Chocolate field glossary

Cacao

The tree, fruit and seeds of Theobroma cacao; usage overlaps with cocoa and does not by itself signal quality or processing.

Botany · working definition

Use the word
with precision.

Why it matters: The word can point to the plant, fruit, seeds or agricultural material, so the surrounding noun matters more than the spelling.
Common confusion: Cacao is not a regulated promise that a product is raw, healthier, more ethical or less processed.
Practical example: Cacao pod, cacao farm and cacao genetics are precise; cacao powder may simply be a brand's preferred spelling.

Evidence trail

Accepted taxonomy, native range, wet-tropical ecology and botanical description.

International reference point for cocoa mass, cocoa butter, powder and chocolate product standards.