Sweet treat for heat-seeking chocolate lovers

Whittaker's Artisan Collection launched this month.

The summer might be over in Northland but chocolate lovers can still get a taste of Kaitaia's heat thanks to a new range of chocolate from Whittaker's.

The Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice is the name of a new dark chocolate and one of the six new 100g blocks included in the Whittaker's Artisan Collection launched this month.

Kaitaia Fire was started by former property developer Garry Sommerville in 1989 on a small organic farm at Lake Ohia in Doubtless Bay and the produce has resulted in a swag of awards.

The award-winning chili sauces are made and packed at an Auckland plant.

He said he was thrilled when Whittaker's approached him.

"They were looking for iconic New Zealand brands with a good track record. They also wanted flavours which worked well with chocolate."

Sommerville sure knows his chilies.

In 2008 he was commissioned to create a handbook about chili peppers called the New Zealand Chili Pepper Handbook.

The Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice is a hot chocolate that melts in your mouth but will not blow your head off, he said.

"It's a bit of a slow burn. The heat does creep up, though."

He said he had received great feedback so far and people were "loving this chocolate".

The chili guru said Northland's food producers had heaps of potential for similar collaborations.

"If I can be an inspiration for other producers, I'm glad to help out and help push Northland products into the rest of New Zealand. This is a positive news story for the Far North."

Whittaker's said it was a natural step to combine its chocolate with "the finest in local ingredients".

"We also have a lot in common with the artisan producers involved - many are family-owned and operated," said spokeswoman Holly Whittaker.