Up until my recent visit to Grenadaâs Chocolate Company, I hadnât given much thought to the process behind the cocoa industry, despite chocolate being so ridiculously available throughout the Western world. Any kind of occasion you can think of and aisles upon aisles of every store is already stocked up and ready to sell you all the different brands of chocolate you can name. Itâs one of the biggest and employable industries out there, yet even with chocolate, it appears that some of the name brand companies and governments own a monopoly on the cocoa industry.
This is an inside view into how a small sustainable initiative founded by late American Mott Green in 1999, opened up a wide range of opportunities for the local farmers and people of Grenada as well as allowing them to try locally produced organic chocolate for the first time. The private business was started as a co-op to get around the Grenada Cocoa Association regulations of only allowing cocoa farmers to sell their cocoa to the government in return of a small percentage. Not only did the GCA regulations keep farmers from earning a living wage, but let their cocoa go to rot when the government didnât have high enough cocoa demands. Instead, this company - a team of local workers, is certifying local farmers as shareholders to invest their cocoa into the company. The company produces the chocolate to sell and then farmers receive their fair share of profits. Now the estate has their very first own chocolate shop too, selling all kinds of nice special selections mixed with local fruits youâll only find on their island.
Itâs nice to see another great working initiative towards the sharing economy making even this little Caribbean island become more self-sufficient.Â
