What is the difference between cocoa and cacao
The botanical name of the tree that chocolate comes from is: Theobroma Cacao
The word cacao comes from the native peoples of Mexico, the Olmec people. History shows that chocolate changed hands to the Mayans and then to the Spanish.
It is only a word.
You say tomartoe and I say tomatoe
Hispanics say Cacao
The English say Cocoa
It is all about the trends in marketing and trends in linguistics. Basically it is two words with the same meaning. So that clears up that confusion.