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In my previous post, I shared my idea of what African Chocolate means – an idea triggered by an interesting exhibition experience in Nigeria.
Ever since I’ve been thinking: what has me attached to the cocoa and chocolate industry in Ghana and in Africa?
Because naturally, I’m not a chocolate lover. I could go years without thinking about brown bars. My boss, Dr. Kristy Leissle, is the expert. She’s curious about new chocolate flavors and does webinars about the experience of chocolate tasting. But the world of chocolate flavors remains a mystery to me.
So, why? Why do I want to write about chocolate? Why am I excited about cocoa/chocolate in Africa?
Let’s go back to that weekend in Lagos.
My primary task at the Eko Chocolate Show was to connect with chocopreneurs(chocolate entrepreneurs) and listen to their stories, to tell later. So I got chatty with the three ladies behind Kalabari Gecko, Yemmies, and Loom Chocolate respectively. I was curious about what inspired them to start their brands, and how they actually did it.
Wow…
Each of them learned on their own to craft chocolate. Some of them read articles and watched YouTube videos for their chocolate-crafting education. Many things went wrong at first, but they always learned their lesson and improved.
Today, these same ladies are pioneers of the growing cocoa/chocolate culture in Nigeria. Each with a unique set of products expressing their values. And their stories inspire me. A lot.
Now, come with me into the bushes, where it all begins.
I’m Research Assistant to Dr. Kristy Leissle – the only chocolate scholar I know who actually goes into the bushes. And together, we’ve traveled to many places in the Eastern, Central, and Western regions of Ghana, to meet the men and women whose hard labor provides the beans used to make chocolate.
I’ve sat with many of these noble farmers to listen to their stories. And always I’m awestruck.
But one particularly stood out. Razack.
Razak loved his cocoa farm at Asikuma Brakwa in the Eastern Region of Ghana. And he took care of every tree like they were his own children. When a tree was attacked by some disease, Razack lost sleep and did everything to rid his trees of infections.
Sadly, the man is no more. He passed away last year, leaving behind a widow and about 5 children. And that passion he had for cocoa? Gone.
But Dr. Leissle and I still talk about him. And when I think of the man, it’s always deep respect for him.
So, what’s going on here? Why am I interested in cocoa and chocolate?
I think it’s the people.
The farmers. The chocolatiers. The drivers. The load bearers. The chocolate lovers. The researchers. Etc.
Inspiring to me is their desire to make something great for people they care about. The battles they fight. The painful losses they deal with. The lessons they learn. The wins that keep them going. And the hope that someday, all this will pay off.
It’s the people. And their stories. And the lessons.
Now, you. Why do you do what you do?