Cocoa Colony is based upon the idea of Carlos and Louie, two Spanish aristocratic brothers who had fallen on hard times in 1848 at the peak of the Gold Rush phenomenon and who seeked to travel to California to revive their declining wealth.

Enroute to California, a frightful storm capsized the ship they were on. Terrified, the brothers clung on to what they could for days before they finally drifted ashore, landing on what turned out to be Ecuador. Exhausted, they stumbled towards a cluster of exotic-looking trees and fell asleep.

A painful thump on his head woke Carlos up with a yell – a large object had fallen from the tree and injured him. A local tribesman who had been observing them from a distance hurried forward and suggested that they should follow him back to his village so he could help treat the wound. Warily, the brothers followed and thankfully, their fears were soon alleviated when the villagers warmly welcomed them and handed them a most comforting hot beverage. They were told that this local ‘elixir’ could prevent and treat illnesses, relieve fatigue and even act as a natural aphrodisiac. Carlos discovered that this wondrous ‘elixir’ was made from the very same fruit that fell on him — cocoa.

Over the next few days, the brothers experienced for themselves the healing properties of cocoa and were determined to introduce its goodness to their family and countrymen back home. They returned to Spain and devoted their time to developing wholesome and delicious cocoa beverages and snacks. Their recipes proved an instant hit across the land and the cocoa fruit, once a rare commodity that only royals could delight in, became accessible to every man.

Carlos and Louie were heartened by their success. They recognized that the cocoa they discovered was even more precious than real gold; the “Amazonian Gold” they had found had benefitted not just themselves, but their family, friends and even the wider European community. It brought riches beyond what they could have ever dreamed of.

The Cocoa Colony logo depicts Carlos and Louie under the cocoa tree, harvesting the cocoa, symbolising how the brand endeavours to produce the best beverages and snacks that cocoa can produce and share the “Amazonian Gold” to customers today.










Let’s Eat is a tiny foodcourt-like eatery under the Fei Siong Group at the basement of ION Orchard with stalls serving Penang hawker fare, Teochew fishball noodles and Hainanese Curry Rice.