It began as a crazy idea in 1997.

"What if cocoa could be grown in Australia?"

Cocoa only grows up to 18 degrees north or south of the equator which takes in the top end of Australia.

1998 - NACDA Trials

Cadbury Schweppes started the ball rolling in 1998 establishing a consortium called the North Australian Cocoa Development Alliance (NACDA) which included the Australian Federal Government, State Governments of Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia, Univiersity of New South Wales, Sydney University of Technology, Timbercorp and Haighs Chocolates, plus a handful of visionary farmers, almost 50 people participated in the massive research project which lasted 15 years.

2000 - The first Australian cocoa plantation

The first (and still thriving) cocoa plantation in Australia was established in 1999 near Port Douglas, bordering the ancient Daintree Rainforest.  Owned and operated by a local sugar cane farming family, this plantation quickly demonstrated that not only was growing cocoa in Australia possible, but the fruit was incredibly consistent and high quality compared with many other long established cocoa growing regions around the world.  The fertile soils, topography, coastal aspect and meteorological environment along the Queensland Far North coastline proved to be the perfect haven for growing cocoa.  Other plantations in Northern Territory and Western Australia showed some promise, but were not as convincing as the Daintree region and were abandoned.

Australia's first and oldest cocoa plantation near Port Douglas, Cocoa pods growing on mature trees.

2004 - Commercial challenges

4 years after initial planting, the first cocoa trees in Australia began bearing usable fruit (cocoa pods), having established that Australian grown cocoa was top quality, attention then turned to processing the fresh cocoa fruit so it could be used to make chocolate.  It was quickly realised that Australia was radically different to most other cocoa producing countries.  Australia has significantly higher wages compared to most countries where cocoa is grown, which are typically equatorial third world countries where labour is cheap and resources are limited.  Additionally, the vast size of Australia and the sparse spread of our population meant that transport was also significantly more costly.  Far North Queensland was still considered the most commercial viable place to grow and process cocoa because of the road and rail infrastructure up the east coast of Australia which at least would help to keep transport costs down and labourers more readily available.

Processing cocoa is a lengthy and complex process which was already well known, so NACDA focussed on how Australia could leverage our infrastructure and mechanical engineering capabilities, science resources and knowledge to improve efficiency, control and influence flavour profiles and exploit more of the cocoa pod for a range of applications including obviously chocolate, but extending to explore potential uses of the usual cocoa waste byproducts.

Diversification leads to innovation

The verdict was that Far North Queensland was absolutely ideal for growing cocoa and the farming community there has since adopted cocoa as a diversification crop to help mitigate risks associated with variability in weather, natural disasters and market forces for traditional crops in the region including sugarcane, bananas, coffee and other tropical fruits and nuts.  There are today around 30 hectares of cocoa being grown in Far North Queensland.  It's a tiny area compared to the massive cocoa plantations in West Africa especially, but there are two things that make Australian cocoa unique and highly desirable...

1. The unique and delightful flavour profiles of Australian grown cocoa
2. Our ability to invest in research and development of technology to better influence cocoa health, and identify diverse applications for cocoa across food, cosmeceuticals, pharmaceuticals and land management.,  

2005 - Australia's pioneering cocoa growers

A group of forward-thinking investors, chocolate industry specialists and farmers formed Cocoa Australia Pty Ltd in 2005 to move from experimental growing into proper commercially viable cocoa farming. Around 15 hectares were planted in total between Cairns and Mossman in Far North Queensland.  Our Managing Director Tim Davies was Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of Cocoa Australia Pty Ltd.  He facilitated government subsidised planting of a further 15 hectares of cocoa plantations from Innisfail in the south to Cape Tribulation in the north, and west into the Atherton Tablelands.

Cocoa seedlings being planted in the Atherton Tablelands, 1 year old cocoa plantation north of Mossman.

2009 - The cocoa cooperative 

Cocoa Australia Pty Ltd was unfortunately closed down by foreign investors as part of a hostile corporate takeover in 2009. The original cocoa farming pioneers were devastated as it meant they'd been investing their time, energy and money for 3-4 years all for nothing.  In January 2010, Tim Davies met with 5 cocoa growers in Mossman, Queensland to seek a path forward, and was mandated to establish a cooperative business where growers, product development specialists, food scientists and chocolate makers could pool their collective knowledge and resources to build a sustainable and profitable future for the industry in Australia.  Daintree Cocoa Pty Ltd was formed and quickly established cocoa harvesting, processing and chocolate making expertise.

2011 - Daintree Estates launched
The first chocolate made from cocoa grown in Australia was launched under the Daintree Estates brand in 2011 and quickly gained international attention.  Tim Davies designed the first Daintree Estates logo, built the first Daintree Estates website and served as a board director and secretary for about 9 years before leaving to focus on his ecommerce agency business ZELLIS. 

2011 - Daintree Estates Executive Chairman Ray Durrant launches Daintree Estates in Cairns, Queensland.

Daintree Cocoa Pty Ltd sadly went into administration in 2025 and our company Australian Cocoa & Chocolate Purveyors Pty Ltd acquired the Daintree Estates brand, intellectual properety and some assets.  We did this not only to keep the story alive, but to continue the same mindset of exploration and improvement that Australia's cocoa pioneers exhibited.  It's our primary aim to continue finding beneficial uses and applications of cocoa and chocolate for Australians to enjoy, and to showcase the very best of Australian cocoa and chocolate to the world.

2025 - A new chapter begins

Daintree Estates is today owned and operated by the Davies family, Tim, Charlene, Sean and Ryan through their family company Australian Cocoa & Chocolate Pty Ltd..  We're located in Melbourne, a long way from the humidity of the magnificent Daintree region, but we are in constant communication with our growers and the farming community in Far North Queensland.  It's a beautiful and dynamic collaboration which ensures you get to enjoy and appreciate the senstational natural taste of Australian grown cocoa in every bar of Daintree Estates chocolate, and can explore other amazing nutritious cocoa products such as our delicious Daintree Estates Cocoa Tea, a healthier alternative to coffee and tea.  We're also working on expanding the range of Daintree Estates products as well as introducing chocolate and cocoa products from other origin locations in the Oceania region.

Let's be friends 

Thanks for dropping by.  We get emails and messages in social media every day from people just like you who have been so amazed by the unique and distinctive taste of Daintree Estates chocolate.  We'd love to hear from you too.  Share your pics, adventures and moments in our socials or send us a message any time...

Want more info?

Interested to read more about the history of cocoa growing in Australia?  

Student & teacher resources for assignments and curriculum on cocoa growing in Australia are available free from Daintree Estates.  Just ask.