Aisen Samuel from Brenwei in Northwest Malekula is proving that dedication and knowledge can create new opportunities, after spending 45 years working in one of Vanuatu’s largest cacao projects before starting his own business, AISEN CACAO.
Mr Samuel began his journey in 1994 after completing studies in cacao agriculture in South Santo. He later joined the Metenesel Cacao Plantation — a major plantation established in 1983 as a joint venture between the Government of Vanuatu, the Commonwealth Development Corporation, and local landowners.
Over the years, he gained extensive experience across all stages of cacao production, from nursery work to harvesting, fermentation, drying, and management, learning from both local and international experts.
While working at the plantation, he witnessed large volumes of premium cacao being exported overseas. However, he became concerned that much of the financial benefit was not staying within the country.
This realization pushed him to start his own venture.
In 2021, he sent his first sample of cacao to a buyer in Australia, who praised its premium quality. This encouraged him to move forward with exporting under his own business.
By 2024, after leaving his job, Mr Samuel fully committed to AISEN CACAO and successfully completed his first export.
As demand grew, he realised he could not meet buyer expectations alone. This led him to begin training other farmers to improve both production and quality.
Working closely with the Department of Agriculture Vanuatu, Mr Samuel now helps run training programs for farmers, focusing on proper harvesting, fermentation, drying, and storage techniques required to meet international standards.
He also provides free training to farmers, encouraging them to work together to increase production and ensure consistent supply for export markets.
With support from the Department of Agriculture and programs like PHAMA Plus, his facilities have improved, allowing him to produce premium-quality cacao for international buyers.
Mr Samuel also travelled to Australia with support from the government, attending a chocolate festival in Melbourne and visiting chocolate factories, where he gained further experience and built connections with buyers.
Despite having multiple buyers interested, he says one of the biggest challenges remains the lack of trained farmers to supply enough cacao to fill export containers.
He stresses that producing high-quality cacao starts from the field — harvesting only ripe pods — and continues through careful processing. He also highlights Vanuatu’s strength as an organic producer, with rich soil and minimal use of chemicals.
Mr Samuel believes that with more training and support, farmers across Vanuatu can benefit from cacao and improve their livelihoods.
Through his work and partnership with the Department of Agriculture, he continues to share knowledge and build capacity among farmers, aiming to strengthen the cacao industry and keep more value within the country.
Photo credits: Spencer Cocoa
