Taza, Root Capital, and La Red Guaconejo – Investing in Chocolate and Communities

July 6, 2010

This week we'd like to share a video about one of Taza Chocolate's most rewarding relationships - our ongoing partnership with La Red Guaconejo, the small organic cacao growers’ co-op in the Dominican Republic that provides us with much of the cacao we use to craft our chocolate.Early in our partnership, Taza made an investment in working with La Red to improve their production methods and infrastructure, and it’s paid off even better than we could have hoped – providing Taza with a reliable, long-term source of excellent cacao, and providing La Red with a steady and sustainable source of income and the ability to increase both the quantity and quality of their harvests.

Taza’s investment in La Red paved the way for a third partner to enter the picture. Root Capital is a nonprofit social investment fund with a mission to create finance options for grassroots businesses in developing countries. The funds they provide help to create sustainable livelihoods and transform rural communities in economically and environmentally challenged areas. It was Taza’s commitment to purchase set minimum quantities of La Red’s cacao that served as the collateral needed for Root Capital to invest additional capital in the co-op. Root Capital made its first loan to La Red in 2009, and when the co-op successfully paid it off, made a second one, providing the steady source of cash that fuels continued growth and improvements.

Here’s a video from Root Capital that tells the story of this thriving collaboration. Working together has helped both Taza and La Red flourish, and helped get more delicious and sustainable chocolate into the world. Take a look.