How long does Koko Samoa last?
If pure cacao is stored well in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, it does not go bad for a long time (up to 18 months). Although, the flavour and quality of koko (cacao) does tend to decrease after a couple of months. It’s usually the added dairy that makes drinking cocoa go bad, which Koko Samoa in its pure form doesn’t have. That’s why we put a shorter “use by date” because we want our customers to experience their cacao at its best.
How to tell if your cacao (Koko) has gone bad, rotten or spoiled?
Many people look at the colour of the Koko however that’s not always an accurate sign. Cacao that is rich in cacao butter (like the Koko from Samoa) tends to get a marbled effect when exposed to air but that is usually the cacao butter drying to a different colour than the actual cacao grind. Cacao that has dark sections and light sections doesn’t necessarily mean it has aged too long.
If the cocoa has remained dry and looks to be free of mould, then your sense of taste is the best way to tell if it is still good. When cacao is no longer good, the chocolatey taste tends to disappear.
Is your Koko Samoa pods very different to the classic?
You'll be glad to know it is mostly the same, with nothing additional added. The two differences are:
1) Once turned into a paste, our Koko Samoa has been 'set' into smaller serving sizes so you don't have to cut and scrape the big blocks of koko. So the shape is different (purely a visual thing).
2) There is slightly less pegu koko (grits) in ours as we grind the koko to a finer level to get a more chocolatey flavour
Do you ship to outside Australia, and what condition does the package arrive in?
Yes! A large portion of our orders are sent outside of Australia. We regularly ship orders to New Zealand, the USA and Canada for example and we take extra care with padding and sealing. We also put a “fragile” notice on the box so our couriers handle with care. You can even see some customers sharing photos from around the world in our reviews section. We go a little bit extra with our packing and treat it like it’s made of crystal, because while our products don’t break easily, who wants broken hearts right? These precautions mean that our boxes arrive in good condition. Our Instagram also has lots of unboxing videos under the “unboxing” highlights.
Can I send my order to different addresses, for example as a gift?
Yes! You can make an order and send it almost anywhere in the world. You don't have to send the order to your own address. For example, you can send your first order to a friend in another state, then decide you'd like to make a second order for yourself. You can definitely do that.
Does our Koko Samoa have the chewy bits (Pegu Koko)?
We make our Koko Samoa Drinks to be as convenient as possible, so we do get the Koko much finer than normal. So it dissolves quicker in hot water without too much effort and stirring. There are still little bits to chew (pegu koko) but the pieces aren’t as big.
What's the difference between Cacao Paste and Cacao Powder?
Many people go with what's on the store shelves - in the form of dried cacao (technically cocoa) powder.
The vast majority of people do not know that cacao powder is actually treated cacao paste, stripped of many of it’s powerful bioactive & euphoric compounds like anandamide, phenylethylamine, along with other highly nutritious vitamins, minerals, enzymes & antioxidants.
If you are buying cacao/cocoa powder, remember that cacao can be great for the body not just the tongue; other products are simple defatted, nutrient and energy void forms of this superfood.
Unfortunately, the majority of the benefits from cacao are lost during its heating and pressing process. Once you've tried cacao paste, you realise what you have been missing out on.
Does Koko Samoa have caffeine?
Cacao has something similar to caffeine in it called theobromine, and the effects can be similar. Caffeine and theobromine are both alkaloids. Cacao beans usually contain about 1% theobromine. Like caffeine, theobromine blocks adenosine receptors, increasing alertness but isn’t as potent as caffeine. Theobromine has also been identified as one of the compounds contributing to chocolate's reputation as an aphrodisiac.