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One year on: reflecting on our work with KOSI Cocoa

One year ago, the KOSI Cocoa range officially launched in the Solomon Islands, marking a milestone in a journey that began long before the products reached supermarket shelves. Since February 2023, we have been working alongside Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands to understand the needs of farmers, explore the realities of shifting away from a declining coconut oil market, and co-create a brand and product offering that could unlock new opportunities for local communities. KOSI is a legacy brand in the Solomon Islands, with over a 20 year history of improving village livelihoods, we feel truly aligned that we could play a small role in their long and enduring legacy in the Pacific. The launch was the public moment, but the foundation of the work for Harvey had started more than a year earlier.

What we have seen over the past year

As part of this Impact Report #6 we’re looking back on our journey that led up to the launch of the value add Cocoa Range (see blog here from impact report #5) and what has happened for KOSI since.

The KOSI team has continued to strengthen the cocoa supply chain, with improvements in fermentation, drying and processing supported by training and investment at village level. In 2025 KOSI had over 430 families registered as suppliers of cocoa wet beans to the 33 processors who were registered to ferment, dry and deliver to KOSI HQ. The brand and packaging system have helped the cocoa products gain visibility and credibility in local retail environments, where they now sit alongside well-known imported competitors. We have seen a growing uptake of KOSI branded cocoa products across Solomon Islands. The drinking chocolate market is growing and KOSI cocoa powder now supplies in excess of 25% of all the cocoa the nation uses. The website and marketing materials we developed have also helped the team communicate a clearer, more confident product story.

There is a significant opportunity for locally produced cocoa to replace a portion of the cocoa powder currently imported into the Solomon Islands. The insight-led design work carried out in 2023 and 2024 has been important in supporting this shift, particularly the emphasis on clarity, cultural relevance and accessibility across packaging, content and digital touchpoints.

Artefacts, collateral and deliverables for KOSI including visual brand update, customer product sampling map for in-store drinking chocolate sampling, product in-situ at HQ, packaging design, staff promotional tshirts, leaders at the product launch and outdoor advertising.

Challenges we have observed

The transition from coconut-focused operations to a mixed coconut and cocoa model is complex. Developing a consistent supply chain across remote regions requires ongoing investment and training. Retail shelves are still dominated by international brands, and encouraging consumers to choose local products is a long-term effort. Moving towards export markets will require further investment in quality assurance, certification and operational systems. Broader challenges such as transport reliability, climate impacts and infrastructure limitations also continue to affect producers across the Pacific region.

Opportunities ahead

Despite these challenges, the opportunity is substantial. Increased local production keeps more economic value within the country. The KOSI story continues to attract interest from development partners and impact-focused investors who are seeking community-led agribusinesses with clear social impact. With ongoing improvements in quality and consistency, there is long-term potential for Solomon Islands grown cocoa to reach regional and international specialty markets.

Our ongoing commitment

For us at Harvey, this partnership reflects the type of work we care most about: long-term collaboration, grounded research, thoughtful design and measurable community impact. Across two years we have been part of shaping the brand, the customer experience, the digital ecosystem and the marketing foundations that supported the launch of KOSI Cocoa. The first year in the market has shown strong signs of promise, and the KOSI leaders clear opportunities in strengthening distribution, refine marketing and build market trust.

KOSI Cocoa range remains early in its journey, but the progress so far points to a resilient, community-focused model with real potential to support income security for village farmers. We are proud of the work completed over the past two years, and we remain committed to supporting KOSI as they move into their next phase of growth.

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