Gordonvale’s East Trinity Cocoa awarded contract with Haigh’s Chocolate in SA

A Gordonvale cocoa farm’s innovative practices have caught the eye of an iconic Aussie chocolate brand leading to a major contract. What the deal means.

A FAR North farm has been awarded a major contract and has proved why their innovative and environmentally forward practice is the future of the industry.

Gordonvale’s East Trinity Cocoa has signed a crucial three-year deal with Australia’s oldest chocolate manufacturers — Haigh’s Chocolate in Adelaide.

Owner Laurence Marmara runs the Gordonvale farm with partner Ginetta Marmara and have embedded sustainability into the heart of their operations.

Laurence Marmara with cocoa pods ready for harvest on his East Trinity Cocoa property. Picture: Stewart McLean

“We’ve spent $1.2 million on our processing facility which has been in place for almost three years,” he said.

“Everything that we do here is completely off grid, we produce our own power with solar energy … we have electric vehicles on the farm.

“Leaving a positive footprint behind was really important to us.”

The farm is a Far North first being the only bean to bar cocoa manufacturer that produces cocoa powder, butter and liquor.

Mr Marmara said he was told by Haigh’s Chocolate that the metal levels in the beans were the lowest they had seen.

East Trinity Cocoa owner Laurence Marmara has also produced one of the top five chocolates in the country at the prestigious Royal Sydney Callebaut Chocolate Awards. Picture: Anna Rogers

Without the use of pesticides and poisons, he said he was relieved to see his hard work pay off with the Haigh’s contract — estimated at $180,000 with 25 tonnes of cocoa over the length of the agreement.

“Haigh’s Chocolate being on board with us proves there is a sustainable industry here in North Queensland where cocoa is concerned and that will only grow,” he said.

“To have a major player like that take us on as a major supplier … it was an enormous load off our shoulders that we have a contract secured for the next three years.

“It’s good for our business and at the same time we want to see the industry move.”

East Trinity Farm first grew from the dirt in 2012, and 10 years on Mr Marmara said they were continuing to expand with a rum distillery on the cards in the future.

“We also have an expansion happening very soon. We’re starting our white chocolate beans and will have those 40,000 trees planted before the end of the year,” he said.

Originally published as Gordonvale’s East Trinity Cocoa awarded contract with Haigh’s Chocolate in SA