Sands & Semilla is small-batch cacao, made by hand by a woman-owned business, sold at Northern Virginia farmers’ markets and shipped within Virginia.
💞Refer a friend in Virginia, and when they subscribe to a monthly or annual bundle, you both get a free candle!
Cacao, not chocolate.
Long before it became candy, cacao was just the plant itself — whole, unsweetened, real. What I make is minimally processed, no added sugar, no fillers. Cacao’s properties — the theobromine, the magnesium, the antioxidants — don’t disappear when it becomes a body oil or a candle. The plant continues to nourish.
What I make isn’t “ceremonial grade” — a marketing term with no legal definition or standard.
It’s just honest, whole cacao.
What makes mine different is the formulation — real spices, specific ratios, made to work with the cacao, not just flavor it. Every blend is built around a purpose: energy, comfort, or something in between.
And it’s made by someone whose heritage comes from the plant. 🌱☕
The Monthly Cacao Bundle
Three items, delivered to your door every month — always whole cacao, always handmade, always small batch. This is the way to get Sands & Semilla consistently, whether or not you can make it to the market.
What you get: Each subscription box includes your choice of two cacao tins and one candle, or three cacao tins — whichever fits your routine. Blends include Morning Shift, La Luna, and La Dulce.
Pricing: $55/month, or $550/year.
Choices:
☕ $22 Morning Shift — Cacao, Chicory Root, Cardamom, Cinnamon
My own morning ritual — a coffee-drinker’s cacao. Chicory root brings an earthy, coffee-like depth (it’s traditionally used as a coffee substitute on its own). Cardamom and cinnamon add warmth. Best whisked into hot water or milk, first thing in the morning.
— 🌙 La Luna — Cacao, Vanilla, Cardamom, Cinnamon
A calming cup for anyone, anytime — not just an evening ritual, and not just for women, despite the question I get most often. Vanilla softens the cup, cinnamon and cardamom keep it warm. Good any time you want comfort, whoever you are.
— 🍫 Dulce Kakawa — Cacao, Vanilla, Cardamom, Cinnamon
The not-chocolate hot chocolate — for anyone who still misses the real thing. Date sugar brings real sweetness without added sugar. A pinch of salt rounds it out. Whisk 1-2 tbsp into hot milk for the closest thing to hot chocolate you’ll find without any added sugar.
— 🕯️ Cacao Candle 8oz - Soy wax, Cocoa fragrance
The scent of the morning ritual.
Common questions:
What’s the difference between cacao and cocoa?
Cacao refers to the plant closer to its raw, minimally processed form. Cocoa usually refers to the more processed, often sweetened version most people know as hot chocolate. Sands & Semilla uses whole cacao, not cocoa.
Is this “ceremonial-grade” cacao?
“Ceremonial-grade” is a marketing term with no legal definition or standard — anyone can put it on a label. Sands & Semilla doesn’t use that language. What we make is rooted in the plant’s real history, not a wellness rebrand.
Do you ship outside Virginia?
Right now, cacao blends ship within Virginia only, under the state’s home-kitchen food exemption. Candles ship nationally already. Join the waitlist to hear first when blends expand beyond Virginia.
How is cacao different from coffee?
Cacao contains theobromine, a gentler, longer-lasting energy source than caffeine — no jitters, no crash. It’s a genuine alternative for people looking to step back from coffee without losing their morning ritual.
Is Sands & Semilla woman-owned?
Yes. Sands & Semilla is a small-batch, woman-owned business based in Northern Virginia.
Can I change my order?
Yes — subscriptions run on a seasonal cycle so that you can adjust your box every few months.
Find me in person:
EatLoco MetPark Market, Saturday, August 8.
EatLoco Reston, Sunday, August 9.
💞Refer a friend in Virginia, and when they subscribe to a monthly or annual bundle, you both get a free candle!
Know someone who might be curious to try cacao?
Send them here miriamraquelsands.com 🌿