Solomons Gold

What Solomons Gold does

Solomons Gold is a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer founded in 2006 that produces premium single-origin chocolate in small batches at its factory in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, from cacao sourced exclusively from the Solomon Islands. All cacao is grown by 100+ village growers under a direct-trade relationship managed through its wholly-owned Solomon Islands subsidiary C-Corp, which handles fermentation, drying, and coconut oil pressing at origin. The company applies traditional artisan techniques (roasting, cracking, winnowing, conching, tempering) without alkalisation, and subjects its beans to independent heavy metal and antioxidant/polyphenol testing — claiming lead Not Detected (<0.01mg/kg), cadmium up to 6x below EU limits, antioxidant activity 8x that of spinach, and 5.5% polyphenols.

The product portfolio spans four sub-ranges — Velvet (premium bars with coconut oil), Dark Mylk (plant-based 45% bars), Classic (traditional 70–75% bars), and Baking + Pantry (bulk cacao nibs, chocolate pieces, buttons, swirls) — plus Build-A-Box customization and gift subscriptions. All SKUs are vegan, Kosher (many Kosher for Passover), and free from dairy, gluten, nuts, soy, and refined sugar. Distribution operates through a Shopify direct-to-consumer website serving NZ and Australia (with free shipping over NZD 100 and a Sydney warehouse for Australian Post fulfillment), a wholesale collection page for retail stockists with quote-based pricing, a dedicated food service / cacao products page for commercial buyers, and a UK marketplace partnership with Cocoa Runners. Pricing runs NZD 6.95–11.50 per bar and NZD 45–134 for gift boxes.

The company is privately held and founder-operated, with Managing Director and Co-founder Clive (based in Sydney) traveling to the Solomon Islands every six weeks to oversee origin operations. The business has accumulated multiple international awards including Academy of Chocolate medals (2023), Fine Food Forum Australia recognition (2024), Great Taste Awards, and 'UK's Best Vegan Chocolate.' No external institutional funding has been disclosed and revenue is not publicly reported.

Name

Solomons Gold

Legal name

Solomons Gold

Website

https://solomonsgold.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Solomons Gold is a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar chocolate maker producing premium single-origin chocolate in small batches from cacao sourced exclusively from 100+ village growers in the Solomon Islands via its wholly-owned subsidiary C-Corp, selling direct-to-consumer across NZ and Australia and through wholesale, food service, and a UK marketplace partner.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Chocolate

NAICS

Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans (311351)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Chocolate & Candy Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

International & Ethnic Packaged Foods (CRADAAAG)

Keywords

• Bean-to-bar chocolate
• Premium chocolate bars
• Single-origin cacao
• Artisan chocolate manufacturer
• Cacao products wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Tauranga

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Consumer direct purchases through solomonsgold.co.nz website. Individual bars ($6.95-$11.50 NZD), gift boxes ($45-$120+ NZD), baking/pantry products, and bulk cacao products. Free shipping on orders over $100.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Wholesale collection page exists for retail stockists. Terms and conditions indicate business customers can purchase for resale purposes with agreement.
3. Food Service / Cacao Products: Dedicated food service page for commercial buyers including cacao nibs, chocolate buttons, chocolate swirls, and dark chocolate pieces in bulk sizes (500g-2kg).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solomons Gold is a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer that sources single-origin cacao directly from Solomon Islands farmers and produces premium chocolate bars and cacao products (including nibs and powder). The products are vegan, kosher, and allergen-friendly, and are sold via direct-to-consumer e-commerce, wholesale channels to specialty retailers, the food service industry, and the Cocoa Runners UK marketplace.

