My name is Lea. I’m originally from Ukraine, with an education in dental medicine, and the founder of Aroes Cacao.
For most of my life, my path was clear and structured. I studied for many years, learned responsibility, precision, and how to care for people in a very practical, grounded way. After finishing my studies, I traveled to Central America — not to search for something, but simply to pause after a long academic journey.
This journey changed me...
What was meant to be a short stay became over a year of living in Guatemala close to nature, local culture, and community. I learned to slow down, to listen more, and to feel connected — to the land, to people, and to myself. It was there that cacao quietly entered my life, not as a ritual or concept, but as a simple, meaningful part of daily living.
When I later moved to Berlin and returned to a fast, demanding professional life, that connection felt far away. Ceremonial cacao became a bridge — something that grounded me, helped me reconnect, and reminded me of a more present way of being.
I never planned to start a brand. Aroes grew naturally from sharing cacao with others and seeing how it resonated. Today, I still work full time in dentistry and I build Aroes alongside it — lovingly, honestly, and without rushing.
What guides me is not growth for its own sake, but intention. I believe that care, quality, and respect — for people, for land, for oneself — are not luxuries, but essentials.
Aroes is my way of sharing that belief.
Aroes is a personal story that once helped me to find my way back home to myself.
