Cupuaçu vs. Cacao: What’s the Difference—and Why It Matters
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Most people know and love cacao—the rich, bitter bean behind all things chocolate. But there’s another tropical treasure from the same family that’s just beginning to shine: cupuaçu (pronounced coo-pu-ah-soo), Brazil’s national fruit and chocolate’s lesser-known cousin.
At Figa Foods, we’re on a mission to introduce this bold, sustainable superfruit to American tastebuds. Here’s everything you need to know about how cupuaçu compares to cacao, and why we chose it as the star of our bars.
🍫 Cacao: The Classic Chocolate Base
Cacao comes from the seeds of the Theobroma cacao tree. Once the beans are picked out of the pod, fermented and roasted, those seeds become cocoa nibs—the base for the chocolate we know and love.
Cacao is:
- Rich in antioxidants and flavonoids
- Naturally bitter and complex
- Contains caffeine and theobromine (a natural stimulant)
- Often paired with sugar and dairy to make it more palatable
Cacao has been a staple in cultures around the world for centuries—but its rise in global demand has led to widespread deforestation, labor concerns, and a need for more sustainable alternatives. While there are people doing 'the right' thing in chocolate, if we can lessen the supply chain burden and diversify how people fill their chocolate craving, we believe we can do some real good.
🌿 Cupuaçu: Chocolate’s Tropical Cousin
Cupuaçu is also from the Theobroma family—but it’s its own species: Theobroma grandiflorum. It grows wild in the Tropical rainforest, often right next to cacao, açaí, and bananas.
Traditionally, the flesh of the cupuaçu fruit is eaten in Brazil (in smoothies, candies, and desserts), while the seeds are typically discarded—or used in beauty products like body butters (shoutout to Hailey Beiber's Rhode lipgloss).
At Figa Foods, we’re giving those seeds a second life.
Cupuaçu seeds can also be taken out of the 'pod', fermented and ground into a smooth, rich bar that’s:
- Naturally creamy and velvety
- Caffeine-free
- Packed with antioxidants and plant-based fats
- Full of bright, tropical notes—think cocoa meets citrus and caramel
🌱 Sustainability: A Smarter Superfruit
We source our cupuaçu from smallholder farmers practicing regenerative agroforestry in the Brazil. That means our bars don’t just taste good—they’re also supporting soil health, biodiversity, and local livelihoods.
Because the seeds are typically a byproduct, using them helps reduce waste while creating new economic opportunity. It’s chocolate-style indulgence with a much lighter footprint.
🆕 The Cupuaçu Experience
Figa Cupuaçu Bars are the first and only of their kind in the U.S.
They’re made with just three ingredients, sweetened naturally with dates, and come in bold Brazilian-inspired flavors like Sea Salt and dried Cupuaçu fruit.
If you love chocolate but are looking for a plant-based, caffeine-free, or just totally new flavor experience, cupuaçu is your next obsession.
TL;DR – Cacao vs. Cupuaçu
| Cacao | Cupuaçu | |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Theobroma cacao tree | Theobroma grandiflorum tree |
| Used part | Seeds (cocoa beans) | Seeds (usually discarded!) |
| Flavor | Rich, bitter, complex | Velvety with citrus + caramel notes |
| Caffeine | Yes | No |
| Sustainability | Depends on sourcing | Upcycled + regeneratively grown |