The FCIA annual meeting was full of learning and shared experience, fostering camaraderie among its members.
I had a very long day that passed in the blink of an eye. The panelists shared their experiences as entrepreneurs, and without any hesitation, they also shared their expertise on how to grow and maintain the chocolate business.
Through this event, I realized that even though we are all in the world of chocolate, each company has a different lens on how to see it and, above all, how to manage it, and that the business can be totally different in Brooklyn, Michigan or Seattle.
Fears were also put on the table when talking about cadmium and lead in cocoa and chocolate; however, the panelists, through work with experts in soil management and doctors, mitigate fear by confirming to attendees that the measures had already been taken years before the consumer report came out.
They also talked about what concerns us all—the modern chocolate consumer— as well. They said that if social networks change to attract the consumer, it is our task as an entrepreneur to feel more committed to what the consumer wants. They also talked about many good strategies that will allow us to meet customer's wants!
The numbers in the chocolate business were also under discussion, and despite the fact that inflation has knocked at all doors, including those of cocoa and chocolate, the experts guided us to find viable tools so as not to lose profits in our products.
Finally, we learned more about what MOCCA (Maximizing Opportunities in Coffee and Cacao in the Americas) for. It's to create support programs and opportunities for cacao producers. Additionally, two of the James Beard Award-winning chefs had a unique tasting of chocolate from the regions of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Peru. We learned about the origin and history of cocoa from each of these regions while we enjoyed the guided tasting .
As I mentioned before, it was a very long day that passed at the speed of light. My heart was filled with joy to see again the faces of friends and colleagues in this world of chocolate.
Thank you FCIA for a splendid and enriching day!
