Sirene Chocolate
2023 Winner
Sirene Chocolate
Sirene Chocolate is relocating their manufacturing operations to the same indigenous Q’eqchi Mayan community in Guatemala that introduced chocolate to Europeans over 500 years ago. By partnering with this exceptional farm community, Sirene models a transformative boost to this community's revenue, potentially reaching above 600%. This strategic collaboration will allow the community to export higher-value chocolate instead of the export of lower-value commodity cocoa beans.
Sirene’s commitment extends beyond financial gains. Unlike many companies that take advantage of "locally adjusted" low rates, Sirene is dedicated to fair compensation for the farmers, paying them European rates for their valuable work. This mutually beneficial arrangement will result in increased profitability for both the farmers and Sirene. Sirene takes to heart the words of John Maynard Keynes: “The businessman is only tolerable so long as his gains can be held to bear some relation to what, roughly and in some sense, his activities have contributed to society.” Sirene’s ultimate goal is to ignite a global transformation within the chocolate industry, an industry beset with unacceptable human rights abuses.
Progress - 12 months on
There have been very exciting (!!) developments in the cocoa industry in 2023-4, with the price of cocoa rising to over 4x the industry average since the 1970s in just a few months. This has put a huge stress on the industry, including disbanding the farm group in Guatemala that I have worked with for the past 10 years. Happily, a few members of that group that I have worked most closely with over those years, and had discussed the KEP idea with, have now successfully made the switch to chocolate making with Sirene and the first samples are due at the factory any day now.
Coincidentally, while the Guatemala chocolate making was going on I discovered that the Ugandan farm that I work with has also built a small chocolate factory and is very interested in making chocolate for Sirene. Samples of this chocolate (both dark and milk chocolate) are on a DHL plane to me as I write this. I await them eagerly.
In summary: over the past year the Guatemalan farm that was the main partner proposed for the KEP has now successfully started making chocolate and the testing and recipe fine tuning process is in process. In addition, a farm in Uganda I have worked with for about 4 years has sent samples to begin the testing and recipe fine tuning process as well. In both cases, the community themselves wanted to build their own wholly-owned factory.
June 2024