Like any chocolate product, cacao powder comes from the Cocoa Bean.

• First, the beans are harvested, shelled, and cleaned. 
   
• The raw nibs can be alkalised at this stage, a process that impacts the final properties of the cacao powder. 
   
• The nibs (alkalised or not) are now roasted to develop their flavour. 
   
• Next, the nibs are ground in a blade mill and then refined in a ball mill. This affects the fineness of the cacao powder and produces cacao liquor.
   
• The cacao liquor is pressed to obtain cacao butter and cacao cakes, which retain some of their fat. This pressing step is another point at which the final properties of the cacao powder are greatly impacted. 
   
• The cacao cakes are now ground to create the final cacao powder. 
   
• At this final point in the process, the cacao powder is very hot and needs to be tempered before it is packed in order to prevent fat bloom and clumping.