Chain innovation - Bean to Bar Movement

But although the apparent result is no different, when we look at the production process and the way in which that chocolate came to me, it's totally innovative.

The cacao and chocolate chain has some very important socio-environmental issues that haven't been heard of for a long time. Cacao grows in countries with a warm climate with a high incidence of rain. In the world, these countries are located close to the equator. And the production and high consumption of chocolates are by residents of cold countries like Switzerland and Germany. And it's not a coincidence that cacao production is in poor countries, while chocolate production is located in the richest areas on the globe.

It so happens that although chocolate is consumed worldwide, cacao is cultivated under very poor conditions. Conditions of misery, slave labor or similar to slavery, and child labor are common realities in cocoa-producing countries. The chocolate industry is able to monetize and it can be said that the sky is the limit. However, its most valuable raw material, cacao, is traded via the stock exchange, which historically does not take into account the interests of all sides of the chain. In this scenario, the producer is held hostage to market values.

I don't need to provide many examples to talk about this situation, just close your eyes and think about the economic situation of the Ivory Coast, in Africa (the largest cocoa producer), versus the economy of Switzerland, in Europe (the largest producer of chocolates).

In Brazil, we produce cacao and chocolate, but the situation is not much different when we talk about the difficult reality of the producer versus the wealth generated by the processing industry.

To change this economic reality, cacao producers must receive fair payment for their product. In the traditional market, there is almost no differentiation for cacao. Field and post-harvest care makes all the difference to having quality chocolate, but this generates investments and time and is undervalued.

One way to add value to the product is to increase quality by producing fine cacao. And then the differential of the bean-to-bar movement begins: chocolate producers have direct contact with cocoa producers to negotiate price and quality.

More than chocolate, this movement is a social impact business.

I am proud to say that bean-to-bar is gaining strength in Brazil. The added value of fine cacao has been motivating producers and boosting a new economy.

Self-esteem that generates care: today regrets over lack of productivity have been replaced by the search for knowledge in fermentation and drying. Producers proud of the product generated with their work are able to receive more for their cacao. And with that, we're changing that game.

And going back to the beginning, I was only able to understand its innovation, when I first understood the chain as a whole. And that's why I say that the bean-to-bar movement is much more than chocolate, it's a disruptive innovation in this market.