A Letter from Lolopō Phoebe
Dear Living Koko community,
This is a hard letter to write.
From the beginning, Living Koko has been about more than chocolate. It has been about honouring the lands and hands that grow our cacao, respecting the ocean that connects us, and holding fast to traditions of care, culture and community. Every bar, every cup of drinking cacao, every tea leaf has carried that story.
But today, I need to share another story—the one of what it takes to keep a small, ethical business alive in the world we’re in.
On 1 September, our prices will increase.
This decision doesn’t come lightly. For months, we’ve been absorbing the rising costs of:
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Ethical Cacao: Prices have climbed sharply on the global market, and because we will not compromise on fair pay for our farmers, we cannot look for “cheaper” beans.
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Sustainable Packaging: The materials we use to stay zero-waste and kind to the earth are more expensive than ever.
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Taxes & Levies: Small businesses like ours are carrying a heavier load from new government charges.
We’ve carried these costs as long as we could, because we know how much every dollar matters in our community. But to continue offering you cacao that is vegan, ethical, zero-waste, and slave-free, we must now share that weight.
Many of you have asked us: “Why is your ceremonial grade cacao priced lower than other brands?”
The answer is simple—we are a very small team. Behind the scenes it’s literally just two of us, side by side in the factory each day, working hard to craft, pack, and send your cacao with care. It’s also this same tiny team creating our marketing, sharing our stories, and running events—with the support of our wider Koko Crew when they can step in.
Because of this, and because we source our beans directly from our farmers—our family, our community—we’ve been able to keep our prices lower. When you speak to us, you are speaking directly to those connected to the land, honouring our heritage and the people who have grown cacao for generations.
We also made a conscious choice: to keep our ceremonial grade more inclusive, accessible to a wider community who might otherwise be excluded from these deeply grounding practices.
I feel sadness in writing this, because I know price rises touch everyone. But I also feel something else—gratitude.
Gratitude that you have walked this path with us. Gratitude that you choose to support not just chocolate, but a movement. Every time you buy from Living Koko, you are investing in Pacific Island farmers, in cultural traditions, and in a way of doing business that puts people and the planet before profit.
We remain committed to transparency, to care, and to joy. And we remain here, creating with love.
Thank you for standing with us through every shift and challenge. Your support doesn’t just keep us going—it keeps this vision alive for future generations.
With love and respect,
Phoebe Preuss
Founder, Living Koko
