The Solomon Islands High Commissioner to New Zealand, Her Excellency, Mrs Joy Kere visited the Solomons Gold –NZ Factory on Wednesday 15th August 2018. The High Commissioner met with the General Manager, Mr Glen Yeatman and his staff and made a brief tour around the factory and was briefed on how the cacao beans are processed into chocolates.
The SOLOMONS GOLD – NZ Factory, a subsidiary of C-Corp NZ. The Solomons Gold Chocolate Manufacturing plant, is based in Tauranga, in the Bay of Plenty, Northern Island. C-Corp Limited established its cocoa business in the Balasuna area, since 2006 and also receives its bean from out growers. Since 2016, C-CORP is integrated in the supply chain, as a cocoa producer, processor and exporter. The Cacao beans are Organically Certified. C-Corp facility is based in Honiara, which receives cocao beans from the local farmers and graded to chocolate quality and exported to the facility in Tauranga.
High Commissioner Kere thanked the General Manager and the Company for having the confidence in Solomon Islands Cocoa and in this case had invested time and resources in working with our farmers. But also adding value to the Beans for export.
She further added, “Solomons Gold Chocolate, using the Organic beans from the Solomon Islands, is a positive example, which should and be replicated in different parts of Solomon Islands. This is so that Solomon Islands farmers can benefit from value adding to their cocoa beans:”
Solomon Islands has the capacity or there is enormous potential to export its authentic and organic cocao beans to niche Overseas Market, such as with Solomons Gold- C Corp. Over the years, Farmers have been able to sustain the supply of organic cacao beans. Organic Certification is usually carried out by the Ministry of Primary Industry
Solomons Gold Chocolate are currently selling in 54 different outlet in New Zealand . New brands are continued to be manufactured, with the goal of producing ‘ bean to bar’ chocolate which is dairy, gluten and nut free, producing pure chocolate from totally natural ingredients.
HE, Mrs Joy Kere, SI High Commissioner to NZ and staff of the Solomons Gold Chocolate Factory, Tauranga, NZ.