Definite Chocolate and Makaya Chocolat Create a Binational Chocolate Collection

A new range of chocolates burst on the scene last year co-created by Makaya Chocolat from Haiti and Definite Chocolate from the Dominican Republic (DR).

The two companies have been participating in the Cocoa/Chocolate Binational Value Chain Project which focusses on enhancing the competitiveness of companies in Haiti and the DR operating in the cocoa sector.

Master chocolatiers Ralph Leroy (MAKAYA) and Jens Kamin (Definite Chocolate) met through a best-practices mission organized by Caribbean Export which sought to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best-practices between industry practitioners. After several virtual elaboration meetings in February and March 2022, these master chocolatiers met in person on May 2022 at the Definite Chocolate’s laboratory to finalize their joint recipe and share their knowhow; from the selection of the cocoa pods, to the tempering of the grains, to the roasting and wise mixing of the ganache.

Together they created a chocolate collection that combines the history of cocoa from both countries, while using recipes that highlight organic indigenous ingredients, such as coffee, cashews and peanuts, and common traditions.

This initiative was funded by the European Union and implemented in collaboration with the Haiti Jazz Foundation and Caracoli through their Gastronomic component of the Binational Cultural Dialogue.

The collection was presented on July 9, 2022 by the two chocolatiers during the ‘2nd Dominican Chocolate Festival’ held in Santo Domingo at the Ágora Mall shopping center. The launch was a resounding success attracting thousands and showcasing the potential of binational collaboration and co-production.

This special collection was also presented at the Salon du Chocolat Show in Paris, France in October 2022, as part of the promotional efforts of this Binational Cocoa/Chocolate Value Chain. The international exposure and audience acceptance was quite high resulting in the collection selling out.

The co-creation of a Binational chocolate collection between a Haitian and Dominican company is the first of its kind. The two countries share the same land space of the Hispaniola Island which has the indigenous name also known as ‘Quisqueya’ and believed to mean “mother of all lands” in the Taíno language. The three chocolate bars in this collection are inspired by the names of the island tribe chiefs (caciques) that ruled the five chiefdoms (cacicazgos) that are now cocoa-producing provinces:

Guacana, inspired by Guacanagaríx, chief of Marien (North Haiti and Northwest DR): a chocolate enriched with a pinch of coffee from our mountains.

Guario, inspired by Guarionex, chief of Magua (central region of the island): a chocolate filled with peanut ganache.

Caya, named after the chief Cayacao, from the cacicazgo of Higüey (another part of the island producing cocoa, on the Eastern tip): a deliciously perfumed chocolate with cashew nuts and enriched with pieces of nuts.

Asociacion de Artesanos Ciudad Corazon

COUNTRY:

Dominican Republic

COMPANY PROFILE:

The Association of Artisans Ciudad Corazón aims to increase the participation of artisans in the productive sector. The association aims to achieve comprehensive development that manifests in improving the standard of living and consolidating the artisanal activity as a generator of better jobs and higher incomes.

PRODUCTS:

MARCHANTAS DOMINICANAS – are made with a clay base, clothed in different fabrics, and the head is adorned with a cane hat or turbans, cane wallets and provisions such as fruits, made with mud, coffee seeds, cane brooms, and miniature baskets. They can be used for home decoration, as a souvenir and as a paper step. The marcher represents the Dominican culture. It is a home service that peasant women provided (brought to the door of their home) – a marketable product, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and some household items.

Fatima Polanco 3 Estilos SRL

WEBSITE:

https://Fatimapolanco.com

COUNTRY:

Dominican Republic

COMPANY PROFILE:

3 Estilos is a store that basically sells handmade accessories made by artisan women. The company offers personalized accessories for wholesale clients on a contractual basis and provides design training to artisans.

PRODUCTS:

Fatima Polanco 3 Estilos SRL designs and manufactures handmade accessories utilizing multiple materials and different techniques. The hand-embroidered accessories are made with natural gemstones (especially our Larimar and Amber Dominican stone, and pearls), semi-precious stones and other different components. The company offers personalized advisory in the choice and design of accessories for weddings and special celebrations.

