Interest there to work with local farmers to import quality to get higher prices
RACHNA LAL
SUVA
Pacific Islands Trade and Invest based in Sydney, Australia, recently hosted a number of representatives from two boutique US-based chocolate companies interested in buying Fijian grown cocoa beans.
Export Services manager for the Sydney-based company, Jeremy Grennell, said these representatives were also looking to work with the local farmers to improve the quality of cocoa beans.
“The visitors were interested in sourcing premium grade cacao and are prepared to work with growers to help them increase the quality of their beans so they could realise a higher price,” he said.
“Any small batch chocolate bars that do end up being made from Fijian cacao will be identified as such with Fiji branded as the origin of the cacao.
Fijian taste
The representatives met with a range of different Fijian companies including the award winning exporter, Adi Chocolate.
With Adi Chocolate, both parties had the opportunity to taste each other’s chocolate, compare packaging and discuss the challenges of making craft chocolate.
Tomo Zukoshi, from Adi Chocolate was very impressed with their packaging while the US visitors loved the chocolate flavours that Mr Zukoshi could bring out in his Fijian made chocolate.
Meridian Cacao founder, Gino Dalla Gasperina, said while the industry in Fiji is in rather an infant state, it represents a perfect time to build the infrastructure to promote Fijian cocoa as a premium origin.
“This is with an aim to receive premium prices for a large percentage of total cocoa production,” he said.
Fiji first came on the radar when Greg D’alesandre, owner of San Francisco based Dandelion Chocolate purchased a bar of Adi Chocolate when on a stopover at Nadi airport.
Feedback: rachnal@fijisun.com.fj