2025 Bougainville Chocolate Festival dates announced
Buka will once again be the host of the annual Bougainville Chocolate Festival for 2025, to be held from October 28th to 30th.
This year’s theme — “Bougainville Island of Cocoa: Through Creative Opportunities, Innovation, and Information Sharing for Sustainable Socio-Economic Empowerment” — reflects the festival’s vision to bring together cocoa farmers, chocolatiers, industry experts, and the public to celebrate Bougainville’s world-class cocoa while promoting innovation and knowledge exchange to strengthen the region’s economy.
Secretary for the ABG Department of Primary Industry, Kenneth Dovaro, officially announced the dates, highlighting the festival’s growing role in positioning Bougainville cocoa on the global stage.
“The Bougainville Chocolate Festival is more than just a celebration of cocoa — it is an investment in our farmers, our communities, and our economy,” Mr. Dovaro said. “It provides a platform for knowledge sharing, networking, and creating market linkages that directly benefit over 50,000 cocoa farmers across Bougainville.”
He highlighted that Bougainville has begun to emerge as a key player in the global premium cocoa market, with cocoa that reflects our unique commitment to quality.
Over the three days, festival-goers can expect an exciting program featuring:
- Cocoa bean competitions with feedback from expert judges on quality and flavor.
- Seminars and workshops on cocoa farming techniques, value-adding, and business opportunities.
- Exhibitions showcasing cocoa products, farming tools, agri-technologies, and small business innovations plus other SME products
- Promotion of cocoa quality, awareness raising and compliance to BACRA regulations
- Tastings and demonstrations of chocolates and other downstream cocoa products, alongside displays of complementary commodities such as rice, coconut products, spices, and livestock products
Mr. Dovaro highlighted the festival’s role in driving Bougainville’s economic growth by creating direct links between cocoa farmers and new market opportunities through innovative ideas.
“Every award our cocoa earns overseas, and every new business born from this festival, proves Bougainville can compete at an international level,” he said. “By lifting cocoa quality and expanding value-adding, we are helping households boost their incomes while strengthening Bougainville cocoa as a key pillar of our economy.”
Since its launch in 2016, the Bougainville Chocolate Festival has helped spotlight award-winning products such as Bougainville Nunu’s Black Opal, and Twilight chocolates.
“This year, we’re looking forward to seeing even more creativity — from cocoa-based drinks and cakes to boutique chocolate products,” Mr. Dovaro added. “Our vision is to make Bougainville synonymous with premium cocoa, innovation, and sustainable livelihoods.”
The Bougainville Chocolate Festival is an initiative of the Autonomous Bougainville Government implemented in partnership with the Governments of Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand.
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