Today, we visited Sibö Chocolate and learned all about the history of chocolate, as well as how it is produced in Costa Rica. Then we went to Riverside, a restaurant that grows all of its ingredients itself and has a zero carbon footprint. Lastly, we once again visited Latin University of Costa Rica for a guest presentation on ecotourism.

Today was our first time learning about the chocolate business. While it is very unique, it also has some similarities to the coffee business. Firstly, both use immigrant workers to help with production. Our speaker today, Julio Fernandez Amón, could not have stressed more how much he relies on immigrants to work for his business. Costa Ricans don’t want to work on chocolate plants; they want to work in offices, so by hiring immigrants he is getting people that will work extremely hard. This compares to the coffee industry, where most coffee pickers are brought in from Nicaragua because they will work hard for lower wages. While having a diverse workforce has many advantages, I wonder what some challenges might be to having workers from different cultures.

Additionally, there are many risks with the coffee supply chain. One is the rising price of cacao. For chocolate makers, rising cacao prices can squeeze profit margins, leading to increased product prices for consumers or the need to find alternative sources of cacao. Overall, it disrupts the delicate balance of the cacao supply chain. Another challenge is breaking into international markets. Sibö Chocolate has cut out the middleman in their operations to avoid costs. However, without this middleman, it is “impossible to break into the US market,” according to Julio. This caps Sibö Chocolate’s growth and makes it difficult for them to expand.

Lastly, companies like Sibö, Britt, and Riverside all have in common the fact that they spend a significant amount of energy on sustainability efforts. Although they produce different products, their efforts are all very important to the companies’ values. It is pertinent to stay true to one’s values when running a business, and prioritizing sustainability not only aligns with ethical principles but also ensures long-term sustainability in an increasingly environmentally conscious market.