Frequently Asked Questions

Why use the name Mānoa Chocolate Hawaii when you are located in Kailua?

Locals usually think of Oʻahu's deepest, widest valley when they hear the word "Mānoa." In fact, the valley gets its name from the Hawaiian word "mānoa," meaning "solid, vast, depth, or thickness." We take our name from this meaning, describing not just the quality and flavor of our cacao and chocolate but the vast outreach we have to mahiʻai (farmers) throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

I live in Hawaiʻi and plant cacao trees. Would you like to buy my cacao beans?

Yes, probably. Find out about our Cacao Farmer Services.

How do I arrange a private event in your Tasting Room & Wine Bar?

Should you be interested in scheduling our tasting room, contact us with your desired date, time and group size, and we'll respond with potential availability and a quote.

Is dark chocolate healthy?

Yes, it is! Cacao nibs (roasted, crushed cacao beans) are the main ingredients of quality craft chocolate. These nibs contain 30 times more antioxidants than blueberries and have the highest concentration of magnesium and iron in nature. Read about other reasons why cacao is good for you.

How many calories are there in a bar?

The caloric content of our bars varies.

Are your bars dairy-free?

Many of them, yes. All seven of our Hawaiʻi Grown Single Origin bars are vegan and dairy-free, as are our Mango, Sea Salt, Banana, and Coconut bars. Our Kō Hana Rum bar is also dairy-free, but the nibs used to make it are steeped in honey for thirty (30) days, thus it is not considered 100% vegan.

Our chocolate macadamia nut spread and chocolate hazelnut spread are also both vegan and dairy-free.

Please note, however, that our facility does process milk products. As with any facility in which this is the case, there is a small chance of cross-contamination. We encourage our customers to be mindful of this when deciding if our chocolate is right for them.

Is your chocolate local?

All of our bars are handcrafted from bean to bar in our Kailua chocolate factory. 

The art and craft of chocolate making, from roasting, to grinding, tempering and packaging, occurs on Oʻahu. Our cacao is supplied by farmers on both Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi (Big Island). Chocolate-making is an emerging industry in Hawaiʻi, thus local bean supply will be limited until more farmers catch on. 

We also source from Ecuador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Uganda, Thailand, India, and many more cacao growing countries. The taste of cacao varies with the location where it is grown.

Learn more about our farmers by clicking here.

Where do other ingredients come from?

Coffee Beans: The coffee crunch atop our “Breakfast Bar” is grown in Waialua on the North Shore of Oʻahu. Brad, from Kailua Town Coffee Roasters, roasts our beans.

Lavender: We buy dehydrated culinary lavender flowers from the Aliʻi Kula Lavender Farm on Maui.

Sea Salt: We get to source and play with the range of colorful sea salts from across all the islands. Our Paʻakai Sea Salt bar feature pink sea salt from Molokaʻi.

Would you ship chocolate outside of the US?

The only addresses outside of the United States to which we are currently able to ship are Army Post Office (A.P.O) addresses. Click here to learn more about our shipping policy.