Learn the inside story of how Maui Ku‘ia Estate Chocolate is made from the man who started it all, Dr. Gunars Valkirs.

LAHAINA — Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate is taking visitors “inside the chocolate factory.” Following the tragic Lahaina fires of Aug. 8, the chocolate factory, retail store and inventory were amazingly undamaged, but the Lahaina Business Park area remained closed to access for several weeks.

With access now restored and employees able to return to work, MKEC Founder and CEO Dr. Gunars Valkirs would like to welcome guests to this Maui-owned and operated business.

On Friday, Oct. 13, the factory will host a Kama’aina Day in which Maui residents are invited to come to the retail store and receive ten individually wrapped pieces of chocolate for free. Hours for Kama’aina Day will be 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The following week, on Oct. 16, the factory will open to the public for its new “Chocolate Factory Experience.”

Personally led by Valkirs, who has been involved in every aspect of the company since the first tree was planted in 2013, the experience walks visitors through each step of how carefully selected cacao beans become MKEC’s award-winning chocolate.

Guests will see first-hand the top-of-the-line Italian equipment, taste exclusive samples from intermediate steps not available for sale, and learn about the fascinating story of MKEC — from the first planting, to designing and building the 100 percent solar-powered factory, to making chocolate up to the present day.

At the conclusion of the hour-long immersion, guests will be given individually wrapped chocolate samples for a self-guided tasting in MKEC’s upstairs, open-air pavilion with views of the mountains, ocean and three other islands.

MKEC asks that guests respectfully refrain from taking photos of the fire devastation.

Members of the general public who have not booked a “Chocolate Factory Experience” will currently not have access to the upstairs pavilion until further notice.

Tasting notes will be provided, explaining what participants are tasting and how it was made. Three of the chocolates will be from the Maui-grown beans, and four others will be up to guests to choose.

In addition, guests will be given a $25 gift card for use in the store or online to purchase MKEC chocolate.

“As West Maui recovers from the grief and devastation of the fires, we are pleased to bring a little joy to Maui residents with our Kama’aina Day chocolate giveaway,” said Valkirs, a full-time Kapalua resident.

“MKEC has always been about supporting the community, and this is a small way we can uplift our neighbors. In addition, we are excited to begin taking folks through the new ‘Chocolate Factory Experience.’ It is our hope that everyone will come away inspired by the world-class chocolate-making, from wrapping to roasting, that is happening right here in West Maui.”

The brand new “Chocolate Factory Experience,” including chocolate tasting, takes about 90 minutes and is available every day, Monday through Friday. The experience is $100 per person; guests must be at least ten years old and must wear a hairnet (supplied) and closed-toe shoes when in the chocolate factory (food safety regulations do not allow any exceptions).

To book, visit mauichocolate.com, click on Visit Us and then Chocolate Factory Experience to see available times.

The tour offers the option of relaxing afterward in the Ku’ia Pavilion and ordering delicious treats from the extensive café menu, along with a full array of alcoholic beverages from the Chocolate Bar. A captioned video of MKEC’s farm-to-factory process runs continuously to provide more information and enhance the experience.

In 2021, MKEC brought home the most prestigious award in the cacao industry when it was named a “Producer of Excellence” and given the Gold Award in the Asia-Pacific Region in the International 2021 Cocoa of Excellence Awards.

MKEC is the only company ever to win a Cocoa of Excellence Award and a Good Food Award for dark chocolate and the cacao used to make it. Maui Ku’ia Estate 70% Dark Chocolate (with Lahaina-grown cacao) was the winning entry. The delicious tanginess and fruit-forward flavor wowed the judges, reflecting the premium care with which the chocolate was created.

The mission of Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate Inc. is to give back to the nonprofit community through its Chocolate Kuleana — a promise to give back 100 percent of net profits to Maui nonprofit organizations.

In 2020, MKEC established the Chocolate Laulima Program, where all proceeds from weekend tastings are donated back to the chosen non-profits. Chocolate Laulima tastings have been suspended since the fire, but MKEC has been donating 25 percent of every online purchase to relief efforts.

Due to wind damage sustained to the cacao trees, the Guided Cacao Farm Tour and Chocolate Tasting is currently not operating. This popular tour takes visitors up to the 20-acre cacao farm in Mauna Kahalawai (West Maui Mountains) near the factory and ends with a special treetop tasting. This tour will resume in 2024.

Maui Ku’ia Estate Chocolate is located at 78 Ulupono St. in Lahaina. Starting Oct. 16, open hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, go to mauichocolate.com or “mauichocolate” on Instagram.