AELAN makes history for Vanuatu with two Great Taste Awards
August 4, 2026 10:54 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
AELAN Chocolate Makers has achieved another major international milestone for Vanuatu after two of its locally produced cocoa products received awards at the prestigious Great Taste Awards 2026, organised by the Guild of Fine Food in the United Kingdom.
The results were released on 28 July, just ahead of Vanuatu’s 46th Independence Anniversary, providing another reason to celebrate the country’s producers, local expertise and growing ability to manufacture premium products for international markets.
AELAN received two Stars for AELAN Cocoa Tea 150 g and one Star for AELAN 70% Dark Fine Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs 75 g.
According to AELAN, this makes it the first company from Vanuatu to receive Great Taste Awards.
Selected from more than 15,000 international entries
Great Taste is described by the Guild of Fine Food as the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme. Products are evaluated independently through blind tasting by a panel of more than 500 chefs, buyers, food writers, retailers and other food experts.
In 2026, the competition attracted 15,038 entries from more than 3,917 companies across 116 countries, demonstrating the scale and international significance of AELAN’s achievement.
The Guild of Fine Food describes a Two-Star product as “outstanding”, while a One-Star award recognises a product as “simply delicious”. Only around 10 per cent of entries normally achieve Two Stars.
Judges praise AELAN Cocoa Tea
The Two-Star award for AELAN Cocoa Tea is an important recognition of both the product’s quality and AELAN’s approach to innovation and sustainability.
Made from roasted cocoa husks, the tea demonstrates how a part of the cocoa pod that might otherwise be treated as a by-product can be transformed locally into a distinctive, high-value beverage.
The judges praised its rich cocoa aroma, clear and bright infusion, elegant flavour, balance and smooth texture. One judging panel commented: “What a wonderful use of a by-product of the chocolate industry.”
The comment closely reflects AELAN’s commitment to reducing waste, making fuller use of Vanuatu’s agricultural resources and developing new products that create additional value and market opportunities.
The One-Star AELAN 70% Dark Fine Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs was recognised for its attractive appearance, excellent tempering, intense chocolate aroma, balanced bitterness and the texture provided by its roasted cocoa nibs.
A total of 27 international product awards
The two Great Taste Awards join a list of 25 previous international awards received by AELAN products in competitions in New Zealand, the United States, Japan and France, bringing the company’s total number of product awards to 27.
This growing record demonstrates sustained international recognition of products made in Vanuatu using locally grown cacao and other local ingredients.
However, AELAN’s international journey did not begin with the finished chocolate. It began at producer level.
A journey that began with Vanuatu’s cocoa farmers
In 2017, cocoa samples from two Vanuatu producers working with ACTIV Association were selected among the 50 best high-quality cocoa samples in the world through the prestigious Cocoa of Excellence Programme.
The producers were Mabong Naki, from Labo Village in South West Bay, Malekula, associated with the South West Bay Farmers Association and ACTIV Association; and George Molicese Lui Matalue, from Avunatari on Malo, associated with ACTIV Association.
Both samples were submitted internationally by ACTIV Association and AELAN Chocolate Makers.
The 2017 Cocoa of Excellence Programme received 166 cocoa samples from 40 producing countries. Following physical quality assessment and blind sensory evaluation by international experts, the 50 highest-quality samples were selected for further evaluation. Eighteen of those samples ultimately received International Cocoa Awards.
Although the two Vanuatu samples were not among the final 18 award recipients, their selection in the global Top 50 represented a major breakthrough for the country. It demonstrated the exceptional quality and flavour potential of Vanuatu cacao and created a strong foundation for the development of internationally recognised products made from that cacao.
Nearly two decades of training and local value addition
AELAN Chocolate Makers is the commercial arm developed by ACTIV Association, a Vanuatu-based organisation that has worked with artisans, small producers, women’s groups and rural communities since 2008.
With the support of government departments, development agencies and technical partners, ACTIV organised training for cocoa farmers and producer groups in areas including cocoa quality, fermentation, drying and post-harvest handling.
AELAN was created to complement this work by providing a local pathway for processing, product development, branding, sales and access to international markets.
Instead of exporting only raw cocoa beans, the model aims to retain more of the value generated by the cocoa sector within Vanuatu. AELAN’s range now includes island-origin chocolates, cocoa nibs, cocoa tea, cocoa mass and other value-added products manufactured locally.
ACTIV founder and AELAN Chocolate Makers director Sandrine Wallez said the awards recognise an entire value chain rather than only the two finished products.
“These awards belong first and foremost to our cocoa producers. Our international recognition began with the quality of their cocoa and continues through fermentation, drying, local processing, product development and the dedication of the AELAN team.”
She said the 2026 results also show how long-term training and partnerships can translate into tangible recognition and economic opportunities.
“The selection of our two producers among the world’s 50 best cocoa samples in 2017 showed the international potential of Vanuatu cacao. Today, the Great Taste Awards confirm that we can also transform that cacao locally into products able to compete internationally.”
From Vanuatu to international markets
The awards follow AELAN’s first participation at Chocoa in Amsterdam earlier in 2026, where the company presented Vanuatu cacao, chocolate and value-added products to international chocolate professionals, buyers and consumers.
AELAN is now building on the contacts generated through Chocoa and the visibility provided by the Great Taste Awards to develop relationships with potential retailers, importers and distributors, particularly in the United Kingdom and Europe.
The company acknowledged the International Trade Centre, whose support enabled AELAN to participate in the Great Taste Awards, as well as the government, development and technical partners that have supported ACTIV’s training and cocoa-sector programmes over the years.
AELAN also thanked its cocoa producers across Malekula, Santo, Malo, Epi and Efate, together with its production team in Port Vila.
As Vanuatu celebrates 46 years of independence, this latest recognition offers a timely demonstration of what can be achieved through local knowledge, long-term training, partnerships, innovation and investment in domestic production.
For AELAN and ACTIV, the Great Taste Awards are not simply two more additions to a growing collection of international honours. They represent another step in a journey that began with the recognition of Vanuatu’s farmers and continues through the creation of locally owned, value-added industries.
