Pacific Cacao & Chocolate 2022

Pacific Cooperation Foundation is proud to be a sponsor of the first Pacific Cacao and Chocolate event this year. Held in Auckland on 23 July the event promises to deliver a visual and taste symphony of chocolatey goodness. It is the first Cacao event hosted by the Pacific people who grow the beans. 

The Pacific has a long history of growing cocoa beans with each island having a different story about where the beans originated. It means that within the Pacific region there are many variants, growing styles, fermentation, and cooking processes that give each island’s cocoa a unique flavour profile. 

The famous Koko Samoa was brought to Samoa by the Germans in the 1890s and has since become a staple. Trinitario cacao from Sri Lanka is grown in both Fiji and Vanuatu. While the Solomon Islands also grows cocoa, it’s the cocoa from Papua New Guinea that is arguably one of the most unique with their traditional methods for drying using wood fire that flavours the bean. 

The Pacific Cacao & Chocolate event is an opportunity to try cocoa from the islands and to celebrate this uniqueness of Pacific cocoa. It is a collaboration between Grow Asia Pacific Charitable Trust, Ms Sunshine Organic Farms Charitable Trust, Samoa, and SPS Biota NZ and is supported by MFAT NZ. 

The one-day event features the Chocolate Trade Event during the day and the VIP Cacao Awards in the evening. Webinars will also be held before and after the event. 

Pacific Cooperation Foundation is a Main Event Silver Sponsor and has also sponsored The Pacific Cup Award, The Pacific Inspired Hot Chocolate Award and the VIP Awards Evening Event. 

To find out more about the event, the exhibitors and the awards click here. https://www.pacificcacao.org.nz