In our humble cacao factory in Melbourne’s west, two cultures meet each day: Bhavani’s Indian heritage and my Samoan roots.
We came to this friendship through cacao. It has grown through shared lunches, gentle conversations, and the stories we tell while working with our hands.
Bhavani and her husband travelled to Australia seeking a better life. They now call the Melton area home, raising their family far from where their journey began. Here in Melbourne, we are both building something for our families while staying connected to the people and places that shaped us.
There is much we recognise in each other: the importance of family, the care expressed through food, and the responsibility we feel towards those who depend on us. Our traditions have their own histories and meanings. Learning about those differences has become a treasured part of our friendship.
Every year, we are honoured to celebrate Diwali with our didi—our sister—Bhavani.
Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali carries meanings that vary across communities and traditions. For many, the lighting of diyas expresses the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is a time to gather, celebrate and welcome light into the home.
Through Bhavani, we get to learn what that celebration means in her life.
And as our friendship deepens, I find myself thinking about the light we can become for each other.
Bhavani now creates most of our cacao products while I am on the road, finding ways to share our creations and the stories behind them. Together, our work helps support more than 400 farming families in Samoa, while we raise and care for our own families here in Melbourne.
We both feel the weight of that responsibility. There are orders to fill, livelihoods to consider, and days when the work follows us home.
So we remind each other to eat. To rest. To look after ourselves.
Sometimes that care arrives as lunch brought from home. Sometimes it is a conversation that makes a difficult day feel lighter. Sometimes it is simply being able to speak honestly, knowing we will be met with kindness.
We are grateful for a workplace where we feel safe, where conversations can be gentle, and where our cultures are treated with respect. It is something we keep tending together, through the way we listen and the care we bring to ordinary days.
Our Celebrate the Light Diwali Gift Box grew from this friendship and sisterhood.
It holds an invitation to make a warm cup, share something delicious, and spend time with someone you cherish.
From our little factory to your home, we hope it carries some of the warmth we have found together.
A Gift of Joy. Warmth • Connection • Koko.
