Origin Trip #54: Mababu, Tanzania- 2025

Journey to Origin: Chocolate University 

Stepping off the plane and onto the hot tarmac after 90+ hours of travel, and seeing the beauty of Tanzania for the first time is overwhelming in all the best ways. 

After a 6+ hour bus ride, the group finally arrived in Mababu, the sweet smell of fermenting cocoa beans hanging in the air. It was a sweet reunion for those who’ve traveled to this area before, and an exciting end to a very long journey for the students who will spend the next week working alongside our farmer partners and getting to know them. They prepared chai, and songs and dances to welcome our students, and our students brought bracelets to exchange with the farmers as they introduced themselves and practiced their Swahili. This is what we call “Kujengana”– a motto for Chocolate University and a guiding principle for our company–which means “to build each other up”.

You may have heard us say before, but we think it bears repeating: it’s not about the chocolate (it’s about the chocolate). The way we practice Direct Trade allows us to focus on building relationships with our farmer partners and their communities. Chocolate University’s community enrichment programs are an extension of this vision and are an integral part of each trip to Tanzania. 

This year, our CU students undertook several projects, including adding a fresh coat of paint to the Nkeso playground equipment and creating an interactive playspace for the area's preschool students.

The big initiative though was a student-led demonstration that kicked off a nursery project for the farmers. Soon, they’ll have a reserve of cocoa seedlings on hand to replace older trees harmed by pests or diseases. The students began working on this project back in January, along with the help of our lead cocoa farmer in the Philippines, Peter. It’s really amazing for us to see our farmer partners from one origin helping those in another, especially with our CU students!! 

Our Chocolate University students were guests of honor at the Empowered Girls and Enlightened Boys graduation festivities. The ceremony is filled with music, dancing, skits and is designed to honor the graduating students who have worked hard throughout the year. All together, these after-school clubs have seen over 10,000 participating students since they began in 2012! 

To recognize the graduates’ accomplishments, Askinosie Foundation board member and past CU alumnus, Taylor Curtis, spoke to the group. Emma Brand, also a former CU alumna and “all-around inspirational middle school teacher of the century,” as told by Shawn (& confirmed by the AC Team!!) also addressed the group and honored their significant accomplishments.

The preparations for the festivities began early in the morning and Chocolate University students helped prepare food for hundreds of attendees: the students, their club sponsors, school teachers and administrators, plus of course, our cocoa farmer partners who act as mentors to the group. The Askinosie Foundation funds this celebration as part of our sponsorship of these clubs.

The three-hour ceremony is filled with music, dancing and skits designed to honor the students who have worked so hard throughout the year. All together, these after-school programs have seen over 10,000 participating students since they began in 2012! Every graduation ceremony is a time of great pride and joy—awards are given out to top students—and this year, our CU students even joined in on the party with a dance that turned into inviting the entire group to join in!

The Chocolate University team had a meaningful last full day in Tanzania, upholding tradition by spending time with our farmer partners on the shore of Lake Nyasa, tasting chocolate and celebrating recent awards & accolades. The opportunity to commemorate these wins together is something we don’t take lightly and it’s thanks in large part to the superior-quality cocoa beans these farmers produce.

Typically the beach party is also when we conduct our profit share, but for the first time in 18 years, we didn’t share profits on this origin trip. Why, you ask? Because 2024 was our first year not being profitable–due primarily to the astronomically high costs of cocoa beans–and you can’t share profits that you don’t have. We explained this to the farmers, as always, via translated financial statements and a long discussion. Luckily, we’ve made several changes and do not anticipate repeating this situation again; but this is the reality of small business, direct trade, and being a brand that doesn’t have big PE firms behind us. We will always prioritize transparency, with our farmers… and you  all! After this meeting, plus weeklong contract negotiations for our next bean delivery, a party was definitely in order!   

Everyone sang, danced, shared good food together & reflected on the past week. When the students were asked to share with our farmer partners what they had learned on this trip, one said, “I’ve truly enjoyed the opportunity to feel joy with you. Through smiles, through hugs and through handshakes. Thank you for inviting us into your beautiful community!”

These incredible students will, without doubt, share the love and light they experienced on this trip and carry it with them into their extraordinarily bright futures. This is Direct Trade. This is chocolate that Tastes Good & Does Good.