Here at NŌK CHOC, we are pretty much experts in all things cocoa. One of the most interesting facts we’ve learned over the process of growing our company is how cocoa, even one tiny little bean, can impact small villages in Nigeria. Part of the reason why Idara wanted to focus our products on cocoa was because it is a plant native to the country. However, we also quickly learned that Nigeria is the fourth top exporter of cocoa in the world, contributing nearly one billion dollars to Nigeria’s GDP! With that large a number, there is no doubt that these small villages are greatly impacted by the industry.
One of the most interesting things to note about this process is that most of the cropland is worked by smallholder farmers, numbering 300,000 – 350,000 farms, with very few commercial plantations. This allows the individual family and their employees to benefit from the work that they put in and bring home wages to provide for their household. With NŌK CHOC specifically, we are contributing to the greater cocoa economy and through the demand for our hot cocoa, we help create jobs there.
Specific to NŌK CHOC, we want our company to always reflect the following:
The first, is that the profits from our cocoa (that is sourced from Nigeria), also goes back to their community in the form of education! 100% of all our profits go to the Let Girls Read, Run, Grow organization, a non-profit that focuses on building schools for young girls.
Secondly, we also aim to give their community and cultures representation globally through our packaging and marketing. We want their stories to be heard all over the world, so the love doesn’t just stop in Nigeria.
Lastly, Idara strives to be an inspiration to the youth in Nigeria and hopes to inspire children to live out their creative dreams to change the world.
At NŌK CHOC, we are not just about creating a healthy hot chocolate mix, we are also here to give back to the communities that created us. That’s why we are so excited to be doing what we are doing, and we hope you are just as thrilled as we are to make the world a better place!