Imagine two smart guys who are knee deep in chocolate today. They would be Adam Potter and Ben Vanegtern, the owners of Puna Chocolate Company. The pair met when they were in the military in San Diego and became fast friends with a dream of having some land to farm in Hawaii. Though everything seemed out of reach financially, they came upon a deal for 65 forested acres in Puna in 2011.
Adam immediately flew to Hilo and rented a car to look at the land. He says, “In March, I signed the deed on the roof of the rental car and we started planning.”
Ben and Adam originally hoped to do land preservation in the area where suburban growth was causing environmental deterioration. They also wanted to do a bit of farming and began searching for crops that might be suitable to grow on their new property.
On a chance visit to a locavore fruit stand in Pahoa, they spotted what looked to them like football shaped squashes. They were amazed to learn that these were locally grown cacao pods. When they were told that chocolate was made by fermenting the cocoa beans inside, they were hooked. Long term chocoholics and fermenting fanatics, the duo had found their crop of choice.
Though they were originally disappointed to find that cacao pods didn’t have Hershey’s kisses inside, they were up for the work required to grow their own pods and use the interior beans to make their own delicious chocolate. Once they realized they could grow cacao without disrupting the established trees in their Pahoa rainforest, they started carefully placing cacao seedlings under the canopy the trees provided.
Since it took almost three years for the first pods to appear, they had time to learn more about growing, processing and marketing chocolate.
Both of them were able to use the GI Bill to educate themselves for their new venture. Ben, a self-described “Soil Geek”, enrolled in the Tropical Plants and Soil Sciences program at the University of Hawaii and focused on cacao cultivation. Adam got into the business administration program at Stanford in Palo Alto, California to get some ideas and build up his marketing and sales chops.
In 2015, Adam’s sister Terry became part of the project by learning the art of chocolate processing and getting the equipment to do it right. The first beans were shipped to her in Illinois where she created enough chocolate to sell at a farmer’s market in the Chicago area and later open a temporary storefront in Wauconda, IL. Within a few years, the fellas moved their processing equipment and started selling chocolate here in Hawaii.
During the 2014-2015 Puna lava flow, Ben described their Puna property, “We happen to be located in a hotbed for volcanic activity.”
At this point, the pair decided to find a safer area to grow their cacao.
Through some creative financing in 2016, they were able to acquire a 30-acre parcel in Hamakua which is now planted in fifteen hundred cacao trees. In 2022, twenty more acres were added in Holualoa and Kainaliu.
Ben’s training and experience made it possible for him to head the farming and planting operations on their properties and to start offering his services to Big Island cacao farmers as well. By working with farmers, he was able to expand cacao production to other Puna farms as well as others in Hamakua, Hilo and Kona. Puna Chocolate would supply the cacao trees, the farmers would maintain them and Puna Chocolate would buy their beans.
In this way, a network of new cacao growers was created who were sharing their knowledge of sustainable farm practices while providing cacao for Puna Chocolate.
Ben reports, “Our access to cacao across the island gave us the chance to taste the flavors of the beans from different areas.”
Today, Puna Chocolate offers 70% dark chocolate bars from their different growing districts, each with a distinct flavor profile.
Applying the French word “terroir” to their description of the differences, they included the soil variations as well as the topography and the surrounding plants as part of the factors affecting the taste of their chocolates.
When I asked Adam what were the most important factors affecting flavor, he replied, “It comes down to two things: weather and yeast.”
Evidently, in areas where the weather is cooler and moister, the yeast in the air becomes more active. In locations with hot, dry weather the yeast’s activity is slower. The activity of the yeast while the pods are ripening is an important factor in creating flavor. For example, chocolate grown in their forested area in Puna, where the yeast is very active, has a fruity, foresty flavor while that grown in Kona’s heat is often sweeter and more fudgy in texture.
Luckily, you can taste the differences for yourself when you try a few of their district-specific bars. Then you can choose your personal favorite.
By 2022, Puna Chocolate had more than 25,000 cacao trees in production that supplied the raw ingredient for making chocolate from cacao grown only in Hawaii. At that point, Puna Chocolate was becoming a leader in chocolate production on the Big Island as well as a behind-the-scenes advocate for tropical conservation.
The story does not end there. As their mission unfolded, Ben and Adam began establishing retail locations to get their chocolate out into the community. In 2017, Puna Chocolate opened a small Chocolate Cafe in downtown Hilo. Recently they moved their Hilo Cafe to a larger space where it continues to offer a destination for visiting as well as local chocolate lovers.
In addition to the Hilo shop, Puna Chocolate Company opened the Kona Puna Chocolate Cafe and Bar in Kailua-Kona in 2018. At this location they have on-site processing as well as a retail shop, a café and a cocktail bar. The 2-story building includes a second-floor gathering space for classes and hands-on chocolate experiences.
On a recent visit to the shop, I found lots of interesting chocolate as well as other Hawaiian grown products. I also took a good look at their bar menu while I ate a breakfast pastry with some of their delicious coffee from one of their farms. I vowed to return one evening to try their alcoholic chocolate drinks.
When I spoke to Adam, he told me they had recently hired a new food and beverage expert. Trish Gavin was able to apply her expertise to their bar menu as well as to their new restaurant venture in Kainaliu.
In addition to their Chocolate Shoppe in Kainaliu which is next door to the Aloha Theater, they have taken over the old Aloha Restaurant space, now known as “The Theatery” where you’ll find interesting and tasty dishes using mostly local ingredients. Try their Ulu Dauphine, the Hamakua Mushroom Soup or the local Kanpachi fish dish. Of course, one of the finales is Puna Chocolate Panna Cotta with Ube Espuma. Most of the menu is the creation of their new Michelin Chef, Stuart Woodman.
All this plus their farm tours and some wonderful seasonal specials keeps these guys and all their local employees jumping. Check out their website punachocolate.com to learn more and locate their businesses.
Respecting the island ecosystem remains important to Adam and Ben. Puna Chocolate’s belief in their community is reflected in their approach to production. Rather than resorting to more automated methods and machinery, they continue to create chocolate in small batches so they can employ local people to do the work. Do visit one of their locations to see their operation and enjoy some tasty treats. Tell them you read about them here.
Gardening events
Now: Pre-order leaf resistant coffee trees from UH CTAHR office in Kainaliu. Catimor hybrid seedlings and grafted trees are available. Conventionally grown, not organic. Trees grafted on liberica rootstock (coffee root-knot nematode-tolerant) are $15/ ungrafted seedlings $10. Available on a first come, first serve basis. Email andreak@hawaii.edu to express interest. A waiver and release form must be signed prior to purchase.
Save the date: Tuesday, Feb. 25: Coffee Symposium and Trade Show at the Outrigger Kona’s Kaleiopapa Conference Center with the Trade Show immediately adjacent. Sponsorships and registration available at the Kona Coffee Farmers’ Association website.
Farmer
direct markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday and Friday: Ho’oulu Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheraton Kona Resort at Keauhou Bay.
Saturday: Keauhou Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center; 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. – 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 Honokaa.
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.
Mon., Tues. and Fri: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Konohana in Hilo, 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kailua-Kona.
