% cacao is how much of the chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean, inclusive of added cocoa butter. This means that other ingredients like sweeteners (cane sugar for example), lecithin, as well as any other flavors or additives are not included in the % cacao. The percent cacao impacts flavor as well as performance. Understanding the composition of the percentage cacao is just as important (see added cocoa butter, above). You may have a 70% with no added cocoa butter and a 70% with added cocoa butter and the flavor and viscosity will vary depending on the formula. If you’re interested in knowing more about the exact formulation of your chocolate to better select the right chocolate for your application, please reach out to your local Guittard sales representative.