Cacao in Paradise: Hawaii Chocolate Farms
With its rich volcanic soil, plentiful rainfall, and ideal growing conditions, cacao thrives on the Big Island, providing the sweet raw material for some of the best boutique and handmade chocolate you’ve ever tasted. Hawaii is famously the only US state with commercial cacao farming – today, cacao-growing flourishes at several family farms spread out over the Big Island, from the coastal Puna region in the east to the secluded northern coast and south of Kona in the shadow of Mauna Kea.
Far from the massive factories that create big-brand chocolate, these are all family-run operations on five acres or less, making “craft” chocolate with unique flavors alongside classic dark and milk chocolate. When you tour their properties – which all require online reservations beforehand on their websites, linked below – you’ll see how the unassuming cacao fruit (much sweeter than you think) transforms into the divine and silky-smooth chocolate we all love.
Two of these farms are less than an hour’s drive away from Volcano Village, while the other two are within two hours, and all of them have points of interest along the way to add to your day trip. Charming and beautiful Hawaii chocolate farms surround our Volcano Bed & Breakfast, so get ready to indulge your sweet tooth and learn firsthand how the Big Island chocolate-making magic happens.
Puna Gold Estate
Start with the chocolate farm closest to our location in Volcano Village, Puna Gold Estates, where owner Stephen grows cacao and coffee interspersed with over 20 veggies in their garden and cinnamon and vanilla, making their grounds extra fragrant. They also plant and harvest several varieties of tropical fruit like lilikoi and mango, both of which play a starring role in some of their delectable fruit-chocolate blends. Although their farm tours have been temporarily suspended, check for updates about when tours reopen – in the meantime, stop at their Pele’s Kitchen outpost in nearby Pahoa, where you can sample some of their fresh fruit and chocolate. After getting a choco-fueled buzz, head to nearby Isaac Hale Beach Park, where you can get a rare and unforgettable volcanic black sand beach experience.
Hamakua Chocolate
The tagline at Hamakua Chocolate, just 35 miles from our location and just north of Hilo, is “the breath of the Gods,” showing their reverence for chocolate’s historical importance and complex flavors. The Hamakua founders got into the chocolate business in 2009, turning a former sugarcane plantation into a true tropical oasis with spectacular gardens among the rows of cacao trees. On your tour, you’ll pick fresh cacao when they’re in season while whimsically passing by alpacas and crossing a suspension bridge leading up to a treehouse overlooking the property. One of the owners, Dan Corson, gained international acclaim as a visual artist before changing lanes into running a chocolate farm – his artistic eye shows in their elaborate and stunning botanic gardens, a sight to behold while tasting one of their many signature chocolates (their Caffe Latte is a classic mix of coffee and creamy chocolate, while more inventive choices like chili pepper and rum raisin chocolate blends are sure to impress). Tours are on hold until October 25th, 2023, but will resume on Wednesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m.
Honoka’a Chocolate Company
You’ll find the Honoka’a Chocolate Company farm along the lush and secluded Hamakua coast on the northern tip of the Big Island, a 90-minute drive from Volcano Village but one of the more scenic road trips you’ll take anywhere. Owner Mike Pollard will show you around their 2.5-acre spread of cacao. It’s remarkable to see how much chocolate they produce from their humble 750-ish cacao trees, grown and processed sustainably, winning their farm several awards for their expertise and top-quality craftsmanship. You’ll see the intensive process of harvesting a cacao pod – picked by hand, then fermented, dried, and finally processed into five signature chocolate bars. One of the highlights is tasting all the different chocolates, led like a wine-tasting by your tour guide, with an in-depth discussion about their subtle taste profiles and variations. Tours happen Tuesday through Thursday at 2 p.m. – due to their popularity, they recommend booking at least a week in advance. As you return to Volcano Village, stop for a waterfall-viewing pitstop at Akaka Falls – it’s one of the Big Island’s most magnificent waterfalls and just off Highway 19 on your way.
Kuaiwi Farm
Kuaiwi Farms may be the most quaint of all the Hawaii chocolate farms, a tiny and welcoming family operation run by owners Una and Leon. Their name pays homage to ancient field mounds that demarcated this historic farming area south of Kona, where they have proudly worked the land sustainably for over 45 years. They grow their cacao, coffee, banana, and guava without pesticides, committing to homespun composting and a back-to-the-earth ethos. Their dedication pays off in their chocolate and coffee’s deep and rich flavors, for which they’ve won numerous accolades. On their tour, offered on Sundays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m., you’ll get to crack open fresh macadamia nuts, sip coffee grown and roasted on-site, and savor bites of their chocolate – it’s hard to imagine a more decadent combo. Because their farm is on the opposite (Kona) side of the Big Island, it’s a two-hour drive each way. But take Highway 11 along the southern part of the island and make a day of it by stopping at the southernmost tip of land in the United States and checking out the only-in-Hawaii Papakolea green sand beach.
Stay with us and explore the many Hawaii chocolate farms, a feast for the senses and a delight for your taste buds!