Caribbean Craft

WEBSITE:

https://www.caribbean-craft.com/

COUNTRY:

Haiti:

COMPANY PROFILE:

Caribbean Craft is dedicated to promoting through exports the beauty of Haiti. We focus on sharing with the world the creative and positive aspects of our country by showcasing the beautiful craftmanship of our country’s artisans. As a centre of artistic creativity and inventiveness, Haiti is exemplified by the vibrant traditions and continuation of self-taught painting with colorful style and lines.

Caribbean Craft strives to find ecological uses for recycled material.
The renowned “oil drum art” is made from recycled steel drums;
the trendy papier maché comes from empty cement bags and starch made from locally grown arrowroot.

PRODUCTS:

Caribbean Craft designs beautiful goods from recycled material to make your home uniquely enjoyable. Inspired greatly by nature our collections light up your interior, bringing it to life.
Preserving our cultural heritage Caribbean Craft shares with the world our rich culture letting our artisans design contemporary and modern pieces drawing from our ancient and traditional techniques.

Proagro Dominicana, EIRL

WEBSITE:

http://www.proagrodominicana.com

COUNTRY:

Dominican Republic

COMPANY PROFILE:

PROAGRO DOMINICANA, EIRL located in Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic was incorporated since 2005. The small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) is dedicated to the production of 100% natural dairy powder preparations with a staff experienced in the management of agribusinesses. The company’s packaging plant ensures that the product is transformed in a controlled environment and the high-tech equipment and machinery processes the product in an automated manner.

PRODUCTS:

PROAGRO DOMINICANA, EIRL’s product line includes:

  • Prepared fortified dairy powder made with Dominican cocoa for schools (breakfast) and private brands supermarket chains
  • Organic bitter cocoa for private brands supermarket chains
  • Instant mix of milk plus organic cocoa under the brand La Criollita for local market and export to Russia and USA and
  • La Criollita chocolate for the preparation of hot and cold drinks.

Geo Wiener SA/Cafe Selecto

COUNTRY:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

GEO WIENER SA/CAFE SELECTO is a 4th generation family business specializing in coffee/cocoa export and processing. The company also produces peanut butter and chocolate for the local market.

PRODUCTS:

The company’s products include:
• Roasted coffee: cafe selecto, cafe towo
• Roasted and flavored coffee: mokafe
• Peanut butter: towo
• Chocolate: azaka and choko towo
• Sirop de grenadine
• Essence de vanille”

Recursos Globales, SRL

Website:

http://cocoamae.com

Country:

Dominican Republic

Company Profile:

Recursos Globales, SRL is a family-owned business established in 1994. Since 2004 the company has exported fruits and vegetables to Canada, Europe, United States and Japan. The firm’s products can be found in most supermarkets in the Dominican Republic (DR) and the company would like to export to other Caribbean islands as well.

Recursos Globales, SRL has been in the cocoa sector for a long time and has recently created a new product – Organic cocoa powder and nibs, to give the Dominican and Caribbean consumers the opportunity to have a pure, organic, cocoa product, without additives or sugar. The company also wanted to debunk break the myth that if the product is organic then it is expensive.

Products:

The cocoa products produce by Recursos Globales, SRL include Organic cocoa powder tariff code: 1805.0000 and Organic cocoa nibs tariff code: 1801.0000.

ODEFCAGA (Organisation pour le Développement de la Filière Cacao de la Grand’ Anse)

Country:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

ODEFCAGA is a legally registered association with the Social Affairs and Labor Ministry of Haiti with six cocoa cooperatives, totalling 2,500 producers, 60% of whom are women. ODEFCAGA’s main focus is the production and export of high-end fermented cocoa beans and each of the cooperatives has a fermentation center. ODEFCAGA is governed by an eleven-member board supported by a five-member executive committee that oversees the day-to-day management and operations of the organization.”

The objective of the association is to strengthen the cocoa value chain in the Grand ‘Anse. ODEFCAGA therefore provides experts who train and provide technical support to actors and stakeholders of the cocoa value chain. Members have benefited from various trainings in; cocoa production, cocoa processing (chocolate production), business management, marketing, access to credit etc…”

One cooperative has already obtained organic certification while ODEFCAGA aims to achieve the same labeling for all six member cooperatives. To create jobs and diversify revenue sources for women cooperative members, ODEFCAGA is currently finalizing the construction of a chocolate workshop in Jérémie, the capital city of the Grand’Anse, where conventional cocoa will soon be processed into chocolate bars.

