Coffee and chocolate are certainly related products in the Costa Rican economy. They both have businesses and growers that are extremely sustainability-focused. The producers recognize that the health of their country and their livelihoods stems from maintaining the natural beauty of the country because that is what drives tourism- the lifeblood of the Tico economy. Climate change is a challenge that both industries face. For coffee, it impacts the dry and wet season, decreasing output and shifting growing and picking times. On the other hand, the cacao plant can have a shorter life span and increased pod ripening speed as a result of climate change. The quicker ripening time causes harder cocoa butter, making poorer tasting chocolate.

The chocolate supply chain is not just effected by climate change. There are issues with contractors and distributors. A producer like Sibo looks to incentivize cacao production by cutting out the middleman and buying cacao for the same price so farmers make more. However, they can have issues getting their product into stores in countries like the US without these outside companies that have influence and connections. Companies like Cafe Britt, which are larger and contract with more outside entities have wider product placement. It all depends on the values of the company, and Sibo values sustainability and the fair pay of the farmers they buy from. Their packaging is made from used cacoa bean husk that was boiled, which I thought was an amazing way to prevent waste.

The Riverside Cafe, where we went for lunch after the Sibo tour, takes sustainability to another level. They fuel their pizza ovens with old coffee tree wood, have their own solar panels that account for 90 percent of their power usage, and grow pretty much all of the fruits and vegetables they use themselves. There are also art displays inside from local artists that guests can purchase, which supports the local community in a social way. This prioritization of sustainability was something I had heard about in Costa Rica but I did not expect it to be normalized to this degree. Nearly every tour we have been on has given it a huge emphasis and has said that the word applies to communities and culture as well as the environment. Sustainability is not just about saving forest and species. The practices to achieve these goals go with actions that support local communities and methodical development that drives economies.