Every bar of Firetree chocolate begins with a place. Our cocoa is grown on remote volcanic islands and fertile tropical valleys, where soil, climate, shade, rainfall and careful fermentation all shape the character of the finished chocolate. For chocolate lovers and connoisseurs, this is where the journey starts: with the terroir that gives each origin its own aroma, texture and lingering taste notes.
As a bean-to-bar chocolate maker, Firetree works to honour the natural character of every cocoa origin. Our craft chocolate is made to express the difference between one island and another, one farming community and another, and one harvest and another. This guide is designed to help you discover the people, places and flavour notes behind our single-estate dark chocolate.
Explore each origin through three lenses: the landscape that shapes the cocoa, the farming community behind it, and the flavour notes that appear in the finished chocolate.
What We Mean by Direct Trade
When we talk about direct trade, we mean buying cocoa either directly from cocoa farmers or from the co-operative they have chosen to work with. Many of the farms we source from are very small, often just one or two hectares, so farmers may not have the infrastructure to ferment, dry, grade and export cocoa independently. In those cases, a trusted co-operative helps bring smallholder cocoa together while allowing farmers to focus on what they do best: growing exceptional cocoa in the place they know intimately.
What We Mean by Single Estate
For Firetree, single-estate usually means cocoa from a defined growing area: a collection of very small cocoa farms in close proximity, often working through the same local co-operative or farming community. This matters because cocoa takes on the character of its surroundings. The volcanic soil, the shade trees, the coastal air, the rainfall and the local fermentation practices all help create the final flavour of the chocolate.
Solomon Islands: Guadalcanal
The terroir: Our cocoa is grown in the north of the island. This sheltered side is known locally as Tasi Mate (dead sea) since it does not experience the large sea swells seen along the south coast. The fertile soil comes from Gallego, a series of extinct volcanic cones.
The farmers and co-operative: Our main farmer, Diana, grows her cocoa amongst durian and lemon trees along the north coast near Honiara. She has excellent relationships with her neighbouring farmers who step in when cocoa yields are smaller than expected.
The flavour: Cocoa from the north of Guadalcanal is known for its red fruit and bright citrus taste notes that make it ideal for higher cocoa percentages. Indeed, the cocoa is so beautifully layered and expertly fermented and dried that when whole-roasted, low and slow, the 100% cocoa products it creates are among our best-sellers.
Solomon Islands: Makira Island
The terroir: The peak of a primeval volcano, Makira's tropical climate and rugged terrain, with steep valleys, streams and waterfalls, and small flood plains is especially important for many endangered and endemic birds.
The farmers and co-operative: Not only does Lucy, our farmer, own the land herself, but she also exclusively hires women to help produce the cocoa. Thanks to the profit she makes selling super-quality cocoa, her two daughters have been able to go to university in Australia, perhaps becoming the next generation to take on the business.
The flavour: Whilst geographically close to its larger neighbour, Guadalcanal, Makira’s cocoa beans have a distinctive flavour profile that is deep and complex with gentle hints of grapefruit and raisin. Makira’s crop is so small that we only use the cocoa for a single bar that was recognised with one star in the 2025 Great Taste Awards.
Papua New Guinea: Karkar Island
The terroir: This teardrop shaped volcano island lies just off the north coast of mainland Papua New Guinea. Its two summit calderas are still active although the last eruption was over ten years ago. The andesitic volcanic soil is extremely fertile and supports crops like betelnut and lime. Coconut palms provide shade for the prized cocoa crop.
The farmers and co-operative: Our farmers are the Goodyear and Middleton families who farm on the rugged, one-track island. They are two of the main employers on the island, with farm hands having been there for generations and whole families choosing to work for the families thanks to the fair conditions.
The flavour: Ripe blackberry, baked raspberry and sticky treacle taste notes make for a distinctive dark chocolate. At 72% cocoa, our award-winning bar will seem much darker such is the intensity and depth of flavour.
Vanuatu: Malekula Island
The terroir: The island is pure, albeit rugged, paradise, with rich, volcanic soil that makes it a perfect spot for growing cocoa. Originally introduced 200 years ago by the Spanish, the last 20 years have seen cocoa farmers concentrating on quality over quantity. Improvements in fermenting and drying the cocoa beans has made this superb cocoa one we must champion.
The farmers and co-operative: Our farmer is part of a French company that is able to uphold the highest standards in quality and consistency. The amount of cocoa grown on the island though doesn’t even register on the cocoa scale of production, which shows how rare it is. It’s with great sadness that we will soon be bidding farewell to our Vanuatu cocoa origin. Changes to the political landscape have meant that our farmer is having to relocate and it will be many years before the cocoa farm can be re-established. We hope to return to Vanuatu sometime in the future.
The flavour: The cocoa grown on Vanuatu yields a complex and subtle taste profile with hints of cherry, orange, white grape and soft lemon. Our expert chocolate makers have found two percentages for this exceptional cocoa – at 72% cocoa, the chocolate is subtle and fruity, a gentle introduction to craft dark chocolate; at 100% cocoa the cherry notes become more baked and are joined by red fruit notes with a hint of buttery nuts.
Philippines: Mindanao Island
The terroir: Mindanao is the southernmost main island in the Philippines group and is Firetree’s only cocoa origin found north of the equator. The cocoa we buy grows on the slopes between Mount Apo and Davao city in fertile, tropical rainforest-like conditions.
The farmers and co-operative: Philippines cocoa growing is still made up of multi-crop small holders where they grow cocoa alongside a host of crops, mainly for the local market – think pineapple, coconut, and yams. Our farmers prefer to use the cooperative in Calinan to process the cocoa as their crop isn't large enough to invest in their own fermentary.
The flavour: With its distinctive taste notes of honey, citrus and silky caramel, this cocoa lends itself as the perfect introduction to both dark chocolate and craft milk chocolate. At a 73% cocoa content, the slow conche releases muscovado and red fruit notes that make way to the honeyed, caramel tones. And in the 50% cocoa dark milk chocolate, the addition the milk enhances the caramel tones to create a perfectly balanced chocolate recognised with two stars in the 2024 Great Taste Awards.
Madagascar: Sambirano Valley
The terroir: Madagascar is perhaps the most well-known of our cocoa origins whether for its recognisable lemur population or for the animated film but quite why there were volcanoes on an island that isn't near any tectonic boundaries we leave to the experts to uncover. The fertile soil, giant hardwood trees and mild wet climate are perfect for growing exceptional cocoa.
The farmers and co-operative: The farms we use are spread out and tricky to reach. Usually a family affair, our cocoa farms have a French legacy and the farmers still use ancient French bullock carts to transport the just-harvested cocoa pods to the fermentary.
The flavour: Cocoa grown in Madagascar is known for its distinctive raspberry taste notes, joined by red fruits and pops of soft lemon. It makes for a delightful higher-cocoa chocolate that has quickly become one of our best sellers. Soon to be joining this dark chocolate is a dark milk chocolate – an equally delightful taste journey that we would love for chocolate enthusiasts to explore.
Why Origin Matters in Firetree Chocolate
For us, ethical and sustainable chocolate starts with respect: for the land, for the cocoa, and for the farming communities who grow it. By sourcing carefully and making our chocolate from bean to bar, we can preserve the character of each origin and create dark chocolate that tells a deeper story with every taste.
