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Dr Darin Sukha Awarded Prestigious Cocoa Industry Award by the Fine Chocolate Industry Association

For Release Upon Receipt - April 20, 2026

St. Augustine


St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago – April 20, 2026 – The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St Augustine Campus extends warm congratulations to Dr Darin Sukha, on receiving the Ed Seguine Cacao Excellence to the Industry Award from the Fine Chocolate Industry Association (FCIA).  The award was presented on April 11 at the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The annual festival, held at the Expo New Mexico, brings together thousands of chocolate enthusiasts and over 200 leading chocolatiers, coffee roasters, and artisanal food producers from around the world.

Established in 2007, the FCIA is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting innovation, quality and best practices within the fine chocolate sector. The Ed Seguine Cacao Excellence to the Industry Award recognises individuals or organisations that have significantly advanced global understanding and appreciation of cacao excellence from origin to finished chocolate. The award is named in recognition of the late Ed Seguine, a pioneering figure in cocoa quality and industry knowledge.

Dr Sukha, a Research fellow and Food Technologist at The UWI St Augustine's Cocoa Research Centre (CRC), has made outstanding contributions to the cocoa sector for more than three decades.  His work spans cocoa quality assessment, flavour science, post-harvest processing, and international standards development.

The CRC, established in 1930, is one of the world’s oldest cocoa research institutions contributing to the global cocoa industry. The CRC conserves and curates the world’s largest collection of cocoa types, the International Cocoa Genebank Trinidad (ICGT), with over 2,000 cocoa accessions.  Among its most prized legacies is the much-coveted Trinitario cocoa, which originated in Trinidad. The chocolate developed from Trinitario cocoa is known for its fine flavour potential, and the hard work, scientific prowess and innovation of the CRC supports breeding programmes in cultivating this exceptional variety.

Dr Sukha has also contributed to the development of The UWI’s SPIRITT dark chocolate, which is made with Trinitario cocoa under UWI Fine Cocoa Limited.

The International Fine Cocoa Innovation Centre (IFCIC) further supports the sector through its integrated facilities, including a model cocoa orchard and pilot scale chocolate manufacturing alongside training programmes to build capacity for stakeholders across the cocoa value chain. With the soon to be launched 200 metric tonne capacity, multi-million-dollar chocolate factory, UWI Fine Cocoa Limited is positioned to expand capacity to produce premium quality dark chocolates as well as other intermediate and value-added products for local, regional and international markets.

Internationally, Dr Sukha is a founding member of the Cacao of Excellence Programme and currently serves as Chair of its Technical Committee.  Since 2009, he has played a key role in advancing methodologies for cocoa quality and flavour assessment. He has also trained over 1,000 professionals across more than 25 countries, contributing to capacity building throughout the global cocoa sector.

This recognition reflects Dr Sukha’s sustained leadership and impact of his work with the team at the Cocoa Research Centre in strengthening Trinidad and Tobago's position as a producer of world renowned fine flavour cocoa.

END.

About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region.

Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and its Global Campus, along with international centres in partnership with universities across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world.

Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE's prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This recognition has also springboarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISDJ), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development.

The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu.

 

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