Meet the Maker: Fipe from Living Koko

My name is Lolopō Phoebe Preuss, my village is Vaiusu and Vailima in Samoa and the co-founder of Living Koko. I’m passionate about creating sustainable and ethical products that honor the rich heritage of cacao, particularly its deep connection to Polynesian culture.   Living Koko is a  a zero waste, green energy manufacturing space that offer products that bring, support our health bring joy and support our Pacific Indigneous communities.

Tell us the meaning behind the name ‘Living Koko.’

Koko in Samoa beans cacao but Koko (toto) also means blood.  The name Living Koko means continuing the collective stories of our bloodlines. Acknowledging my family’s 200years legacy in cacao (documented) and also all our Samoan families that drink our traditional drink koko samoa, that spend time creating koko samoa and that continue the indigenous cultivation traditions that keep our lands custodial and supported. Living Koko represents not just the product but the entire ecosystem and culture surrounding it. It’s a reminder of our responsibility to honour the land, the people, and the traditions that sustain it.

Fipe showing us how dreams are made in our new Yes Chef Brumby Suit and Utility Shorts

How did you come to start this beautiful business?

We really wanted to create a business that gave back to Samoa - creating a trade and not aide approach and supporting the exports of Samoa and therefore village economies.  Samoa was born from those musings...

How did you learn your skills?

As in chocolate making?…YouTube. Hahaha True story! A lot of it is self taught.  As for business management and marketing I gained a lot of those skills from the working in the arts in Melbourne.  As a performing artist and co-director of Nuholani Polynesian dance school you soon learn a lot of your skills are transferrable and as an artist you are a business manager, marketer etc….wearing all the hats.  Its was the same when starting Living Koko.

Bhavani and Fipe working on one of Living Koko's yummy treats

Where do you source your ingredients?

We source our ingredients ethically and sustainably from local communities in the Pacific Islands. It’s important to us to work directly with growers and producers, ensuring that our practices are fair and supportive of their livelihoods.  Our cacao we get from over 400 domestic plot farmers in Samoa and our Coffee we source from Tupuanga Coffee in Tonga.

Are there any challenging parts to this work, and how do you navigate them?

One of the biggest challenges is navigating the complexities of ethical sourcing and sustainability while scaling the business. It requires constant communication and collaboration with our partners. Another challenge is balancing the modern demands of the market with traditional values. I navigate these by staying true to our mission and leaning on the wisdom of my ancestors and community. 

A big challenge was literally getting out of my own way…constantly reminding myself that this activation was big and I have the ability to hold space for it. In all its complexities and needs. It can be overwhelming at times - I have many times of reminding myself to breath and not hide from opportunities because of nerves of being seen. 

What brings you the most joy from this work?

The most joy comes from seeing the impact of our work—whether it’s empowering a grower, delighting a customer, or sharing the story of cacao’s cultural significance. Every product we create feels like a connection to something bigger, and that’s incredibly fulfilling.

My favourite times are when we are dancing together at our monthly moonlit Pasifika Movement and Cacao events or running Koko & Konnect a deep dive in chocolate and cacao. 

Shop all things Living Koko and read more about Fipe's incredible business here