Title: Samoa Cocoa Export Improvement Programme
Location: Samoa
Client: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade NewZealand
Partners: Whittaker’s Chocolate & Savai’i Koko
Year: 2016-2023
Challenge:
Samoa’s cocoa sector, once a thriving and internationally recognised industry, gradually lost its momentum. Ageing trees, declining farm management, and weak market access led to falling productivity and quality, and over time many farmers abandoned their cocoa plots. Yet beneath this decline, the foundations of a premium cocoa industryremained—rich soils, traditional knowledge, and a product with a distinctive flavour sought after in global markets.
Joint Response:
The programme began by working closely with farmers to bring cocoa back to life. Plantations were rehabilitated, new skills were introduced, and confidence slowly returned. Through hands-on training, farmers improved pruning, replanting, and post-harvest practices, while climate-smart approaches such as agroforestry helped protect their crops against increasingly unpredictable weather.
Impact:
At the same time, the project rebuilt the missing link between farmers and the market. Farmers were connected to Savai’i Koko as a local aggregator and exporter, with Savai’i Koko supplying premium, fully traceable cocoa beans directly to Whittaker’s Chocolate. This partnership became the foundation of Whittaker’s 70% Samoa Smooth Dark Chocolate, demonstrating not only exceptional quality but also a transparent and ethical supply chain that reconnects Pacific producers with Kiwi consumers.
As farms returned to production, so did livelihoods. Yields improved, more smallholders re-engaged, and cocoa regained its position as a cornerstone of rural incomes—now accounting for nearly 70% of beneficiaries’ agricultural earnings and representing the primary source of overall household income. Notably, income per hectare has increased by approximately 250%, reflecting both improved productivity and stronger market engagement. What began as a response to sector decline evolved into a story of renewal—one where Samoa is steadily reclaiming its reputation as a producer of fine-flavour cocoa, built on stronger partnerships, better practices, and renewed farmer pride.
Title: Samoa Cocoa Export Improvement Programme
Location: Samoa
Client: Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade NewZealand
Partners: Whittaker’s Chocolate & Savai’i Koko
Year: 2016-2023
Challenge:
Samoa’s cocoa sector, once a thriving and internationally recognised industry, gradually lost its momentum. Ageing trees, declining farm management, and weak market access led to falling productivity and quality, and over time many farmers abandoned their cocoa plots. Yet beneath this decline, the foundations of a premium cocoa industryremained—rich soils, traditional knowledge, and a product with a distinctive flavour sought after in global markets.
Joint Response:
The programme began by working closely with farmers to bring cocoa back to life. Plantations were rehabilitated, new skills were introduced, and confidence slowly returned. Through hands-on training, farmers improved pruning, replanting, and post-harvest practices, while climate-smart approaches such as agroforestry helped protect their crops against increasingly unpredictable weather.
Impact:
At the same time, the project rebuilt the missing link between farmers and the market. Farmers were connected to Savai’i Koko as a local aggregator and exporter, with Savai’i Koko supplying premium, fully traceable cocoa beans directly to Whittaker’s Chocolate. This partnership became the foundation of Whittaker’s 70% Samoa Smooth Dark Chocolate, demonstrating not only exceptional quality but also a transparent and ethical supply chain that reconnects Pacific producers with Kiwi consumers.
As farms returned to production, so did livelihoods. Yields improved, more smallholders re-engaged, and cocoa regained its position as a cornerstone of rural incomes—now accounting for nearly 70% of beneficiaries’ agricultural earnings and representing the primary source of overall household income. Notably, income per hectare has increased by approximately 250%, reflecting both improved productivity and stronger market engagement. What began as a response to sector decline evolved into a story of renewal—one where Samoa is steadily reclaiming its reputation as a producer of fine-flavour cocoa, built on stronger partnerships, better practices, and renewed farmer pride.
