Head and Heart - Clean + Conscious 2023 Finalist

We are proud to announce we are a finalist for the Clean + Conscious Awards 2023

Our Interview with ABC

Watch video interview with ABC International Development
about co-owner Phoebe’s ancestral journey with cacao.

Penina Naturally Alcohol Free Beer

Like taking a plunge in the pristine Pacific Ocean, Penina is a refreshing clean bright non – alcoholic beer brewed in Victoria and featuring cacao from Samoa

Cacao Creatives Space

We use all components of the cacao bean to create a variety of bean to bar chocolates, cacao husk teas and cacao husk dust for our Koko Smooth Skincare range.

About Us

We are working towards creating markets for premium products that are cultivated in the Pacific Islands.

We are currently working within Samoa and Papua New Guinea. We seek guidance in purchasing and networkings through Women in Business in Samoa, A values-led organisation, that supports the most vulnerable people in Samoa who need to develop sources of income.

WHAT WE CREATE

At Living Koko we create small batch guilt-free indulgence with our bespoke and organic cacao products, made of the richest cacao beans from the Samoan Islands.

WHY WE DO IT

We want to empower our communities here and in the Pacific Islands through fair, ethical trade. Connecting you to the best cacao in the world to you. We want to support ecologically.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US

The whakapapa (genealogy) of our food is important. We believe we need to have deeper conversations around indigenous foods, bio dynamic cultivations and
cultural health systems.

Upcoming Events

2023 Melton Business Excellence Award for Sustainability, Products and Process

Best Living Koko birthday present ever!!  We won the 2023 Melton Business Award for Sustainability, Products and Process ❤️❤️🤸🏿‍♀️🤸🏿‍♀️🌈🌈🌈 So grateful to be able to activate our business in @cityofmeltonofficial on Wurundjeri country ❤️ This award for us not only...

Tino Alofa (Love Thy Body)

Saturday 4 November, 2pm - 5pm - Seddon Deadly Sins, Upstairs in the Good Room There nothing quite like "Communal Self Care" and our Tino Alofa day will bring us together for some delicious hand scrubs, gentle breath-work an optional face mask, cleanings and talanoa -...

Koko & Konnect

Saturday 11 Nov, 6.00pm - 7.30pm, NEW HARVEST, 111B Nepean Highway, Seaford, VIC, 3198 In Samoa, Koko (Cacao ) is offered to deepen social connection - with deep listening to your community, your tino (body), fatu (heart) & māfaufau (thoughts) The Koko &...

Reimagine Melton – A Celebration of Art and Culture

Friday, 06 October 2023 | 05:00 PM to 10:00 PM & Saturday, 07 October 2023 | 05:00 PM - 10:00 PM - More information here Join us as we watch Melton come alive for a mesmerising celebration of Art and Culture. Showcasing a mix of performance, music and visual arts,...

Heart Nourishing Workshop

Saturday 14 Oct, 1.30pm – more info and tickets here Come join Fipe and Freya for an afternoon of Heart nourishment with Living Koko Cacao + Pasifika Dance + Yin Yoga + Meditation To nourish the heart is to return to the body and our true self. We invite you to join...

Blind Spots within the BCorp Journey

I have heard the saying "ignorance is bliss"...but in my cultural upbringing I have seen ignorance create the most intensely embarrassing situations for a family and for business both situations difficult for others to forget and credibility impacted. It is easy to...

WAHINE TOA – A womens strength

Saturday 19 Aug, 10am - more info and tickets here ‘WAHINE TOA’ is a womxn’s** day retreat, reconnecting with self, and sisterhood supported by Pasifika and Maori indigenous knowledge and plant medicine. After moving slowly through the winter months ‘WAHINE TOA’...

CACAO + KAVA + ORMUS CEREMONY

JULY 22 - Northcote - 1pm - tickets and info here MATARIKI – The eyes of our chiefs Matariki - Māori Mata’ali’i - Samoa Mataliki – Tonga Join us on a journey home to the heart as we celebrate our Pāsifika (Pacific island) medicines under the sacred star alignment...

Little Food Festival – Making healthy food fun

20.04.23 Little Food Festival combines education, exploration, creativity and fun to help kids re-imagine what the future could look like for them, their families and communities, and the planet.  An opportunity to plant seedlings, learn about bush food, get crafty...

FEATURE POSTS

The centuries old tradition of cacao cultivation in Samoa connects chocolate maker Phoebe to family, her ancestors, her communities and her homeland.

Click here to listen to Phoebe Preuss tell a story of place, connection, memories of home… starting with a cacao bean.

SAMOAN CONNECTION

I come from a family of cacao growers and processes. When speaking with my mother, her brothers and sisters I realise they all have an incredible knowledge in cacao growth and processing.

LAULU Sesole John Stanley’s story is what first got me interested in cacao.  One of the early pioneers for cacao in Samoa developing the Lafi7 strand of cacao beans.

I have never met my Papa (Grandfather) John Stanley but he has always been in my heart and when ever a story of his was being told I was all ears.  He was loved in our village of Vaiusu, Vaigaga and the District of Faleata. Everything he did was for his family and his people.

Papa and Uncle Sala, Ulugia Suivai started the first village marching band in Samoa, known as the Vaiusu marching band, which become famous with the tourism cruise ships, and performed in apia celebration occasion and weddings.  They would even invite overseas groups to come visit Samoa and host warm welcoming fiafia nights full of culture and food.  The Vaiusu band was the best in the country and would travel around the world and through country performing.

He shared his love of music with his village and especially his children, seeing Uncle Elijah and Uncle Dan starting their own cover band called the Holli Hocks.

He was a giver to the people of Samoa.  For over 2 years papa was the Assistant General Manager of WSTEC, managing the cacao and coffee plantations, also known as the German Plantations.  The stretch of the WSTEC plantations covered approximately three quarters of Samoa.

During his time at WSTEC he created the Lafi7 cacao bean.  The best cacao bean in the world.  A bean that thrived on Samoan soil and could only really be planted from cuttings to retain its pedigree.  This bean was so well known, tourist would come from all over the world to see the Lafi7 strand, in the special Lafi7 plot.

Papa passed away in 1969 aged 49, a kind hearted man that loved his family not just his children but his village. He achieved so much in such his short period of time on our earth that he was known and loved by everyone.  I draw inspiration from his life and achievements.

Even after nearly 49 years since papa’s passing people still remember him for his energy and warmth.  During our most recent trip to Samoa one of the farmers acknowledged the alofa his uncle had for LAULU Sesole, John Stanely.  The never ending acknowledgements and statements of love that is still today being shared about papa helps guide my journey through life and Living Koko.

Living Koko Logo

Living Koko acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we are based on, Narrm (Melbourne); the Wurundjeri and neighbouring Boonwurrung Peoples of the Kulin Nation, Australia. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.

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Contact Us

Our Location

Unit 59, 56-68 Eucumbene Drive, Ravenhall. VIC. 3023, Australia - Wurundjeri Country

Living Koko - Samoa, Papauta, Apia, Samoa

Our Email

admin@livingkoko.com

Our Phone

03 9002 0067

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