Your Golden Ticket to the Maui Chocolate Tour
Set just over the rainbow in the foothills of Mauna Kahalawai (the West Maui Mountains), Maui Ku’ia Chocolate’s 20-acre cacao estate boasts harvests that are turned into premium chocolate bars and a glut of decadent chocolate desserts. So as self-proclaimed sweets connoiseurs, we couldn’t wait to indulge our greatest Willy Wonka dreams and check it out. Our visit made us feel like we had won the golden ticket. But the truth is, it’s all part of the Maui Chocolate Tour – no golden ticket needed. 😉
Come along as we serve up all of the sweet details on this delicious new Maui experience!
GETTING THERE
The one-and-a-half hour Maui Chocolate Tour begins at Maui Ku’ia Chocolate’s factory, the largest in Hawaii. It is conveniently located off of the Lahaina Bypass on the west side of the island. Here, we met our guide and boarded a small van to the farm. During our 10-minute ride along scenic, but somewhat bumpy, dirt roads, our guide explained how Maui Ku’ia Chocolate Estate was born.
THE MAUI KU’IA CHOCOLATE ESTATE STORY
Like many good things, it all began with a dream. Dr. Gunars Valkirs, an extremely successful retired biotech entrepreneur, imagined a future growing cacao at his Kapalua, Maui home. When that didn’t work, he began exploring other options. This involved 20-acres in Lahaina and a world-renowned botanist, Dan O’Doherty. In 2013, work began on the now fully operational cacao farm. Following that, the Maui Ku’ia Chocolate team broke ground on the nearby carbon-negative chocolate factory, which opened in 2020.
THE FARM & TOUR
Just as our little lesson came to a close, we pulled up to Maui Ku’ia Chocolate’s cacao farm. We immediately felt like we had stumbled upon something out of a fairy tale. While much of the surrounding area is dry and arid, the estate is lush. In fact, it was masterfully designed to grow cacao. Our guide explained the estate’s various species of trees and shrubs and how each one aids the farm’s 8,000 cacao trees. It is truly a science! Then, our guide showed us some cacao trees and pods and taught us about the farm-to-bar process.
THE TREEHOUSE
After we worked up an appetite learning about cacao farming, our guide led us to the 9-piece chocolate tasting. We thought maybe we’d be seated at some picnic tables, but Maui Chocolate Tour had a better idea. Imagine the most epic and storybook venue, a treehouse, smack dab in the middle of a cacao farm! We slowly climbed the stairs with railings that look like something out of The Swiss Family Robinson to the second story. Here, panoramic ocean and mountain views took our breath away.
THE TASTING
Once we were seated, the much-anticipated chocolate tasting began! From dark chocolate to dark milk chocolate to flavored chocolate (like the mango – our fave!), the experience did not disappoint. As we let each piece melt in our mouths, our guide walked us through its backstory. We found it interesting to learn that while all of Maui Ku’ia’s Chocolate is made locally, some of the cacao is sourced from Amazonas, Brazil and Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador. This is due to the limited yields of the Lahaina grown harvests and is clearly indicated on the packaging.
OTHER MAUI KU’IA CHOCOLATE EXPERIENCES
As our time at the cacao farm wrapped up, we were still hungry for more! Luckily, Maui Ku’ia Chocolate offers a few ways to feed that craving back at its factory. The first is a chocolate dessert bakery, which serves treats like chocolate mousse, fudgy mango brownies and hot chocolate. Next, the factory is home to the retail shop where you can stock up on your favorite chocolates or bring some home to share with loved ones. Lastly, the factory offers an upstairs pavilion with a weekly chocolate happy hour and regular tastings. The most guilt-free part?! 100% of Maui Ku’ia Chocolate’s net profits are donated to Maui charities.
Looking for a second serving of dessert?! Sink your teeth into this post about Maui Ku’ia Chocolate Factory.
