Joyfuel Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Rich Dark Chocolate, 16 Ounce (1 lb) Bag

This is really a wonderful product. Honestly, just about everything you need to know is right there in the product description so I'm not sure what I could really add here, but let me give you some of the highlights:-1) Processed in a grain free facilityIt says right on the bag that the product is " Manufactured in a vegan facility that processes tree nuts, but does not process grain, gluten, soy, peanuts, eggs, or dairy." This is a pretty big deal for me and what initially lead me to give this product a try. I needed to be sure that I was getting a product that was not processed around gluten, corn, or oats (not sure about soy, but I avoid it). I can't speak as to other allergens, but at the time that I first tried this product I was having a bit of a medical crisis and my system was very sensitive to even teeny, tiny( were's talking under 0.2 ppm) traces of any of those foods and I had no issues eating this.- 2) It's delicious.I don't know if I'd ever had raw cacao powder before having this but boy, is it something! You should understand that it's not quite the same thing as roasted cocoa. I'd say that it's about the difference between toasted and raw nuts; both are great, but they aren't necessarily always interchangeable. I mostly eat it mixed in with raw honey or maple sugar, but it's also great on toasted almonds and hazelnuts or on baked japanese/ white yams ( w/ a little olive oil and salt, it reminds me of brownies!). I've also used in tiny amounts to bring out the flavors in stew. It's pretty versatile.- 3) Health benefits? Check!This stuff is just LOADED with nutrients that my system was begging me for. I feel great after eating this and I can tell that it's a real boost to my whole system. It's chock-full of powerful anti-oxidents and I was also surprised to see that it's a pretty good source of magnesium and iron as well! There's also a good amount of fiber and protein in there. Don't forget the theobromine :)-4) Fair TradeNow, that just makes me happy. Self-explanitory, right?Long story short: Great product. If you're interested, I recommend it.P.S. I like the company name. Very cute :')

Updated review 2/12/15: received a second bag and it's very nice, no issues this time. Will give details later on as I get the chance to try it in my most common recipes.Fabulous customer service!Old review: Unfortunately not as good as the great reviews made me believe. I bought this together with 2 other brands as I am looking for really good raw cacao powder. The other 2 are great. This is in fact the worst I've had thus far although the most expensive of the 3. I've had Navitas before as well and it was not tasty but at least no burnt taste. Maybe it's just my batch. I didn't realize I could've returned it. Oh well, too late now as I bought this in September 2014. Maybe I can use it as a body wrap. It actually smelled pretty nicely when I first opened the packet. It reminded me of Hershey's instant cocoa. Anyway, luckily I already found 3 other great brands so I'm not left empty-handed.I have to clarify, in case someone thinks I'm confusing raw cacao taste with store-bought varieties, that I've been using raw cacao powder for years now and I know and prefer the raw taste of a good quality cacao powder. I've tried many good and bad raw cacao powders. I actually like the bitter tones of raw cacao as they turn into liquor-like taste when mixed with sugar.This particular brand has a very distinct burnt, ashy kind of taste. It has nothing to do with deep and rich.Customer service is outstanding though! If in doubt, you can always purchase and you can be sure that if something is not quite right, you'll be immediately taken care of. Thank you!

Raw cacao is sometimes referred to as a "Superfood." I decided to try it for it's nutritional benefits. I had never used it before, so I've had to keep adapting my smoothie recipe to get the right proportions. (Almond milk, raw cacao powder, egg white protein powder, raw honey and a dash of vanilla extract. NOTE: I opted for almond milk and egg white protein because studies have shown that cow's milk blocks the absorption of antioxidants and calcium from raw cacao.) However, even my first attempt at a smoothie was a novel, but pleasant taste experience. I've look forward to my daily smoothie. And a curious thing happened. My husband offered me a bite of a well-known commercial chocolate bar that I've always been very fond of. I was surprised to discover it suddenly tasted bland and way too sweet. Wasn't as good as my smoothie! This supplier is a fairly new company. They're extremely cordial and helpful. They've sent follow-up emails with suggestions on how to use cacao and their e-cookbook was instructive. They're still working on the cookbook, so no doubt there will be new recipes in the future. They've also packaged their cacao extremely well in a black zip-lock bag. (You're supposed to keep raw cacao away from the light.) It would be interesting to know more about the cacao culture. The supplier states that they're encouraging "small farmers." However, for the time being, I'm just enjoying their product!