It is the percentage of the recipe that comes from the cacao tree and its derivatives: cocoa beans, cocoa butter and cocoa. It is not the % of cocoa beans in a bar but the sum of all cocoa derivatives.– A 70% cacao bar containing cocoa beans as the only cocoa ingredient is 70% cacao beans plus 30% of the other listed ingredients. – A 70% cacao bar containing cocoa beans and cocoa butter is not 70% cacao beans and 30% cocoa butter plus the other listed ingredients BUT 70% cocoa beans plus cocoa butter and 30% of the other listed ingredients. Understanding the impact of cocoa butter in a real pure single origin is extremely important.