Cocoa farmer, Floris Niu, is a new face at Grey Lynn Farmers Market
Where is your farm?
Ms Sunshine Organic Farms is in Samoa, where our family has approximately 70 acres of ancestral or customary land in Tuana’i Village near the capital Apia. Our village has been growing cocoa there for four generations – over a hundred years.
How did cocoa come to be grown in Samoa?
There are two stories. One is that, in the 1880s, the Germans brought cocoa and coffee to grow alongside the coconut plantations. I prefer the story told by my great grandfather, that the koko pods were brought to Samoa by way of Peru, along our ancient migration route, by our sea-faring ancestors.
Tell me about your farming practice
We farm using traditional practices that go beyond organic farming. It is about listening to the land to work in harmony with it. We accept that this means we reduce the quantity of our harvest but boost the quality of the beans. Multi-cropping, natural fertilization and composting and following the moon cycles are some of the traditional methods we use on our farm.
What are you growing on your farm?
Cocoa and coffee are our main crops, but we grow a wide range of foods including taro, manioka (cassava), yam, breadfruit, and kumara. We also grow jackfruit, dragon fruit, papaya, pineapple, bananas, moringa, and other medicinal herbs. It’s biodiverse so we are assured of a crop for every season of the year.
What is the difference between Cocoa and Cacao?
Marketing! There are just different words used for the same plant – cocoa, cacao, or koko is what we call it in Samoa.
What happens to the beans after the pods are harvested?
We keep it simple. The beans are scooped out of their fleshy pods and fermented for 7 days to bring out flavour and unlock nutrients. Then the beans are sun-dried for another 7 days before we lightly roast them to make chocolate snacks, cocoa paste/block, nibs, tea, and candy. Not all our products are available in Aotearoa yet, but we are a main supplier of sun-dried and roasted beans here.
Is that what you bring to the market?
We sell the beans for people to use in cooking and we also make diabetic-friendly chocolate-coated cocoa beans as a treat. This is sold under our new brand, Koko Beans.
How are the beans different from the cocoa powder people usually buy?
Most commercial cocoa powder has had the cocoa butter and cocoa solids removed. Our beans are complete so they are more tasty and more nutritious. In Samoa, we love to grind them to a paste and simmer in hot water to create a delicious drink to start our day, and ours is famous for Koko Samoa.
You grew up in Auckland, how did you end up farming in Samoa?
Yes – I was born in Samoa but I went to school and university here. I worked in professional roles and ran a recruitment consultancy until ill-health and the trauma caused by domestic violence stopped me in my tracks. When I returned to Samoa and immersed myself in the land, growing cocoa gave me a sense of purpose. I felt the warmth of my ancestors embracing me, giving me a sense of belonging and healing. As my connection with the land and the community deepened, I developed my planet-conscious philosophy and learnt that growing people is an important driver for me.
You have deep networks across the Pacific
Yes – We need to work together to support each other, particularly to support women who have always worked the land but haven’t always been recognised. I’m a founding member of the Samoa Koko Industry Association (SKIA) and I'm the Co-founder of Samoa Women’s Association of Growers (SWAG). I’m also on the Board for POETCom Women's Chaper which sits under the international body - Pacific Organic & Ethical Trade Community (POETCom).
Ms Sunshine Organic Farms is also a Charitable Trust in Samoa and we currently work with Fairtrade Australia New Zealand on certification for our group of cocoa growers. Somewhere in between the farming and community support work, my work as an international cocoa consultant helps me to pay the bills. I've worked on projects supported by MFAT, DFAT, and UNDESA.
With all that going on, do you get much time to relax?
Not a lot - but I live in paradise where other people come for holidays. In fact, we have an agri-tourism side to our business - people stay with us as part of their holidays. And I love to dabble in the kitchen experimenting with new ways to use cocoa. Recently I made a cocoa and jackfruit wine – it is surprisingly good.
If you live in Samoa, how often will you be able to get to the market?
I won’t be there too often but one of my helpers is aiming to be there fortnightly. And I’ll pop in when I’m back in Auckland.
GreyLynnFarmersMarket.co.nz
Instagram: @kokobeansltd or @mssunshinefarms