Tres Hombres
Every year the sailing ship the Tres Hombres arrives in Amsterdam with a new crop of organic and fair trade cocoa from the Dominican Republic.
It’s just left the Netherlands on its outward trip. You can track it here. (external link)
- An average of 143 bags of Trinitario cocoa are transported at 70 kilos, so 10,000 kilos (10 tons)
- This long journey across the North Atlantic is completed in 13,822 nautical miles (25,598 KM).
- The arrival date is usually in June or July, but this is dependent on the weather and wind
- Since 2012 Chcolatemakers have been working together with the organization of the Tres Hombres, Fairtransport.
All of this means that Trinitario cocoa can be transported completely emission-free. Chocolatemakers use this cocoa in some of their delicious chocolates, which you can shop for here
Mission
Building and operating a fully sustainable cocoa chain for chocolate making to demonstrate and experience that the cocoa chain can contribute to better chocolate and a better world.
Chocolatemakers make chocolate from bean to bar in their own factory in Amsterdam. The chocolate is made with single origin beans that are bought directly from cocoa farmers. Beans come from three origins –
- From the Dominican Republic, the bars are transported entirely on wind power by sailing ship to the Netherlands, where they are processed into powerful chocolate.
- In Peru, Chocolatemakers is working on projects to improve soil quality and they have built a modern chocolate factory together with cocoa farmers. This allows the farmers to become chocolate makers and thus generate more income.
- In Congo, the cocoa provides the local population with income so that they do not threaten the habitat of the mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park.
Business operations are based on minimal emissions and waste and Chocolatemakers strive for local solutions. Their electricity is green and they recycle and re-use as much as possible. And the consumer receives healthy and super tasty chocolate!
Packaging
The packaging is made of greaseproof paper and printed with bio ink. The inner wrapper is coated with a layer of cellulose foil. This helps the chocolate last longer. It resembles plastic, but is made of vegetable material and can therefore be disposed of on a compost heap. Printing is carried out locally.
The Factory
In 2014 Chocolatemakers were voted the most sustainable SME in Amsterdam and five years later opened their own factory, with a fully transparent roof of solar panels to provide for their own energy needs.
Machines and equipment mainly consist of second-hand equipment with a 70-year-old Spanish blender and a ‘Three roll refiner’. All cupboards and furniture are second hand too.
