Being a little bit of a history nerd, getting to hear the full story of chocolate was very entertaining for me. It is interesting how the two commodities with the most complex supply chains, coffee and chocolate, also had the most elaborate backstories. They also share the intense amount of options you can go with as a part of these supply chains. Sibö chocolate has decided to source cacao and milk from many places and then turn that milk and cacao into chocolate.

A huge problem with the chocolate supply chain Sibö is currently facing is the sheer number of things needed to be done to expand. Sibö has to train everyone in the supply chain, from the farmers to the customers. They train the farmers by showing them things like when a cacao bean is perfectly fermented, and they train customers in one way by explaining to them that dark chocolate is a flavor to be savored unlike milk chocolate. Sibö also has to compete with super large competitors like Britt, who has basically forced Sibö out of certain markets, like large hotels and airports. Sibö and Britt are different in size and technique, with Sibö being smaller and artisanal and Britt being large and commodified.

If I started a Costa Rican business today, it would be in farming pineapples. As cool making chocolate sounds, growing pineapple sounds like such a simple and fun life compared to other Costa Rican commodities. The pineapple fields look awesome, and life there would be even awesomer.