Kaoka

We are a french family company, a pioneer of organic fair trade and experts in cocoa.

We have been campaigning passionately for nearly 30 years for organic and ethical chocolate of excellence.

Organic

Organic cocoa is a good thing, but at Kaoka we have decided to go further still by integrating the protection of fragile ecosystems, the promotion of agroforestry, reforestation, soil restoration, and more.

Ethical

Since 1993, Kaoka has made sure that cocoa cultivation represents a real path of economic development for its partner growers.

Quality

Organic, fair… and above all with an inimitable flavour because KAOKA is first and foremost a team of cocoa enthusiasts! Our model was built to guarantee intensely rich, aromatic chocolates.

Fair for all

Because the “fair” dimension is part of an overall approach, Kaoka wants its quality organic chocolates to be accessible to as many people as possible.

You're going to say… how is it possible to guarantee organic, ethical, quality and fair chocolate for all?

Our answer is that we use the integrated programs’ model. A model that we have spent several years building with our partner growers. Take a look at it, step by step.

1 Structuring the cooperatives
A program begins with the creation of a solid and sustainable cooperative. We hold discussions with grower associations to define our reciprocal commitments (long-term partnership, 100% of the cocoa purchased and pre-financed by Kaoka, etc.). We ensure that the cooperatives we work with are sustainable, that is to say that they are well organized and that their financial resource management is sound.
2 Organization of cocoa growing and its enhancement
The challenge here is to support growers in cultivating quality cocoa, while respecting the rules of organic farming. We endeavour to ensure that, from plantation to export, cocoa is grown, fermented and dried in optimal conditions, guaranteeing exceptional quality.
3 Identification of programs' issues
Each program operates in a different context and our partner growers are faced with specific difficulties.

For example, in Ecuador, the Nacional cocoa variety, considered a part of the country’s heritage, is threatened.
In São Tomé, the plantations were ageing and becoming unproductive, jeopardizing the income of growers.
In Peru, it is again the productivity and therefore the growers’ income which is affected, except that here, the issue is not the ageing of the plantations but the deterioration of their soil.

The challenge for Kaoka is twofold: to seek efficient and sustainable solutions so that cocoa growing is truly profitable for growers and to perpetuate the cultivation of high quality organic cocoa.
4 Finding and implementing solutions
Solutions are sought in partnership with the growers and can sometimes take several years.

In Ecuador, we have developed innovative agronomic techniques to renovate plantations and significantly improve cocoa harvests in terms of both quantity and quality. This was an achievement we were able to duplicate in São Tomé. In Peru, we encourage growers to favour agroforestry. We support them in rebalancing the soil's pH and enriching it with organic matter.

All of these practical solutions, which are only possible within the framework of a long-term partnership, increase the growers’ harvests.
5 A rewarding profession resulting in high quality cocoa
A grower’s income depends not only on the selling price of their cocoa, but also on the amount of cocoa they harvest! Which is why, at Kaoka, we implement a global approach. Thanks to our technical and agronomic support, as you can imagine, growers' yields are increasing significantly. Coupled with a higher price agreed directly with the growers, their incomes really and sustainably improve.

At the same time, the quality of our cocoa is enhanced year after year, thanks to agronomic work and the expertise in fermentation and drying carried out in each of our programs.

Our unique model of integrated programs enables rigorous quality controls at every stage: from planting to blending to the preparation of recipes.