For over two decades, we've been on a journey to reinvent chocolate, putting nature and people at the heart of every step. We pioneer and champion methods to grow cacao in a way that nurtures the environment, protects biodiversity and empowers farmers to boost their yields and incomes.
We call it: gentle farming.
For over two decades, we've been on a journey to reinvent chocolate, putting nature and people at the heart of every step. We pioneer and champion methods to grow cacao in a way that nurtures the environment, protects biodiversity and empowers farmers to boost their yields and incomes.
We call it: gentle farming.
BECOMING CACAO FARMERS
In 2006, we bought a cacao farm on the Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia to better understand the process from cacao tree to chocolate bar first-hand; digging in and understanding all aspects of cacao farming.
Cacao is a tricky crop to grow. The process can be destructive to the environment and make it difficult for farmers to earn a sustainable living. Progress is being made to improve this, but we believe that there is still more to do. That's why we work with farmers directly in Saint Lucia and other source markets - particularly Ghana - to develop a better way, helping both nature and farmers to thrive.
OUR GENTLE FARMING PRINCIPLES
Over 20 years of gathered knowledge from our own farm has helped shape our set of core gentle farming principles which we share with other farmers:
Championing nature-positive farming practices
We advocate and teach a cacao agroforestry approach, based on regenerative practices, which focuses on multi-layered planting of cacao and other trees and crops to create a more diverse and resilient farming system. We also advocate and practice strategic pruning - redirecting nutrients to healthier, more productive branches, and encourage the use of organic fertilizers to boost yields naturally, avoiding the long-term damage caused by chemicals.
Empowering farmers to build self-sustaining cacao farms
We see farmers as the true experts. That’s why we advocate peer-to-peer learning and bring farmers together in both Saint Lucia and Ghana to provide tailored training. We want to tackle the reality that cacao farming incomes are not where they need to be, so we ensure that we pay farmers a fair price for their cacao and enable them access to financial support via community loan agreements. We also equip them with the support and tools needed for nature-positive farming practices that will help boost their yields and the climate resilience of their crops. This all helps farmers toward building a more sustainable livelihood from their cacao farms.
Partnering for change, guided by research-led innovation
We collaborate with research partners and local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to expand our expertise and share proven practices. We're able to test and learn first-hand on our own cacao farm as well as through collaboration with our farmer partners, to ensure we are innovating not just for farmers, but as farmers ourselves. We continue to pilot new approaches with our partners in order to turn insights into scalable and dynamic solutions that can further develop gentle farming.
In both Saint Lucia and Ghana we run tailored programs that have the same overall gentle farming goal and principles, but are delivered differently to address the needs of their specific geography.
We support farmers with their gentle farming journeys while they work with us towards a better way for farming cacao.
We are proud to say that more than 3,500 farmers in Ghana have joined the program and are learning and implementing gentle farming practices.
As part of the program, we give farmers access to professional labor both pre- and post-harvest, as well as pruning support, cacao and shade-tree seedlings and subsidized organic fertilizer. We also pay a direct cash premium on top of what they receive for their cacao.
We also work in close partnership with a local non-governmental organization, Green Tropics Group, to deliver initiatives such as a young farmer program to help support new cacao farmers on their journey.
On the island of Saint Lucia where we manage our own organic cacao farm, we share learnings with the farmers we work with - providing them with technical support and training in gentle farming practices. We also give them access to grafted cacao seedlings at a subsidized price, and guarantee to purchase all their freshly harvested, wet cacao beans for a premium price.
To share our commitment to and knowledge about gentle farming more broadly, we welcome visitors to our farm to connect chocolate lovers to sustainable cacao-growing in unique, hands-on experiences. Our expert guides take visitors on a journey to discover how we get from cacao seedling to the end product we all know and love, all while working to create positive change for cacao farming.
