Aunty Tommy's koko is made using the Koko Samoa method in our small roastery in West Auckland. We are a direct importer and source our beans from Samoa, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. We do it this way out of necessity because supply from Samoa alone isn't steady enough to meet demand from a growing customer base. The name reflects the method and the heritage of the brand, not a guarantee that every bean comes from one island. When we're talking about the ingredient, we say Pacific koko. When we're talking about the product and the way we make it, we say Koko Samoa.

Koko Samoa describes the method: cacao that's stone ground into a solid block or pod, with no added sugar, made the way koko is made in Samoa. It isn't a claim that every bean was grown there. For e.g. a New Zealand coffee roastery can make excellent New Zealand coffee from beans grown in Colombia or Ethiopia, because where the beans grow and who roasts and blends them are two different things. Our view is that the same parallel approach applies to Pacific food given there are challenges to a consistent supply chain for ingredients. Fa'alifu is still fa'alifu if it's made with Fijian taro, Indonesian coconut cream, and onions grown in Pukekohe.

Aunty Tommy's is fully Samoan owned. Every shareholder was born and raised in Samoa, two of our owners still live there. The brand, the story, and the decisions behind it come from within the community it represents.

Absolutely, we support two established Samoan language schools in Auckland, Aoga Fa'aSamoa ECE and the Mua i Malae unit. Both are full immersion programmes and two of the oldest established language units in the country teaching Samoan to our children. Supporting language education is one way we put our values into practice beyond the products we sell. We have also supported Pacific initiatives in both the arts and sports. We don't extract culture from our community for a brand story, almost all of the support we provide is done so quietly because it's not about us!

No. Aunty Tommy's koko block and pods are 100% pure ground cacao, stone ground with nothing added, no sugar, no filler, no flavouring. That's also why it tastes noticeably more bitter than hot chocolate or Milo, which are both sweetened. If you prefer a sweeter cup, add sugar, condensed milk, or your sweetener of choice when you make it.

The koko itself is a single ingredient, pure ground cacao, with no dairy, gluten, or animal products added. We don't process any other allergens, including dairy, nuts, or gluten, on shared equipment. Our roastery holds NP2 verification and has been fully audited satisfying our obligations under the Food Act 2014. We're legal!

Yes. Alongside our retail blocks and pods, we stock wholesale cartons suited to cafes, events, and community groups buying in volume. Wholesale and bulk orders go through our Upstock storefront. If you're a registered business, you can also get in touch with us directly for more information.

Yes. We ship internationally via DHL Express and NZ Post International, including to Australia and the United States. If your country is not listed in our shipping destinations at checkout, please let us know by emailing orders@auntytommys.co.nz because we can ship anywhere in the world.