Small-scale agriculture is closely linked to abject poverty. However, university graduates and well-educated people are desperately looking for jobs and regular income. Opportunities and additional income possibilities lie in the local processing of the raw materials. With conventional chocolate, however, only the cocoa beans are exported and thus about 2,350 dollars per ton of cocoa remain in Ghana. In comparison, we can bring about 17,150 $ income per ton of cocoa to Africa through production in Ghana.

Our factory employees receive a salary that is 3.8 times the Ghanaian minimum wage. In addition to creating new jobs outside the agricultural sector, we also make a difference for our farmers. For their cocoa, we pay our farmers a premium of 600 $ per ton, the highest premium in all of West Africa! Investments in their farms and better equipment have massively increased their yields. Most of the extra money is invested in the future of their children. We already have cases where their children have attained university degrees.

The families of production workers can easily afford regular checkups. Necessary treatments do not have to be postponed due to the lack of money. During the Corona pandemic, we provided all employees with the necessary preventive vaccinations. We also offer health and pension insurance for all employees and their families. In the cafeteria next to the factory, all employees receive hot meals from organically grown food from the surrounding area.

Currently, solar energy in Ghana accounts for about 0.5% of the country's total installed capacity. We have installed 578 solar panels on the roof of our state-of-the-art, solar-powered chocolate factory. With the solar system, we generate about 16,500 kWh per month.