Rakas Kakaw Family
How this women-founded, family-owned, ethical & earth-loving small business got started...
Established in 2023, here is a slice of our her-story:
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Rakas Kakaw Founder Nicole Flora Cramer first encountered ceremonial cacao during her 200-hour yoga teacher training in Costa Rica at the beginning of 2018. By the time she moved to a small island in South-West Finland in 2020, she had guided more cacao "ceremonies" than yoga classes.
Living deep in the Finnish wilderness, her connection with cacao deepened.
However, she could not find high-quality, ethically sourced Mayan ceremonial cacao for sale in Finland.
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At the end of 2022, after Nicole committed to deepening her studies of cacao by beginning to study with indigenous Mayan teachers & elders; the possibility of starting a business in Finland centered around Mayan Ceremonial Cacao began to gain momentum.
For this dream to materialize, she knew she needed a business partner. Her Co-Founding Partner, Emmi von Zweygberk, was an obvious heart-choice. Emmi's design background & technological skills perfectly complemented Nicole’s medical education, somatic training, lived wisdom, and experience as a facilitator.
In 2023, they agreed to harness the magic of their relationship and combined skills to create and birth something new, in alignment with both of their hearts and souls.
Thus, Rakas Kakaw was born in August 2023 - with the encouraging support of a start-up grant from the Finnish Employment & Economic Development Office, awarded to both Nicole and Emmi.
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The journey of life took Emmi in a different direction at the start of 2024.
Her energy remains with us, however, via the beautiful branding & website she created.
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In March 2024, we welcomed a new cacao lover to our team: Lauri Ovaska - Nicole's beloved.
Lauri is offering enormous support to Nicole during this transitional time. As we begin to offer more in-person cacao circles & retreat offerings, Lauri will contribute his skills as a professional chef with over 20 years experience crafting delicious food and as the curator of music for our Cacao & Dance events.
Now, the sky is the limit for what we are envisioning to co-create in harmony with the earth, with spirit and with our communities - at home in the Turku Archipelago, throughout Finland, and abroad.
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With love & gratitude,
The Rakas Kakaw Family
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Get to Know
Our Passionate Founder
Nicole
I was born & raised in NYC. Descendant of European-Jews forced to flee home during the Holocaust; I am still coming to terms with my ancestral trauma. My teenage dream of becoming a doctor turned into a nightmare of health issues that led me to withdraw from medical school half-way through my studies. Feeling like a failure, I fell deeper into suicidal depression. I was heavily medicated, supported by therapists & hospitalized twice. DBT as well as reading as many self-help & neuroscience books as possible helped; yet, still, I was labeled as “treatment resistant” after a suicide attempt in 2016.
The silver lining of those darkest years of my life: the birth of a mission to improve my mental & emotional health by whatever means possible. Slowly, I began to question the Western approach to health. Under medical supervision, I detoxed from mood “stabilizing” pharmaceutical drugs. I began to recover & regain a healthy sense of self free from prescription pill “side effects.”
Becoming a yoga teacher was my gateway drug to holistic health & wellness. I was introduced to communal healing rituals & ceremonial cacao. From there, I developed interests in Shamanism, plant medicine & ancient indigenous approaches to human health & healing.
Eventually, I grew to understand that numbing is not healing; & began to learn how to face my pain & trauma. ​I discovered that modern allopathic medicine works best alongside traditional healing modalities & began to apply a combination of Western science & Traditional Healing to my health choices. As my health habits improved, so did my emotional & mental stability, as well as my relationships. Slowly, I began to offer support to others in their healing journeys.
In June 2020, I moved with my partner to Finland. As social distancing measures eased, I began to share cacao in small circles with new friends. The more I shared cacao, the more I began to receive requests for more circles & more cacao. Thus, my vision for Rakas Kakaw was conceived.
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Education & Training:
H.S. The Horace Mann School; Bronx, NY
B.A. Georgetown University; Washington, DC
26 months of M.D. studies, Downstate College of Medicine; Brooklyn, NY
200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Sacred Paths Yoga; Costa Rica
25-hour Yoga Nidra Training, Lotus University; New York, NY
40-hour Aerial Yoga Teacher Training, Om Factory; New York, NY
5-month Sacred Facilitator Training, The Global Sisterhood; Virtual
5-month Cacao Partners Program, The Mayan Wisdom Project; Virtual
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Nicole continues t0 study & consult with Mayan elders of K'iche, Kaqchikel & Tzʼutujil lineages to deepen her understanding of ceremonial cacao & Mayan culture.
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Thank you for supporting our small business with a big heartfelt mission!
Kiitos! Tack! Maltiox!
With love,
Nicole