This story does not take place in Jamaica. It is a story for Grenada but it should be an inspiration to the Caribbean communities. Mott Green who left the states and found residence in Grenada created quite a unique chocolate company in 1999 called the Grenada Chocolate Company. The idea came when he listened to farmers who were reluctant to continue farming cocoa because the price of the beans were too low. The solution? Realizing the demand for good quality chocolate, Green teamed up with organic farmers to create a local cooperative exporting chocolate directly to retailers.
Similar to coffee, the chocolate industry has been criticized for unethical global practices; paying cheap wages, child labor, squeezing out small farmers, stripping a countries valuable resource for pennies on the dollar only for a large corporation to easily profit from a feverish demand in developed countries. Green worked not to exploit but to empower fellow Grenadians. As the article states, the cooperative company employed up to 50 local workers all who earned the same salary. Despite the challenges the company faced throughout the years, it started recently showing profits.
Please read the article. Watch the interview. There is even a documentary that I haven't seen just yet. Get to know his story. Mott Green will be missed by many, but his story about making chocolate in paradise will remain to be an inspiration. Not for people looking to simply “drop out” or entrepreneurs looking for a profit. The inspiration here is that he lived a life with purpose and that purpose was to empower his community and the people around him.
New York Times Article
Interview with Mott Green
The Grenada Chocolate Company
Nothing Like Chocolate documentary
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