Dani Redmonds is one of Portugal’s first raw chocolate producers, providing our community with delicious, nutritious cacao bars and ceremonial-grade cacao blocks. She has a deep connection with this gentle yet powerful plant medicine. Dani is also the co-creator of the Facebook group New Earth and founder of Raw ChocoMama.
Dani was born in 1971 in Huddersfield, England. Never entirely fitting into the conventional education system and constantly feeling different from her peers, she realised she had an immense lust for travel. Leaving school at 16 without a backward glance, the courageous explorer set off on adventures. At 19, she left the UK, and her voyages became worldwide.
Always needing to find ways to fund her travels, Dani quickly developed resourcefulness, an asset that has always helped her thrive in her nomadic lifestyle. She grew adept at hair wrapping, busking and making juggling equipment. Travelling to India, South America and Thailand, among many other countries, she was unstoppable.
In 1997, Dani discovered Portugal by chance while hitchhiking with a partner. When they arrived in Lagos, she immediately felt at home, but when some friends introduced her to Barão de São João, she knew clearly that this was her place in the world.
“The village has a fantastic community. It is bursting with dynamic people who have incredible creative and spiritual energy. Still predominantly Portuguese, Barão also comprises a mix of transient and permanent foreign residents. I first arrived here 26 years ago, and I still love it as much as I did then,” Dani exclaims.
With few tourists in Lagos through the winter months, earning all year round was tough. During summer, Dani lived on the beaches in her camper van, wrapping hair, busking in the local markets and festivals, and occasionally working in bars. She travelled to other countries in the winter, using her survival skills. By now, these included designing and selling clothes and jewellery.
“I followed my instincts about where to go but returned to the southwest Algarve area every summer. At that time, camper van living was accepted and even welcomed by the locals, as we were all very tidy and respectful,” Dani remembers. “In 2007, I rented a run-down cottage in the forest near Barão, and after saving fastidiously, I bought a piece of land. The feeling of finally being grounded and having a base after all those years on the road was wonderful!”
Dani had always made ‘energy balls’ for herself, a mixture of nuts, dates and cacao. With her friends’ encouragement, she began selling them in the markets, and they were a success. She started to improve the recipe and moved on to making actual chocolate using raw cacao and cacao butter, lucuma (a type of fruit) and coconut sugar.
“The same bean is used for producing both cocoa and cacao. The process of roasting the beans creates cocoa. Raw cacao is unroasted, has a fuller taste and higher nutritional value,” she explains.
Cacao contains magnesium, manganese, protein, flavonoids and antioxidants. It has various health benefits, including improving cognitive function, supporting heart health, boosting the immune system and enhancing mood. Its scientific name is Theobroma cacao, which means ‘food of the gods’.
“The cacao plant is native to the Amazon basin, where for centuries the inhabitants used the beans to make a slightly bitter drink,” explains Dani. “It was European colonisers that first added sugar to it. When these colonisers started losing control of cocoa production, they pushed for it to be grown in Africa, where 64% is now cultivated. While 15% is still grown in South America, and 13% is produced in Asia, most of the beans are exported to big international companies for processing, packaging and retail. The farmer receives 6–11% of the revenue, often not covering production expenses. It’s commonplace for growers to resort to child labour and deforestation to decrease production costs.
“With all this in mind, I was determined to find an ethical supplier, and after intense research, I discovered a reputable Peruvian source of cacao.
“My ingredients must be organic, raw, vegan, with a quality taste and obtained sustainably. I infuse them with light codes and love,” Dani emphasises. Light codes can be thought of as energectic imprints or patterns. Dani writes words on a gold card that she wants to activate in the chocolate. Her methods seems to be popular, as Dani explains. “Recently, I proudly held a relaunching party at Roots cafe in Aljezur to celebrate the new upgraded paper packaging of the bars. The DJ’d event was so popular that people spilled onto the street!”
Raw ChocoMama’s bars and ceremonial cacao are available in 12 outlets in Portugal and online. “There are 10 different flavoured bars at the moment, but more are in the pipeline. I have also added bundles of exciting flavours for Easter treats this year. I work from my off-grid home in Barão, where half of my solar-panelled kitchen is dedicated to Raw ChocoMama. Surrounded by nature, I am happy that I am creating my healing chocolate delights!”
Dani has trained in multiple and diverse healing and dance modalities. She practises yoga, meditation, and enjoys singing, and as the Cacao Goddess, she is a valued member of the local community.
“I’m so appreciative to be working with cacao, a beautiful plant that brings joy and connection to the hearts of so many. It is said that in times of turbulence, Mama Cacao emerges from the forest and helps to restore balance in the world. I am forever grateful to be part of that more connected, loving jigsaw puzzle.”
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