Farm supervisor Joeli and senior cocoa grower Richard start the tour with an introduction in the shop. 
A praying-mantis-looking insect inside the shop’s small conservatory. 
Pupae on a plant in the conservatory that will transform into butterflies. 
Preparing chocolate for packaging in the temperature-controlled kitchen. 
A flower from a cocoa tree. 
Cocoa trees. 
Vanilla beans. 
Kava. 
Roro (taro). 
Cocoa fruit. 
Joeli opens cocoa fruit to reveal the pods. 
Cocoa beans drying out. 
A coffee bush. 
Compost and mulch. 
Cocoa grinder. 
Shaking the chocolate into trays. 
Chocolate maker Anne’s credentials. 
A tasting array of chocolate.
After Taveuni, we returned by ferry to Savusavu for a couple nights before coming home to Suva. Back at Savusavu, we visited KokoMana, an artisinal, small-batch chocolatier located in Daku Estate, next to Daku resort. Farm supervisor Joeli and senior cocoa grower Richard took us on a tour of the farm and operations. I really enjoyed learning about the plants and the very intentional planning of biodiversity to make the farm work. Agri-forestry is the idea behind the farm, and Richard and Joeli talked about the various species they’re growing to work with the natural soil and keep it healthy. If you like plants, you’ll find it fascinating.
After the farm tour, we tried some chocolate. My favorite was the sea salt. We bought bars of high-cacao content, sea salt bars, and masala-flavored bars. We also bought cocoa nibs so we can add them to a home brew stout soon.
To learn about another cocoa farm on the island of Vanua Levu, click here.
To learn how to make cocoa powder at home from cocoa fruit, click here.
ATB 