Daintree Estates was established in 2010 by a group of passionate 'cocoa / chocolatephiles' and cocoa growers in Tropical Far North Queensland, bringing together skills of farming, processing, chocolate making and marketing.
Our Far North Queensland office and post harvest processing operations, including pod receiving and splitting, fermentation, solar drying is located at Pringle St. Also, our nursery and cocoa bean roasting and winnowing forms the first steps in our boutique bean to bar chocolate production.
The Goodman family’s interest in growing cocoa started when researchers visited Mossman Mill in 1999. They wanted to see if cocoa could be grown effectively in Northern Australia.
Goodman Estate was chosen as a one hectare trial plot for its good drainage and good water supply.
The thinking at the time was that cocoa trees were susceptible to wind damage due to their large leaves, so wind breaks were a necessity. Over time the trees, grow close together, to form their own protective canopy.
Now, 10 years later, the estate has one of Mossman’s most substantial cocoa estates. The 2.5 hectares of established trees have given impressive crops and, through Daintree Estates, continue to produce superb single-source chocolate. In 2017, the farm is now Certified Organic.
Whyanbeel Valley Estate has been in the Puglisi family for three generations, more than 70 years. Almost the whole time the family has had their property, they farmed sugar-cane. As one of the Daintree Estates cocoa plantations, Whyanbeel is a proud pioneer of cocoa growing in Australia.
Today, their 1.8ha cocoa plantation sits on a gentle, well-drained slope. It is irrigated from the sparkling Whyanbeel Creek and surrounded by lush vegetation which offers natural protection from sun and damaging winds.
They also provide a unique Australian Farm Gate experience offering an educational journey covering everything you ever wanted to know about Australian origin cocoa. Book your visit here.
Mucuna is Daintree Estates newest plantation. It was in early 2014 that Michael and Hernan planted the first of their cacao trees. Working in the horticultural industry for many years, most recently specializing in the propagation of tropical crop plants, they recognized the potential of cacao (Theobroma cacao) as a plant that would be well-suited to their property in Far North Queensland.
They have chosen to grow their cacao organically and are establishing an agroforestry planting that includes multiple crops as well as native rainforest trees reflecting the existing vegetation of the area and adding biodiversity to the site.
They continue to be inspired by the uniqueness of the Daintree region and are passionate about working with the natural world to produce cacao, a commercial crop, in way that serves both man and Nature.
Interested in becoming a cocoa grower?
We are actively expanding our cocoa estates and onboarding new suppliers in the region to meet future demands.