.
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We recommend starting with 20–30g (~2–3 tablespoons) and adjusting from there based on how you feel. There's no single "right" amount — cacao is personal.
A helpful way to think about it:
Everyday / gentle use: 20g (~2 tbsp) — a comfortable daily amount for warmth, focus, and grounding.
Creative or intentional use: 25–30g (~2–3 tbsp) — great for journaling, movement, or creative work when you want a bit more depth.
Group & ceremonial use: 35–40g — typically for longer, intentional rituals.
Everyone responds a little differently. If you're sensitive to caffeine or stimulants, start at 10–20g and work up slowly. Otherwise, start on the lower end and listen to your body.
See our How to Prepare guide for more details.
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Cacao has been used for thousands of years by Indigenous cultures in Central America — particularly the Maya and Aztec — as part of community gatherings to mark lunar cycles, honor ancestors, welcome visitors, and connect with gratitude.
Today, a cacao ceremony is simply intentional time set aside to slow down and connect — with yourself or with others. It might include meditation, gentle movement, music, or setting an intention. At its core, it's just a quiet space to be present.
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The white marbling you may notice on your cacao is called "bloom" — a natural process where cacao butter separates from the cacao mass. It occurs in all non-tempered cacao and is completely normal. Tempered chocolate is repeatedly heated and cooled to achieve a glossy finish — ceremonial cacao skips that process entirely, retaining more of its natural compounds. Whether your cacao has a little bloom or a lot, it won't affect the quality of your cup.
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Cacao contains very small amounts of caffeine — roughly comparable to a decaf cup of coffee — but its effects tend to feel gentler and longer-lasting. Its energy comes primarily from theobromine, a mild, steady stimulant that most people find grounding and energizing without the jitteriness of coffee.
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Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight in an airtight container. Our cacao block has a recommended shelf life of 3 years; our pre-ground cacao, 1 year.
Both are still safe to consume beyond these windows — the flavor may just be slightly less potent over time.