A recent mission by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has highlighted Saint Lucia’s pivotal role in the Eastern Caribbean’s specialty cocoa sector, demonstrating how even limited production can drive a thriving value-added market. From August 6 to 26, 2025, FAO’s cocoa market analysis team, led by specialist Gustavo Ferro, conducted an extensive assessment of the cocoa industries in Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The mission aimed to identify sustainable growth strategies for the region’s cocoa sector, which is rich in flavor and entrepreneurial spirit, and eager to carve out a niche in premium international markets. In Saint Lucia, smallholder farmers and local processors are already capitalizing on opportunities through bean-to-bar chocolate production, artisanal cocoa products, and cocoa-based tourism experiences. Ferro emphasized that even modest production can sustain a vibrant market, particularly when integrated with Saint Lucia’s robust tourism sector. This synergy between agriculture and tourism has positioned the island as a prime candidate for niche market development, with traditional cocoa tea, boutique chocolate tours, and locally crafted products attracting international buyers seeking authenticity and unique flavors. Across the four islands, the FAO mission identified key opportunities to enhance competitiveness, including strengthening farmer networks and logistics, fostering value-added innovation, leveraging agro-tourism potential, and promoting sustainable practices such as biodiversity and agroforestry systems. Ferro praised Grenada’s fine-flavor cocoa and entrepreneurial farmers, commended Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for preserving cocoa traditions, and highlighted Dominica’s biodiversity and cooperative energy. The mission’s findings will inform a comprehensive roadmap for the Eastern Caribbean cocoa sector, with country-specific analyses and strategies to strengthen positioning in fine-flavor markets. These insights will be presented at the Subregional Dialogue on the Specialty Cocoa Sector in November 2025 in Trinidad and Tobago. FAO’s efforts align with the broader project “Strengthening the Foundations for a Specialty Cocoa Sector in the Caribbean,” underscoring cocoa’s potential to bolster local economies and improve rural livelihoods.