Week 1

Here at MMC I am tasked with helping to design a hybrid business model and transitioning MMC from a for-profit company to a hybrid company with both a foundation and a for-profit entity.  I am also working to help finish the 2013 Impact report to highlight the great strides accomplished by the MMC team throughout the year in social, environmental, and product impact.  A great deal of my time this first week in the office was dedicated to the impact report.  I also made one seemingly valuable contact who may lead me to some entrepreneurs!

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Thursday we visited the cacao house.  Stopped for some absolutely delicious coconut chocolate from a local chocolate expert where I have to return.  Apparently they conduct tours of the farm and factory.  At the cacao house we too had a tour of the operations led by Cacao House manager Samuel.  Started with fermentation boxes, weaved through the drying deck facility, got a sneak peak at the seedlings nursery, met Mercedes, the QC specialist, sorting the cacao beans and ended in the storage facility to take note of the two tons of cacao all ready for shipping! I learned that you can eat the cacao at almost every step of the process and that expert tasters are trained to decipher if each batch is bitter or fruity or more like coco.  Over fermenting makes for the largely accepted flavor we know as chocolate.  But in the business of luxury, artisan chocolate, more variety is appreciated.  I can’t wait to spend more time out there!

Cacao Drying Deck

Cacao Drying Deck

Freshly picked wet cacao

Freshly picked wet cacao

Yesterday was quite a treat.   I went snorkeling in the Snake Cayes and was lucky enough to spot some vibrant tropical life. French Angelfish are always my favorite but the Gray Angelfish, Parrot Fish, and Surgeonfish are nice too! After snorkeling, we spent some time in the beautiful, pristine water near a beach on an island: not too shabby at all.

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Crystal clear waters!

Crystal clear waters!

Also, rice and beans…still loving it!