A cocoa cupping competition in East Sepik, Papua New Guinea, brought nine British specialty buyers and boutique chocolatiers together to taste chocolates made from 39 samples provided by Sepik cocoa producers. Judges and visitors praised the beans’ consistent processing and A-grade export quality, signalling strong international market interest.
The mini-Cocoa Cupping Competition held in Baimuru Village, Yangoru-Saussia District, East Sepik Province, showcased some of the best cocoa Papua New Guinea has to offer. The two-day event attracted nine specialty buyers and chocolatiers from the United Kingdom, along with hundreds of producers, fermentary owners, extension workers, traders, and community members. It was organised by Yekere Cooperative Society Limited with support from the Cocoa Board of PNG, the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, and other local partners.
A panel of four local judges from the Cocoa Board of PNG, Rubio Cocoa Plantation, and Queen Emma Chocolate Company assessed chocolates made from samples submitted by 39 cocoa farmers and groups across the Greater Sepik region. The panel was chaired by Kenny Francis, Sub-Program Leader of the Post-Harvest & Research section under the Cocoa Board of PNG, and included two women and two men.
Explaining the results to participants, Mr. Francis said: “When we were doing the tasting, we really had a difficult time differentiating the quality of the samples, which means your processing is uniform and consistent. That’s a very good indication because there were no major defects in all the samples. You should be proud because nearly all cocoa beans are of A-grade export quality.”
This high assessment was echoed by the British chocolatiers after sampling the chocolates.
Sophie Jewett, of York Cocoa House (UK), shared her appreciation: “I’m very grateful to the people of Sepik for sharing their cocoa and chocolate with us, and for demonstrating the different techniques employed here. We’ve tasted really good beans, and I would be very pleased as a chocolate maker to work with any of these cocoa beans in our factory in the UK. It’s been a truly amazing experience.”
Similarly, Alex O’Connor from Nutricraft House (UK wholesaler and importer) was impressed by the overall quality: “I was actually very impressed—some were amazing, some were nice, but nothing was bad. Sometimes you hear that chocolate from Papua New Guinea can be smoky, but in all the beans we tasted in this competition, there was no smoke at all. That shows people are improving their drying techniques and understanding how to enhance quality. I’m really looking forward to working with the people of Sepik to bring some Papua New Guinea chocolate to the UK and Europe.”
Rory Payne, from Cocoaloco (British craft chocolate maker), highlighted the importance of connecting producers and consumers: “Our customers have never seen a cocoa tree and most of them don’t know what a cocoa pod is. My job here today is to take your story, your pictures, and your passion back to them.”
Meanwhile, Jacques Cop of CocoaCaravan (UK small-batch chocolate company) spoke about shared values and respect for farmers: “I was born on a farm and know the hard work it takes to grow and harvest crops. We have a chocolate factory in the green rolling hills of the UK, where we work with cocoa farmers from around the world. What they all have in common is a passion for independence and authenticity—values we see here in Sepik. We’d love to add Papua New Guinea’s beautiful cocoa to our collection.”
The visit by international chocolate makers, tasters, and importers was made possible through the International Trade Centre’s United Kingdom Trade Partnership (UKTP) Programme, the Cocoa Board of PNG, and FAO’s EU-STREIT PNG Programme. The UKTP, funded by the UK and implemented by the International Trade Centre (a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization), helps small and medium-sized enterprises export their products to the UK.
Ms. Candice Webb Ungerer, UKTP Project Manager for the Pacific, described the event’s success: “The goal of this visit was to create direct partnerships between buyers and producers to facilitate sustainable, long-term trade. I’m so impressed by the hospitality we received—it was truly unprecedented. Having all these cocoa producers together in one place is such an advantage because it gives buyers the opportunity to sample so many different cocoa products.”
This achievement follows a tailored market-readiness training conducted last month for 68 lead cocoa producers and agripreneurs in the Sepik to help them meet high European market requirements. The training was supported by the UKTP, Cocoa Board of PNG, and the EU-STREIT PNG Programme.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the EU-STREIT PNG Programme and its partners, continues to support improved practices, technologies, and quality control measures in the cocoa value chain. These include proper fermentation and drying techniques, which have demonstrably enhanced cocoa quality in the Greater Sepik region—contributing to the exceptional results showcased at this competition.
The event’s success also reflected the power of partnership. Speaking on behalf of EU-STREIT PNG during the official welcome ceremony—highlighted by colourful traditional songs and dances—Dr. Rabi Rasaily, FAO Senior Agricultural Officer, commended Yekere Cooperative Society Limited for initiating the cocoa cupping event.
“They came to our office with the idea and initial capital to host this event, and EU-STREIT PNG and the Cocoa Board came in as co-organisers and co-facilitators. We’re so happy that this coincided with the visit of our partners and buyers.”
Mr. Daryll Worimo, Regional Manager for the Cocoa Board in the Sepik, said the purpose of the mini-cupping event was “to promote premium cocoa quality at the farm level using sustainable practices.” He added that the event, the first of its kind in Papua New Guinea to be mobilised by a cocoa-producing community, serves as a lead-up to the PNG National Cocoa of Excellence and Agri-Trade Show, which will be held in the Greater Sepik region in 2026.
The EU-STREIT PNG Programme is the European Union’s largest grant-funded initiative under the EU Global Gateway Strategy in Papua New Guinea. It is implemented as a United Nations Joint Programme led by FAO in partnership with ILO, ITU, UNCDF, and UNDP.
The Programme aims to boost sustainable, inclusive rural development by enhancing returns and opportunities in the cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries value chains (FAO) and strengthening key enablers such as:
- Digital inclusion (ITU and FAO)
- Digital financial services (UNCDF)
- Sustainable, climate-resilient transport infrastructure (ILO)
- Renewable energy solutions (UNDP and FAO)
The Programme directly benefits the East and West Sepik Provinces.
