So what is TISANO?

Tisano is a family run chocolate herbal tea company that abides by three simple truths: - integriTEA - qualiTEA - sustainabiliTEA

We source, process and package our Cacao Tea and stand by our product. We source organic cacao directly from farming co-operatives and give back 5% of our profits to socially responsible endeavors, such as The Victor Pineda Foundation and the farming communities themselves.

How is Cacao Tea different from other teas?

Cacao Tea™is the name for our brand of chocolate herbal tea. Although it is made from Organic Cacao Beans, it is not a hot chocolate substitute. It is the first pure natural chocolate infusion that can be classified as an herbal tea or tisane.

Our patent pending process gives you a clear tea colored drink with the decadent aroma of dark chocolate while not sacrificing it's potential health benefits. One sniff, one sip, that's all it takes to get you hooked to this healthy addiction. Cacao Tea offers chocoholics and tea aficionados a new and unique way to get their chocolate fix.

What does Tisano mean?

It's the marriage of Tisane, the official name for an herbal infusion made from anything other than the leaves of the tea bush, and Artisano - the Spanish word for Artisan since Cacao is still an artisanally grown and harvested crop.

How did you come up with Chocolate Tea?

We began sourcing and importing the first Organically Certified Cacao from Venezuela and are still involved in every step of the process - from working the harvest with the farmers, to loading up the truck, processing the beans into powder, butter and paste, to importing, distributing and direct sales.

While in Venezuela, we were watching our first 10MT of beans get processed and were shocked that 12% was lost to the thin fiberous outer shell around the bean. We had no idea what we were going to do with the shells, but after spending over three months in the jungles to get the cacao plant certified organic, there was no leaving them behind.

We researched academic journals from the 1900's to 2010 and found that the cacao shells actually absorb a lot of nutrients from the cacao bean and thus contain many similar healthy properties as the cacao beans themselves. The shell is also very high in magnesium and potassium and Vitamin D and is comprised of 80% insoluble fiber and 20% soluble fiber.

First we tried eating the shells and they tasted a lot like chocolate popcorn, maybe slightly more bitter. Then we cooked the shells and they tasted decent, and sort of reminded us of chocolate oatmeal. Finally we brewed the shells and were amazed! The final infusion was a rich translucent copper and had the decadent chocolate aroma that reminded us of hot coco, only more powerful. The first sip was smooth and delicious. The delicate flavors mixed with a touch of tannins at the back of the mouth for a taste that is truly unlike anything else.

This was the first time anyone has used the shells of the cacao beans to make an herbal tea and thus how the first real chocolate tea was born.

We started sending out free samples to our customers to get their feedback and it literally took off overnight. The free samples got people hooked and before we knew it, we were shipping orders of a product we had just invented. This was the first time anyone had ever used the shells of the cacao beans to make an herbal tea and we were encouraged to patent the process.

How can you patent a tea?

We did not patent the tea, but rather the process of making an herbal tea from the shell of the cacao bean. It is classified as a Utility Patent on the Processes and or Method.

What does socially responsible profit sharing mean?

We believe in integriTEA and sustainabiliTEA. We want to affect change and are involved with the Victor Pineda Foundation to promote the rights of people with disabilities on a global scale.

We believe in giving back to our farmers for all their hard work as well as being part of the change to empower the disabled community. My brother has muscular dystrophy and he is the least disabled person I know - Tisano wants to be part of the movement that helps us realize that disability doesn't mean disabled it just means diversely-abled. We commit 5% of our profits to affect change in the world - because anything less is just not enough.

So where can I find Tisano?

We are a young family run company. It's myself, my brothers and passionate friends. We need your help to get the Cacao Tea™ brand out there into people's minds and cups.

Currently, you can buy online at Amazon.com or in select stores across the country, such as Wholefoods in the East and Rainbow Acres in the West. But if you want some, you should ask your local grocer to stock us. The more we sell, the larger that 5% gets.

Give us a chance to make a difference while feeding your chocolate addiction. Tisano is a healthy addiction with a social impact.