Wilex Samoa Selected as National Cocoa Processor

Apia, Samoa – 24 November 2025 – Wilex Samoa has been selected FAO’s new Cocoa Value Chain Project for Samoa. The Project is supported by the Government of Samoa, and the People’s Republic of China under the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme.

Samoa has been selected as a regional demonstration country under FAO’s One Country One Priority Product (OCOP) initiative, confirming cocoa as one of the Pacific’s highest-value agricultural products.

Under this program, Wilex Samoa’s Koko Loa® Chocolate Factory has been recognised as the official cocoa processor for Samoa, partnering with FAO and Government to strengthen national cocoa production, processing, and export growth.

Wilex Samoa—established in 1995—was the first cocoa and chocolate manufacturer in Samoa and the Pacific, and has led the revival of premium Samoan cocoa for nearly three decades. The company’s founder and chocolatier trained under European master chocolate chemists, setting international standards for the Koko Loa® product range.

Delegates inspect Koko Loa Chocolate factory production

Koko Loa® is now a nationally renowned Samoan chocolate brand and is widely recognised as a Pacific Island export icon. Wilex Samoa is also a four-time winner of Samoa’s Exporter of the Year Award, reflecting its long-standing contribution to Samoan agriculture, rural livelihoods, and value-added manufacturing.

Under the FAO OCOP initiative, Wilex Samoa will work with farmers, communities, and development partners to:

• Expand national cocoa production
• Improve farmer training, scale cocoa processing for export and post-harvest quality
• Develop new high-value cocoa and chocolate products
• Promote sustainable income-generating opportunities for women, youth & communities

Wilex Samoa acknowledges the FAO, Government of Samoa, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China for this significant investment in the future of Samoa’s cocoa industry.

Factory Founder/Owner – Tagaloa Eddie Wilson sharing experiences with FAO delegates.