Everyone knows wine, grapes and the art and craft of fine wine. Less is known about chocolate, but with the growth of Manoa Chocolate Hawaii, chocolate has grown to a whole new type of art.

“Once you start to recognize where the beans are grown you start to realize the fine flavors associated with each region, just like wine.” Said Tamara Butterbaugh, one of the founders of Manoa Chocolate Hawaii.

Manoa Chocolate Hawaii is a Kailua chocolate making and distributer company founded by Kailua’s own residents, Dyland and Tamara Butterbaugh. This bean-to-bar factory is among the first of its kind on Oahu.

The chocolate industry has boomed in the last five years due to people understanding where the bean comes from, and the different ways to go about making chocolate. Three key items that impact the flavor of the chocolate are the genetics of the tree, the environmental conditions, and the fermentation process of the bean soaking in its own juices to flavor the bean. The fermentation process is what gives each chocolate bar its distinct flavor and how the art of chocolate begins.

Manoa Chocolate Hawaii is located in Kailua right above the famed Cinnamon’s restaurant. It gives factory tours and discusses about the cocoa plant. With many chocolates to choose from, all handcrafted, it is a worthwhile experience to learn about the new industry and sample all the flavors.

This was one of the first chocolate makers on Oahu. Manoa helped pave the industry along with Madre, which was started five years ago, and both opened that same year. People who started Madre were studying at the University of Hawaii’s College of Agriculture along with the founder of Manoa.

Manoa’s chocolate company started because the owner’s friend was studying the cacao plant for his graduate study. The information and research got everyone excited about growing and making chocolate just in time for the buzz of chocolate to hit the market as a whole new take on this product.

Manoa was recently featured in the Hawaii Chocolate Festival at the Neal Blaisdell center this October, presenting all their one of a kind crafted bars of chocolate.

“Kailua hopefully is going to become sort of a Sonoma Valley for chocolate.” Said Corinne Ching, a state legislator for Hawaii. “Chocolate has so much more in common with wine than it does with coffee.”

There are now several chocolate companies around the island with Dole Estate being the largest farm with 15 acres. This art continues to grow and teach everyone the knowledge of where his or her chocolate bean came from.

“We are helping agriculture in Hawaii and helping make people knowledgeable about the process of making chocolate.” Tamara said. “People want to know where their grapes come from, same with chocolate you want to know where the beans come from.”