Our Story | Junglegold Bali

Our Philosophy

At Junglegold, we make chocolate where it’s grown – in Bali – by working closely with farmers, nature, and our community. We believe great chocolate comes from connection – with the land, with the people who grow cacao, and with the people who make and enjoy it.

For too long cacao has been shipped far from where it’s grown, disconnected from place and from the people behind it. At Junglegold, we chose a different path: we make chocolate at origin – close to the farms, close to the people, and close to nature itself.

Working with farmers across Indonesia, we’ve learned not just how to make excellent chocolate, but why it matters to do it here. From bean-to-bar every stage shapes flavour, values and resilience.

How It Began

Junglegold began in 2010 with a simple question: in one of the world’s largest cacao-growing countries, why was so much of the world’s fine chocolate made thousands of miles from where cacao is grown?

At the time, most Indonesian cacao was exported as raw beans or processed in large factories. We saw an opportunity to create value locally – by working at a smaller scale, staying close to farmers, and building a chocolate business that could grow alongside its community.

In the beginning, Junglegold wasn’t a factory at all. It was a small, thatched roof hut, a stone grinder, and a lot of trial and error. We spent time on nearby cacao farms, experimenting with farming practices, fermentation, roasting, and grinding – learning how small decisions at each stage shape flavour and the values behind it.

Growing at Origin

As Junglegold evolved, we moved from a small thatched-roof hut to our first purpose-built chocolate space. There, we began training the local community from the ground up in the craft of chocolate making. We added more stone grinders, refined our processes, and gradually introduced small-scale European machinery, allowing us to improve consistency while keeping the work hands-on and close to the source.

Growing at origin meant growing with people. As our team expanded, so did our focus on skills, training, and pride in the work itself. Staying rooted in Bali allowed us to deepen relationships with nearby cacao farmers, invest in better post-harvest practices, and build a way of working that balanced quality, care, and long-term value.

A Different Way Forward

Over time, Junglegold’s work at origin extended beyond Bali to cacao-growing regions across Indonesia. Rather than centralising production elsewhere, we built on what we had learned – continuing to work directly with farmers, strengthening long-term relationships at origin, and investing in a new factory in Bali to support growth and let people experience how chocolate is made.

As we built our current factory, we invested in our people through training, international food safety systems, and quality control, alongside larger European equipment still suited to small-batch chocolate making. These steps allowed us to grow responsibly — supporting farming partners, creating skilled local jobs, and opening new retail spaces in Bali where our chocolate can be experienced first-hand beyond our factory.

Working with farmers across Indonesia, we’ve learned not just how to make excellent chocolate, but why it matters to do it here. From bean-to-bar, every stage shapes taste and values. We believe great chocolate comes from connection – to the people who grow cacao, to the communities around us, and to the natural world that sustains us all.

Leadership Team

Originally from Australia, Tobias moved to Indonesia in 2001 and is now an Indonesian citizen. His background spans tourism, environmental and conservation projects, and chocolate making.

At Junglegold, he oversees strategy and product development, focusing on building systems and teams  that support consistent quality and long term  responsible growth.

Inda comes from one of Bali’s prominent royal families and is the granddaughter of Indonesian National Hero I Gusti Ngurah Rai, namesake of Bali’s international airport. She was the first female chairperson of the Bali chapters of JCI & HIPMI (Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association), successfully ran her family business, & later served as a member of the Badung Regency Parliament (DPRD).

With over two decades of leadership experience in Bali’s tourism sector, Gusde brings deep operational expertise alongside a strong understanding of local culture and institutions. At Junglegold, Gusde leads operations, domestic sales, and edu-tourism activities, while coordinating licensing, compliance, and government relations at both local and national levels.

The People Behind Junglegold

While Junglegold began with a clear founding vision, the company today is very much a collective effort – driven by the people who grow the cacao, make the chocolate, welcome visitors, and carry its values forward every day.

Early Support and Legacy

Junglegold’s early development was supported by individuals who believed in the potential of making chocolate at origin in Indonesia.  That early support helped establish the business in its formative years.

Michael Robison

Provided early financial support and guidance during Junglegold’s early stage, contributing to the foundations on which the company continues to build today

http://8a379df8-9d00-4fa2-8016-2ca0282ca769

Suratto Siswodihardjo

Joined Junglegold as an investor in 2016, supporting the completion of the company’s current factory. His background in national infrastructure and public service brought additional governance experience during a key period of growth.