Page 11 - Fiji Traveller Issue 1

Cacao Fiji takes gold

Former real-estate agent, Arif Khan founded Cacao Fiji in the lush hills of
Dreketi because he “saw an opportunity to market the industry”.
Since 2015, Cacao Fiji and smallholder farmers in Dreketi, Rakiraki and
Tailevu have secured a growing customer base worldwide. But Khan says
there’s room for much more growth.
Cacao Fiji’s Cocoa Acceleration Programme might be the key to reviving the
industry, with its aim to plant 50,000 cocoa seedlings in 2022 throughout Fiji.
In July, Cacao Fiji won gold and the first Pacific Cup at the Pacific Cacao
Awards in New Zealand.
“It’s a very big award!” Khan says. “We’ve been very consistent with producing
award-winning cocoa beans.”
While most of its beans are exported, Cacao Fiji also supports other local
businesses like Vanua Chocolate, which sells bars, cakes, brownies and drinks
made with Cacao Fiji-sourced beans from its cafe in Nadi and other outlets.
In the pipeline may be coffee and vanilla exports, but for now, Khan says he’s
focussed on marketing their Fiji-grown cacao as a ‘fine’ product.

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