World Cocoa Foundation - Quotes Eric Reid - President and CEO of SPAGnVOLA

June 22, 2013

http://worldcocoafoundation.org/spagnvola/

I come from a different mindset and perspective when it comes to cacao. Owning the land, cultivating, harvesting and post-harvest processing of our cacao is not an easy task, and it allows me to gain a greater appreciation for the value of this commodity, especially when you’re in business to create premium chocolate and not bulk confection. On the other end of the spectrum, manufacturing and building a premium brand is not easy, so I have gained a rare appreciation for the lifecycle of this commodity.

Although I see both sides from a large lens, I have a HUGE affinity towards the farming perspective. Without cacao farmers, the industry collapses!!!

My underlining mission is “what will my grandchildren think?” Have I created the proper foundation which enables fairness across the board? How does this industry provide “shared-value” throughout the lifecycle of this wonderful commodity, which enables a sense of unity and fairness from soil-to-table?

Eric Reid

CEO/ Founder, SPAGnVOLA

SPAGnVOLA is a vertically integrated premium chocolate manufacturer which is unique in the chocolatier business by virtue of controlling its entire supply chain, from soil to boutique. This chain spans the distance from its Dominican Republic mountainside farmland in Hato Mayor del Rey (Hacienda de SPAGnVOLA), to its factory and boutique in Gaithersburg, Maryland. SPAGnVOLA proudly ensures that the cacao beans used for its premium chocolate are of the highest quality and cultivated with sustainable farming practices.