From Prime Beans to Queen Bars: Revitalising Papua New Guinea’s Leading Chocolatier

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – Queen Emma Chocolate is Papua New Guinea’s leading domestic cocoa processor and chocolate maker. For years, the company faced real constraints, including low production capacity, inconsistent cocoa bean supply from across the country, the persistent problem of smoke-tainted beans entering the factory, and limited overseas business ties. These issues did not only hold back the company; they also held back farmers and Papua New Guinea’s cocoa sector.

That started to change when the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), as part of the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, and Queen Emma aligned around a practical goal. They aimed to lift production quantity and quality, secure reliable supply from the Sepik, and open more doors in international markets. The partnership focused on the basics. This included supporting farmers to produce better, fine-fermented beans, supporting the company modernise its machinery and workflow, and assisting both sides to meet the standards that overseas buyers expect. As Queen Emma’s General Manager, Ms. Karina Makori, explains, “The biggest impact has come from the work done in the cocoa value chain by the EU-STREIT PNG Programme to teach, train and equip farmers with tools, better dryers, knowledge, improved road and transport access; all these interventions have contributed to improving and lifting up the quality standards of cocoa in the Sepik and supply to the Queen Emma factory.”

Inside the factory, the FAO support is expanding and modernising critical stages of processing. Twelve types of new machines are being delivered to upgrade capacity and quality. This investment support, valued at USD 2.8 million, doubles output and enables consistent, higher-grade production of cocoa ingredients and chocolate. With better equipment, Queen Emma expects steadier output, sharper quality, and the ability to meet orders on time and in full. These upgrades also position the company to work toward food-safety certifications demanded by specialty buyers.

On the supply side, the partnership strengthened direct links with Sepik cocoa producers. This allows the factory to source well-fermented, smoke-free beans at reliable volumes. These business ties with producers also reduce supply risks and build longer-term relationships with cocoa farming groups that share a vision of steady, quality-led growth. It also means farmers can sell to a domestic PNG-owned buyer that is actively investing in quality and market access. As the supplier network matures, producer groups such as Mupa, Juar, Ramangs, and Esse Mart, all empowered by FAO under the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, began supplying more regularly. Since the start of 2025, these four groups have delivered about 24 tonnes of dried cocoa beans to Queen Emma, valued at over PGK 750,000, tightening the connection between village-level production and national value addition.  

Reputation in export markets matters. The partnership moved to lift international visibility and recognition for Papua New Guinea’s cocoa. With EU-STREIT PNG’s backing, Queen Emma attended major events and trade shows in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and beyond. These appearances introduced the PNG-owned brand to specialty chocolate makers, helping the Queen Emma team better understand buyer expectations and identify practical pathways to secure overseas orders. “This partnership has greatly supported Queen Emma to partake at international chocolate festivals and trade events. This has led to networking and building sales as we connect with new foreign buyers and also increase our learning and knowledge,” Karina explains. Between January and August 2025 alone, Queen Emma exported about PGK 5.6 million in products, reflecting the step-up in market access.

The commercial results are encouraging. Over the past years of collaboration, Queen Emma’s chocolate category, traditionally a small line, has shown strong potential. Production volume, sales revenue, and the number of export clients have all doubled. New customers have emerged across the region, from boutique chocolatiers to niche ingredient buyers who value Papua New Guinea’s cocoa flavour and shorter shipping times within the Pacific and East Asia. With global cocoa shortages shifting some demand closer to home, consistent quality from Papua New Guinea has become even more attractive. Queen Emma’s positioning is clear, to focus on premium ingredients and niche chocolate markets while steadily erasing the “smoky beans” history that once tarnished Papua New Guinea’s reputation.

For farmers, the change is plain; FAO, through the EU-STREIT PNG Programme, systematically identified and addressed value-chain gaps. It delivered better inputs, improved husbandry, stronger harvest and post-harvest practices, and access to a domestic processor that pays for quality. This has created a path to higher sales and more stable income. Quality dried beans mean fewer rejections and less waste. They also build stronger relationships with a buyer that can pull demand through the value chain. The programme’s support to ship samples and comply with standards also helps farmer groups engage broader, more competitive markets. As a result, farmers are now fetching higher prices for premium cocoa than they could with the limited options they once had.

With equipment upgrades in progress and capacity growing, Queen Emma can ensure more consistent volumes and a higher bar for quality under formal standards and certifications. The company’s General Manager anticipates “increase in production capacity and volume… superior quality products… new market penetration.” For the team behind Queen Emma, this journey is about more than lines on a balance sheet. “It has been a truly fulfilling and rewarding experience to see firsthand the impact that cocoa has on the lives of cocoa farmers… Our vision for Queen Emma is to produce a truly PNG-made chocolate… We want to be part of the positive changes taking place in people’s lives.”

This private-public-partnership demonstrates how targeted support for factory upgrades, farmer empowerment, reliable supply, and targeted market exposure can transform a value chain. By linking Sepik farmers to a standards-driven domestic buyer that rewards quality, it anchors sustainability in market incentives that endure beyond the programme timeline. With quality rising, capacity expanding, and direct links to Sepik producers growing, Queen Emma is better placed to carry Papua New Guinea’s cocoa into premium markets and to keep more of the value and the pride at home.

About the EU-STREIT PNG Programme

The EU-STREIT PNG Programme is the European Union’s largest grant-funded initiative under the EU Global Gateway Strategy in Papua New Guinea, implemented as a United Nations joint programme led by FAO partnering with ILO, ITU, UNCDF and UNDP. It focuses on boosting sustainable, inclusive rural development by enhancing returns and opportunities in the cocoa, vanilla and fisheries value chains (FAO) and by strengthening key enablers: digital connectivity (ITU), digital financial services (UNCDF), sustainable, climate-resilient transport infrastructure (ILO), and renewable-energy solutions (UNDP and FAO). The Programme directly benefits the East and West Sepik provinces.

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