PRODUCTS:

ODEFCAGA’s focus is the production and export of high-end fermented cocoa beans.

Fédération des Coopératives Cacaoyères du Nord (FECCANO)

COUNTRY:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

Fédération des Coopératives Cacaoyères du Nord (FECCANO) is a fair-trade cocoa cooperative founded in 2001 and located in the North Department of Haiti. FECCANO consists of a network of eight cooperatives of small producers and specializes in the treatment and the marketing of cocoa beans.

The cooperative treat and market products (cocoa trees) from the members of the farmers cooperatives of the North Region to produce good quality cocoa for export worldwide to the most demanding importers such as France, USA etc. FECCANO business model is to ensure economic stability and prosperity for all partners in the supply chain and help improve the lives and cocoa farms of small holders. Some of the activities include market research, storage, and shipping to ensure the highest industry standards.

PRODUCTS:

FECCANO products include fermented cocoa beans certified to bio and fair-trade standards. The average annual production is currently estimated at 300 tons (12 containers), with an annual growth rate of approximately 20%.

Savons Des Iles

WEBSITE:

https://www.savonsdesiles.com

COUNTRY:

Haiti

COMPANY PROFILE:

Savons des Iles is a small woman-owned company which manufactures handmade and natural soaps for the pleasure of a clean bath experience to all its clients. At Savons Des Iles each bar is made, cut, and wrapped by hand. In addition to soap, the company offers other handmade products such as: salt and sugar scrubs, bath salts, lotions, odor neutralizers, candles, deodorants, etc.

Savons des Iles makes soaps using the slow cold process method, which means no external heat is used so the goodness of the natural ingredients are preserved as much as possible. All other products are also made with vegetable oils, naturals clays and additives and the raw materials are supplied from reputable vendors. Also, the organic ingredients purchased are not tested on animals. Savons des Iles products are available on the website: www.savonsdesiles.com and at a local Store in Pétion Ville.

PRODUCTS:

Savons des Iles most popular facial and body bars are our Black, Oats and Milk, Citronelle soaps. The Black Soap – HS No 340111- contains activated charcoal, hence its color, and renowned bentonite clay, oils to form the base, and rich butters. The soap has a wonderful blend of essential oils. It is full of skin-loving ingredients and the stellar ingredient is Organic Haitian Castor Oil. This bar is free of sulfates, synthetic colors, parabens and Triclosan.

Angel Touch

COUNTRY:

Haiti

WEBSITE:

http://www.angeltouch-beauty.com

COMPANY PROFILE:

Angel Touch was established in 2016 in Nathania Dominique’s (owner) kitchen with the purpose of helping others by crafting unique formulas. Today Angel Touch is a small cosmetics atelier specializing in the manufacture of skin, hair and body care products for women and men 25-60 years of age. Through its meticulously formulated creations, Angel Touch aims to trigger a unique sensorial and spiritual experience for its enthusiastic devotees, contributing to their well-being by connecting them to a range of positive emotions.

Over the years the company has created a complementary line of products consisting of aromatic candles, air & linen fresheners and diffusers. In its quest to provide a holistic experience of wellness, Angel Touch has developed the concept of the Wellness Café which combines healthy eating, a spiritual cocoon and the zen creativeness of its personal care product line. More than a company, Angel Touch is a lifestyle.

PRODUCTS:

Angel Touch’s main products are body lotion, body scrub, body oil, body wash, body soap, shampoo and conditioner, hand soap, facial scrub, tanning oil, face oil, hair oil and face serum.

Laboratorio Capilo Español, SRL

COUNTRY:

Dominican Republic

WEBSITE:

http://www.labcapilo.com

COMPANY PROFILE:

Laboratorio Capilo Español, SRL manufactures of hair care products and oils for body and hair care. The oils are a blend of the natural oil and mineral oil or soybean oil (both bought from local suppliers).

PRODUCTS:

Laboratorio Capilo Español, SRL’s products include, shampoo, conditioners, hair treatments, relaxers, and oils.