Last month, Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s export team travelled to the Solomon Islands with two Australia-based buyers to connect with the local cacao industry. From 5–9 May, PTI Australia’s General Manager of Exports, Jeremy Grennell, Export Services Manager, Maeva O’Donnell, as well as founder of Ratio Cocoa Roasters, Debbie Makin, and co-founder of South Pacific Cacao, Jessica Pedemont, met with over 25 businesses, including cacao farmers, exporters, and those selling other chocolate-related commodities, such as coconut oil, galip nuts and seaweed.
Ratio Cocoa Roasters is a ‘bean to bar’ chocolate-making company ethically sourcing cocoa beans and creating batch handcrafted chocolate in a Melbourne factory and cafe. South Pacific Cacao is a social enterprise supporting farming communities in the Solomon Islands to produce award-winning cacao beans and establish premium supply chains into Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
The recent mission included running workshops for interested parties focused on sharing chocolate recipes, diversified products and sales models, as well as meeting with relevant agencies such as PHAMA Plus and the Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI).
Reflecting on the trip, Debbie Makin said she admired the collaborative spirit of the Solomon Islands’ cocoa industry, its community-based operations and the participation of women throughout the supply chain.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to the Solomon Islands, meeting a range of people directly [involved] in the cocoa sector and secondary producers like coconut and galip nut farmers. The dominance of female owned and run businesses is so strong and lovely to see. It was also great to see that processing of both cacao and coconut was kept in the villages, directly showing the community and next generation the value of growing both those crops. The most inspiring thing was the way competitors worked together instead of against each other to maximise the benefits for both. I certainly want to bring in some Solomon Islands’ cocoa beans and cocoa butter in the future when stock is available; it is just going to be a matter of how we navigate volume and shipping requirements.”
Similarly, Jessica Pedemont said the trip helped solidify her existing connection with the Solomon Islands, understand the ongoing challenges, and witness key developments happening on the ground.
“My relationship with the Solomon Islands started when Brian Atkin and I launched South Pacific Cacao, to look at how we could support Solomon Islanders leverage their cacao products globally. It was fantastic going back to the Solomon Islands, as I haven’t been back since before COVID. It was integral to come back and connect with suppliers, farmers and even meet some of them face to face for the first time. A highlight of the trip was seeing what other ingredients and products they’re making, such as diversifying into powders and butter. It was also fantastic to learn about what they’re doing to mitigate their challenges, as the cacao industry has been greatly disrupted and things are still settling. It’s so nice to be able to refresh relationships and cement the good work we are achieving together.”
PTI Australia’s General Manager of Exports, Jeremy Grennell, said the trip was an impressive showcase of the quality of cacao that the Solomon Islands has to offer, and noted that the face-to-face interactions significantly deepened ties between exporters and importers. Jeremy also reflected that chocolate-based experiences, such cacao farm tours or chocolate-making activities, are emerging products that show growth potential in the Solomon Islands. To further reinforce relationships between the Solomon Islands and Australia-based industries, Jeremy suggests participation in chocolate festivals, training opportunities, and ‘bean to bar’ facility visits in Australia.
Export Services Manager, Maeva O’Donnell, noted the immense opportunities in niche Solomon Islands products, particularly when value chains are strengthened, as well as the growing interest to meet international quality standards, including improving packaging, adhering to market requirements, and becoming export ready.
PTI Australia looks forward to continuing working with the cacao industry of the Solomon Islands to develop and promote products in the Australian market.
