1. Let’s go back to the beginning. What was your personal turning point, the moment you knew you wanted to become an entrepreneur, and why cocoa?
I have always had the ambition to become an entrepreneur. Growing up under the shade of cocoa trees in a family of cocoa farmers, I found it absurd that the only chocolate bars on supermarket shelves were imported from Europe, even though Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest cocoa producer. I made it my mission to change that reality.
2. You started with just one kilogram of cocoa. What core principles helped you grow from that modest beginning to producing over 10,000 bars a month?
Learning, self-confidence, and partnership. These values helped me build something solid from almost nothing.
3. Can you walk us through your bean to bar process and what makes your chocolate uniquely Ivorian?
We begin by carefully selecting cocoa beans based on their terroir — the unique combination of soil, climate, and geography that shapes their flavor — choosing whether they come from mountainous regions or forest zones. The beans are then fermented, roasted, ground, and refined. Afterward, we incorporate signature flavors such as plantain chips, ginger, or chili — ingredients that celebrate African tastes and culinary heritage.
4. Entrepreneurship is often romanticized. What has been one of your toughest moments and the hardest lesson you have learned?
Before COVID, our products were distributed on 12 different airline flights and sold in airport boutiques. It felt like we were finally gaining momentum. Then the pandemic hit. Airports shut down, flights were canceled, and in an instant we lost all those hard-won gains. It was a major blow to our revenue and a sobering reminder of how quickly everything can change. One moment you are scaling, the next you are starting from scratch. Through it all, the main lesson I took away is that resilience is not optional for entrepreneurs, it is the only way forward.
5. Your chocolate was named Best Chocolate in the World at the 2022 Paris International Agricultural Show. What did that recognition mean for you and your team?
Winning “Best Chocolate in the World” at the 2022 Paris International Agricultural Show re-energized us. It boosted our confidence and opened new doors, including a collaboration with a brewery in Iceland to create a cocoa-based beer. Most importantly, it showed that African chocolate can be world-class. This recognition has helped our brand grow both locally and internationally and motivated our team to keep creating and expanding.
6. You have trained over 2,000 women in organic and fair trade certification. Why was that important to you, and what have you learned through that process?
I developed this training program to actively include women cocoa farmers and their families in the cocoa value chain, recognizing that, according to FAIRTRADE AFRICA, women make up 68% of the cocoa workforce. This means that whenever anyone enjoys a chocolate bar anywhere in the world, a woman has played a vital role in its journey. The most important lesson I have learned is that the best way to deepen and solidify your skills is by sharing and passing them on to others.
7. You have expanded your training programs to Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville. What motivated that regional growth, and how do you adapt your model to new contexts?
Africa produces 70% of the world’s cocoa, so expanding our work beyond Côte d’Ivoire was a natural step to share expertise and empower rural women across the continent. Our goal is to help women achieve economic independence through cocoa-based businesses. In Congo-Brazzaville, women have launched their own chocolate spread brand, while in Cameroon, the brand Nya Boa is gaining recognition. We adapt our model to each market by respecting local cultures and tastes, ensuring that the training and products resonate with the communities we serve. This regional expansion highlights the growing impact of women transforming the cocoa industry throughout Africa.
8. Today, you process over 500 tons of cocoa annually. What has enabled you to scale to this level while maintaining the quality?
The key to reaching this level is first to surround yourself with exclusive and exceptional skills, as well as strong partnerships, because sourcing is also fundamental to meeting the international standards of buyers. To maintain quality, we do not exceed our weekly production capacity. It takes us roughly one week to transform cocoa beans into chocolate bars. We have several teams responsible for different types of chocolate: dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa powder chocolate, and so on.
9. You are a chocolate producer, but there is growing interest in the broader cocoa value chain. What are some common misconceptions about cocoa production, and why does the narrative remain so focused on chocolate as the main end product?
As someone who spends a lot of time in the field, I see firsthand how much of the cocoa fruit goes unused. Even though I am a chocolate producer, I have always been interested in the value of cocoa beyond chocolate. Large parts of the fruit—like the pods, juice, and pulp—are often discarded, despite their potential to be transformed into products like natural fertilizer, bioenergy, or drinks that could boost local economies and reduce waste.
The idea that cocoa is only for chocolate is a misconception rooted in colonial history. Cocoa was introduced to Africa to serve the needs of Western chocolate markets, and over time, that purpose became the dominant narrative. But cocoa is much more than chocolate. It represents an ecosystem of people, knowledge, and natural resources that can unlock a wide range of opportunities.
10. Can cocoa pods really be used to produce electricity? What other opportunities lie in cocoa byproducts?
Yes, they can. Cocoa pods are rich in organic matter. As they decompose, they release methane and other gases that can be captured and used to power generators, this is a form of biomass energy. Beyond that, cocoa shells and pulp can be transformed into a range of value-added products: soaps, cosmetics, natural fertilizers, animal feed, and even construction materials. The possibilities are vast, but this potential remains largely untapped because the industry has focused so narrowly on chocolate.
11. How is the cocoa supply chain structured in Côte d’Ivoire, and what’s holding back investment in value addition?
In Côte d’Ivoire, the cocoa sector is fully regulated by the government. The state sets the farmgate price twice a year, which guarantees that every kilogram of cocoa has a buyer. While this system offers some stability to farmers, the supply chain for byproducts is completely informal and fragmented. Most farmers operate on plots of less than five hectares, and infrastructure for processing or storage is minimal. These limitations make it difficult for investors to scale value addition. However, momentum is building, and we are seeing more local initiatives pushing for change.
12. Persistent challenges like child labor, aging farmers, and low compensation remain in the sector. What structural changes do you believe are most urgent?
Child labor is not the root problem, it is a symptom of deeper, structural issues: rural poverty, lack of access to education, poor infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities. While billions have been spent addressing the symptoms, real change will only come from systemic reforms. We need to modernize cocoa plantations, invest in rural services, and create a future where farming is seen as dignified, profitable work. Young people must see agriculture not as a last resort but as a path to success. That shift starts by building systems that value farmers not just as producers but as entrepreneurs and innovators.
