Last Wednesday, May 5th, the Partners for the Amazon Platform (PPA) held another meeting of the “Field in Debate” segment, a series of thematic live broadcasts from its first institutional campaign. Diverse Mosaic.
During the week that dealt with the cocoa production chain, PPA's Engagement Manager, Eduardo Rocha, welcomed guests Marco Lessa, publicist, businessman and CEO of Chocolat Festival, and César De Mendes, owner of Chocolates De Mendes and one of the greatest cocoa experts in Brazil.
Lessa and De Mendes discussed topics such as the varieties and characteristics of native cocoa and how this can add value in accessing national and international markets and for the end consumer, in addition to contributing to the conservation of Amazonian biodiversity. No less relevant, they discussed the relationship between cocoa and traditional communities, which is fundamental to the appreciation and protection of this important chain.
In his speech, César De Mendes commented on the variables involved in the production process of native cocoa, which has self-pollination as one of its main characteristics, which generates different sensory and flavor nuances. The Chocolates De Mendes company created a genuinely Amazonian chocolate and has been responsible for engaging and training forest peoples, directly impacting 3,500 people in the region and preserving 300,000 hectares. “Riverside dwellers, quilombolas and indigenous people have their own, more respectful way of dealing with nature. It is a huge and constant learning experience to see the wisdom with which these people care for the environment around them,” he commented.
Through the Chocolat Festival, businessman Marco Lessa was largely responsible for integrating and repositioning cocoa as a noble Brazilian product that preserves sociobiodiversity. “The most important part of this journey was to prove that we are capable of producing good cocoa, good chocolate, and that we have assets that the world recognizes and pays for. But we need to know how to sell, promote and project all these assets so that we are not exploited and instead can exploit this opportunity,” he said. Marco highlighted the added value that native cocoa and its small producers generate, with narratives and truths that add to the purity and quality of the raw material, the protagonist of a special chocolate that is desired by the world.
The event provided good exchanges between Marco and De Mendes, long-time acquaintances who recalled important moments in their careers. With extensive experience in the field and in initiatives for impactful enterprises, both valued the original and traditional knowledge and the need for applied research for the continuous recognition of sustainable forms of management and economic viability for each new development project in the native cocoa value chain.
To watch the live broadcast in full, click below:
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