10 Years of fairafric

Foreword Hendrik

10 Years of fairafric 

Our first bars from 2016 look very different from our current designs. But not only our packaging has changed.

We have grown:

• in production capacity
• in team
• in experience
• in professionalism
• and in our self-confidence

What started small is now a company with real impact.

10 Highlights from 10 Wild Years

1. The People in Ghana 

The most beautiful thing about this journey is the encounters with the people in Ghana.

Their warmth, helpfulness and joy of life still characterize fairafric today – and far beyond the work environment.

Whether on the farms, in the factory, in the village or in daily interactions: We constantly experience an inspiring openness, community, and positive energy.

Many challenges could only be overcome because people stuck together, helped out, and believed in the shared idea.

Fairafric would not be what it is today without these people.

2. Meeting the President of Ghana

Our founder had the opportunity to meet the President of Ghana twice and speak about our vision to over 20 African heads of state.

What once began as a bold idea was suddenly discussed at the highest political level – a special moment for fairafric and a strong sign that new approaches can attract attention.

And by the way, it was probably the first time we saw our founder in a suit on a stage.

3. Building our factory in record time

One of the most extraordinary moments in our history was the construction of our factory in rural Ghana.

During the COVID era, we built a state-of-the-art chocolate factory in less than six months – equipped with specialized machinery from Europe.

Particularly noteworthy: The factory was built in a place where there was no electricity, water, or internet before.

Where there was hardly any infrastructure before, a modern production site with international standards, qualified jobs, and new prospects for the region gradually emerged.

For us, it remains a symbol of what is possible when vision meets determination.

4. Special permission during Corona

To complete our factory during the Corona period, engineers from Europe urgently needed to travel to Ghana to install and commission the state-of-the-art production facilities.

At that time, borders were closed and international travel was almost completely halted.

Upon our request, special permission was granted – Accra airport was opened specifically for this entry.

For our team, it was an unforgettable moment. Landing at an almost empty airport, in the midst of a global state of emergency, felt surreal.

But it also showed how much trust and support our project received – and how determined everyone involved was to make this factory a reality.

5. TV Documentaries & Attention

Our story has attracted attention far beyond the chocolate industry in recent years.

Several TV formats and media reports picked up on our unusual approach: producing chocolate where cocoa grows, creating value in the country of origin, and rethinking global supply chains.

We particularly remember a broadcast on German television. Shortly after the show, our website crashed due to the enormous influx of visitors – a problem that, to be honest, we were very happy about at the time.

Another highlight was our documentary Decolonize Chocolate (click here for the documentary 🎥), in which we were able to show in more depth why the chocolate industry was historically built the way it is today – and why it's time to create new models.

For us, such formats are much more than just reach. They help to initiate discussions, raise awareness, and show that business can also function differently.

6. 🌍 The Ripple Effect

Today, we already employ more than 300 people in Ghana – in addition to many other jobs along our value chain.

But the actual effect goes much further.

Jobs create income. Income creates stability. Stability creates new opportunities.

We have seen how employees have been able to support families, send children to school, build houses, or further their education with their income.

It was particularly moving for us to see that some team members even built their own small businesses – and thereby created new jobs for others.

This is exactly the ripple effect we believed in from the beginning:

When value creation occurs locally, opportunities emerge that go far beyond a single company.

7. 💛 Over €10 million in support from the crowd

Our customers have not only supported fairafric through their purchases but have actively helped build and finance the company.

8. 🚌 The Farm-to-Factory Tour

Every year, thousands of people visit our farms and factory to see for themselves how chocolate can be produced differently.

The demand is high, and the enthusiasm is palpable every time. Many guests come with curiosity – and leave with a completely new perspective on chocolate and global value creation.

From school classes to international guests and our cocoa families: The Farm-to-Factory Tour takes people directly to where cocoa is grown and chocolate is made.

In this form, the experience is almost unique: first the farm, then the factory, then the finished product in hand.

It transparently shows how value creation works in the country of origin, creates understanding for our work, and connects people with the stories behind each bar of chocolate. (click here for the tour on our Ghanaian website 🇬🇭)

9. 🌱 Dynamic Agroforestry

What began as a fight against poverty has grown into something even bigger over the years.

Our original goal was to create more value in the country of origin, establish good jobs, and enable new economic perspectives.

Along this path, we realized that the way cocoa is grown also plays a crucial role for the future.

With cocoa from dynamic agroforestry systems, we rely on cultivation methods where cocoa trees grow together with many other plants, trees, and natural structures. This strengthens soils, protects biodiversity, and makes cultivated areas more resilient.

Particularly exciting for us: These systems can store more CO₂ in the soil and vegetation than we emit along our value chain.

Thus, a social mission has additionally become an ecological one.

Our goal today is clear: to make chocolate not only fairer but also climate positive. (learn more about our Road to Climate Positive here 🌍)

10. Our Crowd

More than 3,500 people have financially supported fairafric in recent years. Thousands of others carry our mission with every single purchase.

This is anything but a given.

While many companies are built by traditional investors, funds, or banks, fairafric was supported by a community that believes in a different way of doing business.

People who are convinced that high-quality products, economic success, and positive impact belong together.

This crowd has helped us grow at crucial moments, overcome crises, build our factory, and embark on new chapters.

It has shown that trust, community, and shared values can unleash enormous power.

Without these people, fairafric would not exist.

And that's precisely why fairafric, in a way, belongs to everyone who believes in and supports this idea.

As a small thank you, we're celebrating with you: 10% anniversary discount with code 10YEARS. 

Our mission today: Chocolate with a clear conscience

Today, our mission is stronger than ever.

Our goal is simple:

Make chocolate with a clear conscience.

For us, this means:

Good for you – better chocolate for consumers.
Good for the people – more value creation at origin and for cocoa farmers
Good for the planet – making chocolate climate positive.

Because great chocolate should not come at the expense of people or nature.

Looking back fills us with pride, gratitude, and also humility.

What could emerge from nothing in ten years, we could hardly have imagined then.

A crazy idea became a company.
A few hundred pre-orders became hundreds of jobs.
A dream became reality.

And yet we have the feeling:

We are only just beginning.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. ❤️

To the first 10 years.
And to the next 10 years.