Women of Cacao

In this episode of Women of Cacao, we hear from Raven Hanna, scientist, author of One Cacao Tree, and micro–cacao grower on Hawaiʻi Island. Tending around 50 trees in a food-forest system, Raven shares her experience fermenting and processing cacao on the smallest scale—challenging the idea that “real” chocolate requires industrial volumes. Drawing from her research on homegrown cacao traditions i...

This episode of Women of Cacao features Lilla Toth—Hungarian chocolate educator, international chocolate judge, and tea–cacao pairing expert based in Vienna. As a member of the grand jury of the International Chocolate Awards and a trainer with the IICCT (International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting), Lilla pulls back the curtain on how the world’s best craft chocolates are actually judg...

In this episode of Women of Cacao, Ecuador-based founder of Aukey Cognitive Chocolates, Natalia shares the neuroscience of cacao and how chocolate interacts with the brain. Drawing on research in gamma brainwaves, dopamine and reward pathways, multisensory integration, and the endocannabinoid system, Natalia explains how visual cues, aroma, texture, sound, and context shape not only flavor percept...

In this episode, we travel to the high mountains of Talamanca, Costa Rica, with holistic therapist and Bribri–Cabécar healer India Mayorga to explore the cosmovision of cacao as a living spirit, not a commodity. India shares an ancestral origin story of cacao—Siru—as told through her matriarchal lineage, explaining how cacao is woven into Bribri cosmology, law, and ceremony, and why her community...

Conversations from the Women of Cacao Summit—uniting the many voices shaping the future of cacao and chocolate. Join our global community, register for the next FREE live summit, and explore monthly gatherings at womenofcacao.com. Welcome to the Women of Cacao Podcast, Season 1, sharing  highlights from the Women of Cacao Summit 2025. 

In this opening ceremony of the Women of Cacao Summit 2025, hosts Ava J and Fiorella welcome listeners into a four-day journey that bridges cacao and chocolate, ancient cosmologies and cutting-edge research. Broadcasting from Cusco, Peru, Fiorella shares the scope of this year’s gathering: more than 40 women speakers, 32 workshops and panels, 23 cacao origins, 7 native languages, and 25 partner or...

This episode opens Season One of the Women of Cacao Podcast and highlights a selection of standout sessions from the 2025 Women of Cacao Summit. RSVP for next year’s free live event or join our ongoing community gatherings at WomenofCacao.com.