Product overview

Solomons Gold is a New Zealand-based bean-to-bar chocolate company offering premium single-origin chocolate crafted from Solomon Islands cacao. The product portfolio consists of four main sub-brands: Velvet Range (premium bars with coconut oil including Velvet Nib 70%, Velvet Nib Coffee 75%, Dark Velvet 65%, Dark Velvet Noir 90%); Dark Mylk Range (creamy plant-based bars at 45% with Berry, Caramel, Orange and Original variants); Classic Collection (traditional dark chocolate bars at 70-75% including Dark Nib, Dark Mint, Dark Berry, Smooth Dark, Dark Orange); and Baking + Pantry (cacao nibs, chocolate pieces, buttons, and swirls for cooking). Additional offerings include customizable Build-A-Box, gift subscriptions, and the Velvet Gift Box. All products are vegan certified, allergen-friendly (dairy, gluten, nut, soy free), and crafted using whole roasted cacao beans with natural processes. The company operates a cacao social enterprise sourcing directly from Solomon Islands growers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium Single-Origin Chocolate Bars Bean-to-bar chocolate bars made from Solomon Islands cacao, available in multiple flavor variants. Vegan, kosher, and allergen-friendly. Targeted at premium chocolate consumers and sold via D2C e-commerce, wholesale, and food service channels.
• Cacao Nibs Crushed, roasted cacao nibs produced from Solomon Islands cacao beans. Sold as a standalone ingredient product for health-conscious consumers and food service applications.
• Cacao Powder Natural cacao powder produced from Solomon Islands cacao beans, sold as a standalone ingredient for consumers and food service buyers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 222 µmol/g antioxidant activity - 8x more than spinach
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• C-Corp (Solomon Islands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolomon Islands-based subsidiary company managing cacao origin operations. Since 2006, C-Corp has worked directly with 100+ village cacao growers. Manages fermentation, drying, and coconut oil pressing operations in the Solomon Islands. Managing Director Clive travels from Sydney every six weeks to work with local team.
• Cocoa RunnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK marketplace partner where UK customers are directed to purchase Solomons Gold products. Listed on solomonsgold.co.nz with link to cocoarunners.com/maker/solomons-gold/.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Compartés: LA-based artisan chocolatier producing premium single-origin and craft bars in small batches with strong gifting and DTC focus — comparable on premium pricing, gift-box SKU strategy and direct-to-consumer emphasis.
• Tony's Chocolonely: Dutch bean-to-bar brand built on direct-trade sourcing with West African farmer cooperatives and a social-enterprise mission — directly comparable to Solomons Gold's grower-direct model and ethical-story positioning.
• Endangered Species Chocolate: US craft chocolate brand offering ethically sourced, allergen-conscious and Fair Trade bars with a strong cause-driven story — comparable on ethical-sourcing narrative and premium-but-accessible bar pricing.
• Askinosie Chocolate: US craft bean-to-bar maker sourcing single-origin cacao directly from farmers in the Philippines, Ecuador and Tanzania. Highly comparable direct-trade model, small-batch production and premium positioning.
• Whittaker's: New Zealand's largest domestic chocolate manufacturer producing bean-to-bar and couvert products from Ghanaian cacao. Closest direct peer given shared NZ manufacturing base, premium positioning and overlapping retail/wholesale channels.
• Beyond Good: US-based single-origin bean-to-bar chocolate company sourcing directly from Madagascar and other origins with a social-enterprise supply chain — closely aligned business model, scale and origin-story approach.

Broad incumbents

• Lindt: Global premium Swiss chocolatier with an extensive dark chocolate bar range. Comparable on premium bar pricing and presence in NZ/Australia retail, but as a broad incumbent rather than a single-origin specialist.
• Green & Black's: Premium organic and single-origin dark chocolate brand now owned by Mondelez. Comparable on clean-label positioning, broad retail distribution, and premium-bar pricing, but operates at meaningfully greater scale.

Others

• Cocoa Runners: UK specialty online marketplace curating single-origin craft chocolate makers. Direct distribution partner for Solomons Gold in the UK and therefore an ecosystem channel rather than a competitor.

Emerging players

• Hu Kitchen (Hu Chocolate): US-based clean-label chocolate brand focused on vegan, paleo and allergen-friendly bars. Comparable on free-from positioning and health-credential messaging, though broader in ingredient sourcing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SolomonsGoldNZ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solomons-gold

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solomons Gold