Located off Highway 19 between Akaka Falls and Pepeekeo after a 15-drive from Old Town Hilo, the Mauna Kea Cacao Farm is a wonderful stop to add to your Hawaiian vacation. You can enjoy a 90-minute public farm tour that gives you unprecedented access to the working cacao farm featuring over 1,800 cacao trees. Outdoor tours are limited to only 12 people keeping the groups small and the experience individualized.
As part of the fun tour, you will learn how the award-winning cacao is grown, harvested, fermented, and dried. You will see and smell these scrumptious cacao beans and see how they are harvested by being cracked open to remove the pod. You can even taste the roasted cacao nibs and see DIY craft chocolate-making equipment. Finally, you will taste the commercially produced chocolate made from the single-estate cacao on the Mauna Kea Cacao Farm and enjoy farm-style Hawaii chocolate.
All tours are suitable for visitors who can walk at least ½ mile on uneven surfaces. This is a working farm, so it’s important to remember that many surfaces could be wet, slippery, and/or muddy. Guests are encouraged to be aware that Hawaii weather is always unpredictable and there is a great chance of rain at any given time, so be prepared for this. Wear closed-toe shoes and a hat, and bring a rain jacket or umbrella, along with insect repellent and sunscreen. All guests must sign a liability waiver before they are allowed to begin the farm tour.
Owned and operated by John and Susan who originally bought 20 acres on the Hamakua Coast in 2011, Mauna Kea Cacao began with just some seedlings that were only monitored during vacation breaks from the owner’s busy environment and engineering jobs. In 2015, the couple moved to Peepeekeo, Hawaii, full-time where they began to plant trees, harvest pods, and ferment and dry beans in earnest. By 2018, the couple’s hard work was rewarded when they earned the “Best Cacao” award at the prestigious Big Island Chocolate Festival.
The primary goal of the Mauna Kea Cacao Farm is to produce world-class cacao for dark chocolate crafters and aficionados. In both 2021 and 2019, this farm was one of only five notable Hawaiian cacao farms given the honor of competing in the International Cocoa of Excellence contest held in Paris, France. Their goal of growing the best cacao is made possible by growing the crop on land where rain is plentiful that was previously cleared to produce crops of sugarcane.
Mauna Kea Cacao has received many additional awards and accolades, making them an ideal source for various types of businesses and individuals, whether one sells bean-to-bar chocolate or makes chocolate for family, friends, or restaurants. One notable partnership for Mauna Kea Cacao farm began in 2021 when Providence Restaurant began to source their cacao for their house-made chocolate. Accolades for this award-winning restaurant include being named one of the “Top 50 Restaurants in the United States” by Gourmet Magazine, achieving the #1 ranking in “Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants’‘ by the Los Angeles Times, earning the “Best Seafood Restaurant” award by Los Angeles Magazine, and the James Beard Award, along with two highly coveted Michelin stars.
The Mauna Kea Cacao Farm has also proudly earned the Hawaii Seal of Quality given to them after inspection by the Hawaii Department of Agriculture. This recognition means the program “represents the cream of the crop of Hawaii’s agricultural producers.” This award is especially meaningful as it showcases that the cacao product grown at Mauna Kea is a genuine Hawaiian-grown product.
Countless other awards have been earned by the product produced at Mauna Kea Cacao Farm and the farm itself. The unique experience of seeing the behind-the-scenes process that goes into producing this crop via the farm tour is both educational and entertaining. Consequently, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy a real Hawaiian working farm while in the area.
Insider Tips:
-Full refunds are offered if a tour is canceled at least two hours in advance of its time slot.
-Be sure to make reservations well in advance.
-Specific directions to the farm as well as additional information will be disclosed after ticketing.