The DNA of cocoa beans in Australia and the South Pacific have been mapped, finding the unique beans are "exotic" and "intense".Researchers hope their findings will help growers capitalise on the global cocoa shortages.
"Something that's unique, that's different, that has a single origin, that has something exotic — who wouldn't want chocolate from some amazing Pacific island?"Mr Kirk, who grows his cocoa in the Mossman region, north of Cairns in Far North Queensland, has been involved in the industry since the late 2000s.
"The Pacific have a more volcanic sort of ash and that comes through in their chocolate. Ours that we produce here is a really nice cocoa flavour. It has that sort of uniqueness about it," he said.The boutique bean-to-bar chocolate market has been identified as having the greatest opportunity by the Australian Cocoa Strategic RD&E Plan — a perfect fit for the emerging industry in Australia and New Zealand.
"Australia and the Pacific are too small of industries to go into the bulk commodity market … we need to be able to add value and go into the niche markets. This will get us a higher price," she said. A young man's story of love and loss has solved a history mystery. It is also helping rewrite Australia's origin story
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