I really loved our visit to Sibö Chocolate. Our presenter showed us how a business can focus on more than just profit. He was extremely passionate and knowledgeable, which made the experience much more interesting because you could tell how much he cared about his work and about Costa Rica. Sibö was founded because the owners believed Costa Rica should keep more of the value. Their work focuses directly on quality over quantity. Being able to taste many of the chocolates firsthand really emphasized this. The whole experience felt more personal and helped me understand the care and work that goes into each product.

A main mission he had that I noticed was how sustainability was built directly into the company’s practices. He explained how cacao grows well in Costa Rica because of the country’s biodiversity, different elevations, and climate variations between the two oceans and continents. He also talked about how ecosystems depend on relationships between plants and animals and how cacao can even support reforestation efforts. One design choice I found especially creative was how Sibö reuses cacao shells to create packaging for their chocolate boxes instead of wasting them.

At the same time, the tour highlighted some of the environmental challenges businesses faced throughout the years. We learned that droughts and heavy rains linked to climate change have damaged cacao crops and caused prices to rise significantly. Businesses that rely on agriculture are directly connected to the environment. Sibö makes tradeoffs that many larger companies might avoid as he runs his business around sustainable practices and paying farmers fairly. While these likely cost more money and can limit how quickly the business grows, I think those decisions help create a stronger long-term business. Customers feel more connected to the company and its mission.

Another thing I enjoyed was how Sibö combined history and culture into the experience. We learned that cacao has been used in Central America for over 4,000 years and was once even used as currency. The speaker explained how chocolate evolved from a bitter drink used by Indigenous groups into the products we know today. Tasting the different chocolates while learning about their history made the tour feel interactive and memorable. Some people may see sustainability-focused businesses as more expensive and useless, but I think Sibö showed that customers are willing to support companies when they see genuine care for people, culture, and the environment.