About Cacao Cocoon Chocolate

Cacao Cocoon Chocolate creates what many consider a thing of myth, tempered chocolate bars sweetened with only honey. The result is an unparalleled “Silky, honey-spun chocolate”. We use blackberry flower honey from Oregon, as well as organic, direct trade cacao. Our kitchen runs on 100% renewable energy, and our packaging is 100% recycled and compostable. Elissa Verdillo, the owner and creator, has been making chocolate for 14 years, and learned her craft through her time spent in Southern Mexico, steeped in the traditions and culture of the original chocolatiers, the Maya. She realized that the union of cacao and honey, while unique in the world of commercially produced chocolates, was one of the original combinations used by the Maya for thousands of years. In the spirit of uniting the past with the future, she created her original chocolates, selling them at markets and events in Palenque, Chiapas. Elissa moved to Arcata in 2010 ready to use her knowledge and experience working with cacao, and created what is now Cacao Cocoon Chocolate. In 2012, she teamed up with her partner Zach, and together they have continued to perfect Elissa’s recipes, build the business, and raise three daughters, making Cacao Cocoon a true “mom and pop” with a dedicated local following. When you support Cacao Cocoon, you are not only supporting social responsibility, environmental consciousness, and small batch craft quality, but also a mother and father's dreams.Read their story