I hadn’t been to the Original Hawaiian Chocolate Factory in a while, so I decided to check in on them. These days, Pam and Bob Cooper are getting ready to celebrate 25 years of chocolate making here in Kona.
After several visits to Hawaii since the late 70s from their home in Raleigh, North Carolina, the Coopers had fallen in love with the islands. In 1996, they decided to buy a six-acre farm in Keauhou mauka and make the move. The acreage was planted in coffee, macnuts and cacao. In their first few months on the island, they started planning their new career as farmers.
Crops like sugar cane and pineapple were phasing out and coffee and macnut farmers were challenged by new insects and diseases. It didn’t take long for Bob to decide to start a new agricultural venture: producing chocolate in Hawaii. Cultivating his cacao trees and processing his crop into chocolate made sense to him. Pam described Bob at the time as fully determined to start a new crop for Hawaii.
He started by registering for a chocolate technology course at UC Davis. He got a diploma for his studies in July 1999 and was well on his way.
He soon began growing and propagating healthy cacao trees and researching the next step: turning cacao into chocolate. He got in touch with a British chocolate expert living in Florida. With his help, the Coopers managed to get a small chocolate-making system designed and built into an outbuilding on their farm. Though it was the smallest chocolate-making factory in existence in 1999, it fit the Cooper’s needs and they produced their first chocolate in September 2000.
Thus, the Original Hawaii Chocolate Factory was born, the first chocolate production facility in Hawaii. Anticipating increased demand over time, Bob wisely encouraged other local farmers to try growing cacao. He gave away seeds, sold trees and helped advise on their care. Today, he only uses cacao grown on his farm or other farms in Kona.
The Coopers are still using the same machines and procedure today to roast and winnow the beans before conching and the final tempering of the chocolate to produce a delicious and high-quality product. Their initial recipe for making fine chocolate has not changed over the years, either. Their chocolate continues to be popular with visitors as well as local residents.
During my visit, I mistakenly asked Pam when they started candy making. Whoops, wrong word.
Pam was quick to inform me, “We make chocolate, not candy. There is a difference you know.”
Well now I do know. Their fine chocolate is definitely not the same product that we might refer to as candy. OHCF chocolate follows a simple recipe for making fine chocolate. It contains Hawaiian cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin as an emulsifier and vanilla powder plus milk powder for the milk chocolate. According to the Coopers, as well as those who taste it, it is pure aloha.
Most of their production is for chocolate bars. But they do produce and sell a variety of chocolate products as well as their coffee and even handmade artisan soaps made from coffee or cacao. They also make some of their chocolate in plumeria molds that they designed, producing an attractive shape reminiscent of Hawaii. To see all their products, go to www.ohcf.us/shop.html.
They now have an Original Hawaiian Chocolate Shoppe on their farm where they sell all the products listed on the website plus specialty bars using nibs, mac nuts, Kona coffee and sea salt. The store is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday at 78-6772 Makenawai Street. But the driveway is actually on Kahoolele Street.
If you want to book a guided tour while visiting OHCF, you can book one on either a Wednesday or Friday morning by going to the website: www.ohcf.us. For more information, you can call (808) 322-2626.
Bob conducts all of the tours himself. He takes visitors through the orchard to see the cacao pods on the trees. Then he’ll open a ripe pod to show the cacao beans surrounded by a sweet, white substance called puma. Geckos love it. You might, too. The beans then go into wooden boxes where the puma sweats off the beans.
Sun drying the beans after fermentation remains the best way to maintain the flavor before roasting and beginning the 5-step chocolate making process. Visitors can view the processing equipment (process) through viewing windows into the factory. Of course, the tour includes sampling the final product: a delicious and fine Hawaiian chocolate.
When asked what makes his chocolate unique Bob credits the terroir which includes the soil, the topography, the climate and the overall environment where his trees grow. Add to that the meticulous care the Coopers offer to their orchard and their small-batch processing facility.
In addition to the 1600 forastero trees that grow on the Cooper’s farm, they also make a dark chocolate using beans from criollo trees. Since the two cacao varieties can cross if grown close together, they only use criollo beans from a sister farm in Kona.
The criollo trees are smaller and produce fewer pods, which increases their value. The beans are a creamy white when raw and they lend an earthy, nutty flavor to the chocolate made from them. Be sure to try the criollo dark chocolate if you take a tour or buy some from their shop.
Early on, Bob encouraged many farmers throughout Hawaii to start growing this new crop, cacao. Since the Coopers began their operation, several new chocolate makers have appeared in Hawaii. The increased chocolate production has been good for cacao farmers and has helped put Hawaii on the map as a source of fine chocolate.
Seeing the Coopers today still running a successful chocolate factory after nearly 25 years, I know it took vision and determination and hard work every day.
Pam described her husband Bob, “He’s always had one foot in the dirt and one in the clouds.”
He dreamed of getting a new crop going in Hawaii and through hard work on the farm, in the dirt, he managed to achieve his goal and produce delicious chocolate products that are aloha.
In addition to cooperation from the Coopers, Fern Gavelek Communications offered information and photos for this article.
Gardening Events
Saturdays:
• “Work Day at Amy Greenwell Garden” from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Garden Visitor Center across from the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook. Come with a mask and be prepared to practice social distancing. Volunteers can help with garden maintenance and are invited to bring a brown bag lunch. Water and snacks provided. Visit the website www.amygreenwell.garden/get-involved/volunteer-1/ and sign up for the weekly email for more information on work days.
Tuesday, October 17, deadline to apply:
• “Emergency Conservation Program” applications due to help address damages from wildfires and high winds. Contact UH CTAHR in Kona for more information.
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 17-18:
• “Malama the Farmer” at the Grand Naniloa Hotel in Hilo. Oct. 17 breakout sessions, Oct. 18 agricultural businesses tour. Registration $225 for both days. Sponsorships available for farmers. Sponsored by UH CTAHR and Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Program. More information at AgrabilityTraining and Events or contact Agrability Partners Tess McKeel at tmckeel@goodwillfingerlakes.org or JoBeth Rath at jbrath@goodwillfingerlakes.org.
Saturday, October 21:
• “Coffee, Tea, Water: Essential Elements Expo” from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Na‘alehu Sports Park. Free admission. Hosted by Stargazer Industries to celebrate the elements we cherish. Music and food will also be available.
Save the date
Saturday, October 28:
• “Plant People Road Show” from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Makaeo Pavilion at Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area. Meet Big Isle mom and pop nursery owners. Informative displays presented by the Hawaii Ant Lab and the Big Island Invasive Species Committee. Admission is free. For more information call (808) 987-3231 and/or follow Plant People Road Show on Facebook.
Farmer Direct Markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday:
• “Ho‘oulu Farmers Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheraton Kona Resort and Spa at Keauhou Bay
Saturday:
• “Keauhou Farmers Market” 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center. Information on their online market: keauhoufarmersmarket.com/onlinemarket
• “Kamuela Farmer’s Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at Pukalani Stables
• “Waimea Town Market” 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Parker School in central Waimea
• “Waimea Homestead Farmers Market” from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground
Sunday:
• “Pure Kona Green Market” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook
• “Hamakua Harvest” 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hwy 19 and Mamane Street in Honoka‘a
Plant Advice Lines
Anytime: konamg@hawaii.edu
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. to noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu — 322-4893 or walk in
Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Komohana in Hilo — 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.