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Five entrepreneurs inspired by the power of Colombian chocolate
Chocolate is changing lives across Colombia in more ways than one. Not only is this popular superfood central to future peace and prosperity in Colombia’s countryside, it’s also inspiring entrepreneurs to base their businesses on fair trade and social re
Here are five entrepreneurs inspired by the amazing power of Colombian chocolate:
Chuculat by Agrobiz
The inception of the Chuculat brand was realized in 2013, established by famous Colombian cacao company Agrobiz. The brand positioned itself with a central social responsibility at its core: to empower small Colombian chocolate producers by connecting them directly to different markets. The brand produces and sells premium hot chocolate, cacao nibs and single origin dark chocolate bars from different regions across Colombia.
We pay more than 30% above the market price for every kilo of cacao we buy, in order to contribute in the improvement of the lives of the small cacao producers from different Colombia regions”, “Agrobiz said.
Cacao Hunters: Carlos Velasco and Mayumi Osaka
This Colombian-Japanese duo took their inspiration from Carlos’s 12 years working for the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation when they founded Cacao de Colombia and their brand, Cacao Hunters, in 2009. The pair are passionate about social responsibility, running a cacao school focused on technical and sustainable growing and harvesting, as well as offering generous incentives to farmers.
Cacao Hunters, which buys cacao beans from farmers across the country and processes its chocolate in Popayan, works closely with indigenous tribes such as the Arhuaco. In 2015, the company’s Arhuaco 72% dark chocolate bar won gold at the Chocolate World Finals in London, and in 2016 they asked Arhuaco leader Hernan to represent them at Tokyo’s Salon du Chocolat.
Lök Foods: Alberto Henao and Maria Carolina Angulo
Lök Foods’ Alberto Henao and Maria Carolina Angulo are on a mission to teach the world about chocolate’s role as a superfood and dispel any myths caused by poor quality production. This gourmet food company works directly with Colombian cacao farmers, mostly in Tumaco, Santander and Arauca, to produce natural, healthy chocolate of the highest quality and take advantage of the antioxidant properties of premium chocolate.
Lök Foods generates jobs on small farmsteads and offers products including milk and dark chocolate candy bars, chocolate-covered coffee beans, chocolate-covered uchuvas, and even Colombian coffee.
Colombian cacao is appreciated across the world for its taste and flavor. It really is unique”, “Maria Carolina said.
Cacao for Good: Maison Thierry Mulhaupt and José Luis Pérez Arango
An award-winning French chef, Thierry Mulhaupt graduated from the Beaux Arts in Paris and the owner of Maison Thierry Mulhaupt, has founded an opportunity to produce some of the world’s finest chocolate in Quindio, Colombia. His partner, José Luis Pérez Arango, is an expert in the selection and pairing of cocoa varieties.
Cacao for Good started as a project in 2019, when Maison Thierry Mulhaupt acquired a 10-hectare plantation in Colombia. This plantation, called Casa Rivera del Cacao, was a bamboo forest and a refuge for exceptional flora and fauna. He transformed an existing plantation of plantains into land for a cacao plant with hopes of producing exceptional Colombian chocolate, collaborating with Colombian farmers and supporting agricultural workers and local economic development.
Cacao for Good produces a 70% dark chocolate candy bars, with a taste of exotic fruits and panela, with floral notes and a finish of hazelnut and pineapple.
Juan Choconat: Juan Manuel Arbeláez and Natalia Bulla
With a mission of social responsibility, trying to find a way for small farming families in Colombia to prosper and develop, Juan Manuel and his girlfriend Natalia created Juan Choconat in 2014. A Colombian chocolate brand that supports small cacao growers, they produce a variety of different types of chocolate from San Bernardo, a rural province located in Ibague.
Currently there are 80 small peasant families who grow cacao beans for Juan Choconat in municipalities of Tolima such as Ataco, Rioblanco, Prado and the twelve corregimiento of Ibagué.
Juan Choconat's chocolate was chosen at the International Chocolate Awards as one of the best in the world.
Inspired by these tales of life-changing Colombian chocolate? Come visit Colombia to live this unique experience. We will wait for you!
Related articles:
Why is Colombian chocolate so special?
Colombia, the land where cocoa production is ‘Cacao Fino de Aroma’
Three companies making the most of Colombian chocolate
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