ORGANIC CACAO CERTIFICATION
Want Your Cacao Certified Organic?
What We Do for Cacao Farms and Chocolate Makers
Cacao passes through many steps before it is chocolate. We help growers, fermenters, and makers keep it organic at every one.
In the Orchard
Land history, your Organic System Plan, and inputs checked before you use them.
Ferment and Dry
Records for each batch, clean boxes and drying beds, and organic beans kept apart.
Bean to Bar
A handler plan for makers, with every ingredient checked and your labels reviewed.
Why Cacao Growers Choose Kona Organic
Cacao is a specialty crop, and few consultants know it. We work with tropical crops every day, and we keep the paperwork simple.
Tropical Crop Know How
We are based in Hawaiʻi, where cacao, coffee, and fruit grow side by side.
Every Ingredient Checked
Sugar, cocoa butter, milk, and flavors all have to fit the organic rules. We check each one.
Anywhere Cacao Grows
Hawaiʻi, Latin America, West Africa, and Asia. We work by video call and shared files.
Common Questions
How long does it take to get cacao certified organic?
Your land needs 36 months with no prohibited fertilizers or sprays. After that, most farms finish review and inspection in a few months.
Do chocolate makers need to be certified?
Yes, if you want to call your chocolate organic. Makers are certified as handlers, with their own plan and inspection.
Does the sugar in my chocolate have to be organic?
For an "organic" label, at least 95 percent of the ingredients must be organic. In practice that means organic sugar, cocoa butter, and milk.
Can I buy beans from other farms?
Yes. Each farm must be certified organic, and you keep their certificates and records of every lot you buy.
What records do I need for fermenting and drying?
A simple log for each batch: where the beans came from, the dates, and how the boxes and drying beds were cleaned.
Do you work with cacao farms outside Hawaiʻi?
Yes. We work with cacao farms and chocolate makers anywhere in the world.
From Pod to Bean
Harvest, fermenting, and drying each need a record. Boxes, trays, and drying decks cannot be made of or treated with prohibited materials.
If You Make Chocolate
Chocolate making is handling. The maker needs a certificate, and sugar, cocoa butter, and every other ingredient count toward your label category.
Selling Organic Cacao
Buyers ask for your certificate, lot numbers, and your ferment and dry records. We set up the trail from the tree to the bar.
Who this is for
Cacao farms, fermenters, and chocolate makers that want organic beans or bars.
When to call us
Call before you ferment your next lot. Fermenting and drying are handling steps, and they need records from the first batch.
Our conflict of interest policy is simple: we never inspect an operation we consult for, and your certifier always makes the certification decision. Book a consultation to talk through where your operation stands and what it needs.
Related: Organic Certification for Farms • Certification for Handlers and Food Brands • Organic Label Review