One of my earliest childhood memories—besides sobbing on the floor for legit hours following the viewing of 1988’s The Land Before Time in movie theaters—was questioning :asinine: actions of adults and corporations. Living within the ‘warm temperate moist forest’ biome of the Chesapeake rolling coastal plains, the lands of Algonquian-speaking peoples of the Piscataway, Susquehannock and the Nanticoke, multiple times a day we’d roll through our woodland neighborhood towards school, playdates’ houses, or the grocery store. During a particular period, I recall peering from my carseat—when Raffi’s ‘Baby Beluga’ wasn’t playing on repeat to distract me—sniffling through tears and hiccups as we approached the yellow Caterpillar® constructions machines; “but why are they cutting the trees?” I’d ask my mother. I have a feeling some bedtime reading sessions of The Lorax (1971), which would have been tucked firmly into the bookshelf left behind from my older sister, were partly to “blame” for this sliver of early environmental activism. Unfortunately, over the long term, nature versus nurture came into play, as I traded backyard exploring—picking up the spiky dried gum balls of the American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), the orange striped flowers with conical seed-heads of the Yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) or the spiked leaves of the American holly (Ilex opaca)—for other time consuming interests and obligations. The consummate worrier (and tear-shedder) in me has never faded however. The seasons shifted not only in temperatures and moisture levels, but colors: broadleaved medium and dark greens of the summer gave way to yellows and reds, then brackish browns, snow-whites and slushy grays, and springlike pastels when the daffodils emerged again on cue. Early impressions of colors and the gifts of the natural world leave indelible impressions on young people.
In this podcast episode of Conversations in Cocoa, Arif Khan, Fijian and Founder of Cacao Fiji and Vanua Chocolate Fiji, spoke to me about their work to awaken an industry waned but not forgotten. One of the first things he mentions in this audio, is his recollection of the “yellow cacao pods” that caught his eye growing up. Cacao was everywhere at that time, thriving in the early and mid ‘80s—taught in school curriculums, one of the major exports of the nation, and towns and roads are named after it. Even Fiji’s flag includes a cracked open cacao pod held between the lion’s paws. Then came decline. Nearly overnight political instability via the coup d'état of May 1987 shook prices, shifted policies, and forever changed trade and the marketplace. Arif says that their team continues to encounter cocoa producers in the region rattled by these events of the past.
Reviving cocoa to its former export height of 450+ metric tonnes isn’t the only challenge of course. Cacao in Fiji is grown in areas with elevated costs of production, high unemployment (estimated at 20%) and higher levels of material deprivation. Pre-Covid it was an island nation dominated by tourism—this remains an industry locals rely heavily on, and one that has historically been backed by governmental leaders, often choosing it over agriculture and social services. The 300 land masses and nearly twice as many islets that make up Fijian territory, pose many infrastructure and logistical obstacles for all industries and livelihoods entangled in contemporary global systems. The increasing frequency of climate crises and related disturbances can and have disrupted an entire year’s worth of efforts; as was the case with category 5 cyclone Yasa that impacted both the Cacao Fiji harvest/crop and the subsistence crops of farmers on two of the islands they work with—not to mention halted export activities. Combined with the pandemic, it was an incredibly trying year for the enterprise. Resuscitating the sector, will not only aim to diversify incomes, but reaching their goal of planting 1-2,000 hectares of cacao (~50,000 seedlings/trees) can contribute to combating flooding and future uncertainties associated with climate change. The tree-to-bar chocolate cafe that Arif and his partner/wife have built in Nadi, Viti Levu is a way to vertically integrate product, drive awareness of their mission, and propel tourists and return customers to partake of other local ingredients, such as turmeric and kava. Social impact drives their desire to reach milestones of producing 50 metric tonnes of dried cacao in the next few years, going from 100 active farmers to 500, as well as, return to exporting without major difficulties. They are also extremely optimistic about what’s to come; as he reiterated to me that a singular Fijian terroir doesn’t exist. They have maintained concentrated efforts in early stages of the company to sustain lower costs of production, but they believe exciting flavors await patient eaters and chocolate makers, such as what may produce Kioa and Kandavu. Additionally, sugar and wild coffee may more firmly and intentionally find their way into farmers’ portfolio in the years ahead.
Maybe you could ascribe Arif’s journey to start and lead a business in cocoa as a version of frequency illusion (the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon); you see something and then you see it everywhere—yellow pods, then a patio full of beans, followed by one chocolate bar after another. I look at it more as the incredible—miraculous—imprint of trees on humans. So powerful and memorable is this combination, that the trees that “raise us” never leave our thoughts or person, and in fact, literally may be found in the exact spot where we left them, if we have the fortune of returning decades later. Theobroma cacao is one of those: a spectacular—strange, intoxicating—tree that once seen, questioned and tasted, is impossible to part with. In the story told here, a seasoned adult spirit reencounters the wonder and intuition of their childhood in an odyssey that reunites him to his homeland and people. To revive cocoa in Fiji is to “speak for the trees”—and if Cacao Fiji and Vanua are true to their core values, they will manifest that “land, people and culture are working in harmony.”
More about Cacao Fiji
Social Media: Instagram @CacaoFiji, Twitter @CacaoFiji, Facebook
Website: https://www.cacaofiji.com/
Cacao Fiji exports/has exported to North America, Europe and Oceania; find these chocolates or ask retailers if there is a Fijian bar on rotation near you.
Soma Chocolatemaker in Toronto, Canada
Ocho Chocolate in New Zealand
9th & Larkin California, US
Tascala Chocolate Virginia, US
Nostalgia Chocolate New York, US
In 2015, they were awarded one of the 50 Best cocoas in the world through the International Cocoa Awards hosted by Cocoa of Excellence.
Topics discussed in this episode:
+ Story behind Cacao Fiji; what led the cacao trade to see less prevalent years
+ Company's main goals
+ Experience during/through Covid; lockdowns, impact of global supply chain on Fiji during this time
+ Logistics and pricing
+ A message for current or future clients on what they should know about Cacao Fiji
More facts about the country and landmarks referenced in the episode: Vanua Levu is the second largest island within Fiji. Here you will find the Matasawalevu Cocoa Project amongst the hills of Matasawalevu, Dreketi (town), where Cacao Fiji works with various farmer partners to centrally ferment and sun-dry their cacao for access to external markets.
Savusavu is a town in the Fijian province of Cakaudrove. Located on the south coast of Vanua Levu, Savusavu is known as “the hidden paradise of Fiji.”
Rakiraki is a district in Fiji's Ra province (there are 14 provinces in all). It is located between Tavua and Korovou when travelling along the Kings Road, on the northern coast of Viti Levu, which is Fiji's largest island.
Vinaka! Thank you!
You have just completed this wknd’s newsletter and listened to an episode of Conversations in Cocoa. If you enjoyed this, please consider becoming a yearly subscriber and sharing it with others — word of mouth and member-support is of the greatest help to solo-entrepreneurs and niche content categories. I also accept chocolate donations :) Connect with Lauren on Twitter @wkndchocolate and Instagram @laurenonthewknd. Photo credit to Cacao Fiji.
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