I care about many things, but chief among them are food and all things Africa. With that, I share my first piece for Quartz Africa on Ghana and Ivory Coast's growing local chocolate industries.
Image courtesy of Midunu Chocolates
In a bid to meet the budget shortfall of their struggling economies, Ivory Coast and Ghana have accelerated efforts to support local grinders and producers of finished producers. Instead of selling raw materials for export, both countries now hope to make their chocolate just as iconic as their cocoa. New policies and initiatives aimed at local entrepreneurs may help them move up the value chain.
A few of the Ghanaian and Ivorian chocolatiers mentioned in this piece: Instant Chocolat, Midunu Chocolates, and '57 Chocolate. If you find yourself in Abidjan or Accra, be sure to check them out and let me know what you think.
Image courtesy of '57 Chocolate