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If someone wants to acquire anything from another nation, they must be more responsible until the end, much like in a marriage. Don’t look elsewhere. You keep going.
-Tomo Zukoshi, Fijiana Cacao Co-Founder
Fiji is known for its beautiful beaches, strong customs, and abundant farmland. In reality, despite the fact that the country’s population is rising every year thanks to tourism, most Fijians do not contact with visitors and go about their daily lives in the primarily rural country. This is how Tomo first became interested in cocoa while living in the little village of SavuSavu more than a decade ago.
Tomo and his family grew that brief connection into one of the world’s first value-added handmade chocolate firms over the following few years. Adi Chocolate and Fijiana Cacao, two of his businesses, are now eaten by hundreds of thousands of people each year. Therefore, in this conversation, Tomo and I discuss the formation of his businesses, local printing presses, and the union of maker and farmer. I hope you liked listening to our talk as much as I did.
It should be noted that Fiji and Fijian cocoa were the subject of my conversation with Tomo, with the final result being the audio episode on the Fijian islands.
Contents
We cover the following topics:
- the path Tomo & his wife Harumi took to found Adi Chocolate & Fijiana Cacao in ~2006
- kava as a traditional drink & medicine
- typical Fijian taste in chocolate
- local demand for local chocolate… and future competition?
- expanding into nearby markets, and locational limits
- developing packaging that honors the strong Fijian traditions, while also being made completely on the islands
- Christmas Island sea salt
- cacao’s journey to arrive on Fiji
- white chocolate controversy
- the delicate relationship farmers have with chocolate makers
Contact Tomo & Fijiana Cacao
Webpage for Fijiana Cacaos.
Fijiana Cacao’s Instagram page.
Fijiana Cacao’s Facebook page.
Contact Chocolate On The Road
@chocolateontheroad on Instagram
@chocolateontheroad on Facebook
Our show music is Phil Reavis’ Roadtrip, and our transition music is People Like Us’ Were Gonna Be Around and Lobo Loco’s Sweet Dreams.
Click here to listen to the previous episode.
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