From Block to Coin: Why We Created Pre-Portioned Ceremonial Cacao
Meet I AM BEING cacao coins: pre-portioned ceremonial cacao designed to make weighing, preparing and repeating your preferred serving easier at home.
Traditional ceremonial cacao is often sold as a large gorgeous block. There is nothing wrong with that format, but anyone who drinks cacao regularly knows the routine: unwrap the block, cut or shave off a portion, put it on the scales, adjust the amount and then deal with the crumbs left behind.
When we developed the next I AM BEING cacao format, we wanted to keep the cacao itself simple while making the preparation easier. That led to our pre-portioned cacao coins - small pieces of the same style of whole-bean ceremonial cacao, designed so you can count your serving rather than cut it from a large block.
Why change a cacao block at all?
For occasional use, a block is straightforward. For daily or frequent use, it can become less convenient. The challenge is not the cacao; it is portioning. A consistent serving usually means using a knife and scales every time.
We wanted to remove that extra step without turning cacao into a powdered instant drink or adding ingredients. The answer was to change the shape, not the product.
What is a cacao coin?
A cacao coin is a small, solid portion of 100% cacao. The I AM BEING coins are made from our Flores cacao and formed into individual pieces rather than one large block. They are designed to sit neatly in a 500g pack and be easy to count into a pan or cup.
The coin shape also creates a clear visual identity for the product. Each piece is made to feel intentional and easy to handle while keeping the ingredient list exactly where we want it: cacao, and nothing else.
How much is in each coin?
Each I AM BEING cacao coin is approximately 9.5g. A 500g pack therefore contains around 52-53 coins, with normal small variation from piece to piece and pack to pack.
The portion size was chosen because it gives useful flexibility. Two coins are approximately 19g, three are about 28.5g and four are about 38g. That makes it easy to prepare a lighter or fuller cup without reaching for scales every time.
Does the format change the cacao?
No. The purpose of the coin is convenience. I AM BEING cacao remains a 100% whole-bean cacao product with its natural cacao butter. It contains no added sugar, dairy, flavourings or preservatives.
The cacao comes from Flores Island in Indonesia, where it is fermented and roasted before being stone-ground. The same origin, flavour profile and preparation style remain; only the physical format changes.
How do cacao coins simplify serving?
Most people find a preferred serving after they have made cacao a few times. Once you know that three or four coins create the cup you like, preparation becomes repeatable. There is less cutting, less weighing and less mess on the worktop.
That also helps when more than one person in a household drinks cacao. One person may prefer two coins while another uses three or four. Counting makes those differences easy to remember.
What does a 500g pack provide?
At our everyday guide of around 25g, a 500g pack gives roughly 20 servings. At around 40g, it gives about 12 servings. The coin format does not change the total amount of cacao in the pack; it simply makes it easier to divide.
Because each coin is approximately 9.5g, you can also build the serving around whole pieces rather than trying to hit an exact gram number. The goal is practical consistency, not precision for its own sake.
Are coins better than blocks?
They are different formats for the same kind of product. Some people enjoy the traditional feel of cutting cacao from a block. Others want something quicker for weekday mornings or regular home use.
For I AM BEING, coins made sense because our wider aim is to make ceremonial cacao feel straightforward in modern life. We want the product to be easy to understand, easy to portion and easy to prepare without losing the substance of the cacao itself.
How do you prepare cacao coins?
Warm water or plant-based milk without bringing it to a hard boil. Add your chosen number of cacao coins and whisk or froth until they melt into the liquid. You can then add cinnamon, vanilla, honey or another simple flavour if you wish.
A frother helps create a lighter texture, while a small pan and whisk work perfectly well too. The important point is to melt and combine the cacao gently rather than boiling it aggressively.
Who are cacao coins useful for?
They are particularly useful for people who drink cacao regularly, anyone who dislikes chopping a block, households where people use different serving sizes and customers who want an easier starting point for preparing ceremonial cacao at home.
They also make the product easier to explain as a gift. Instead of telling someone to cut an unfamiliar block, you can give simple guidance based on the number of coins.
Why design matters for a daily product
A product can be high quality and still be awkward to use. We think format matters because the easier a product is to prepare, the more likely it is to fit naturally into real life.
Our cacao coins were created to keep the ingredient simple while making the daily process more intuitive. Same cacao, clearer portioning, less mess and a format designed around the way people actually make a cup at home.
