We’ve been watching the media reports with interest this week, as the ban on cocoa exports from the Ivory Coast caused the price of cocoa to rise. I’m not too concerned as we have good contracts in place for a few months yet, by which time, I suspect the situation will have resolved itself, at least from the cocoa point of view.

But it’s the cocoa farmers I am thinking about. They are always at risk of falling into the poverty trap, as the price they receive for their cocoa fluctuates without warning depending on demand. There’s not a great deal of support or incentive for them to invest in their farms, improve their output quality or quantity, when they simply don’t know whether they will have a market for it. The buying companies are not having much success in creating sustainability for these smallholders.

I feel proud of the way we have turned things around for the St Lucian farmers we work with. We now have 107 independent growers in our scheme, all of them benefiting from our high fixed price, direct “no middle men” trading, guaranteed purchase of all their crops and quality support from our cocoa-growing research.

We’re only a small player and we’re in a specific territory, but we’ve turned around cocoa growing in St Lucia. Five years ago, it was on its knees, and now it’s a thriving industry again. Fair prices and prompt payment. It could be a repeatable model. And it definitely throws down the gauntlet to the big boys in cocoa buying.

The newly installed Minister was looking to hear at first hand from fast growing UK manufacturing exporters, what the government should be doing to help them grow jobs and exports.

His first port of call of the day was to our chocolate factory at Huntingdon. After the initial pleasantries, and while the Cocoa Tea* was still warm, we got straight to it and listed out top 3 things which he could help us with.

First – why can’t we export our Champagne Truffles to the USA. Currently they are banned under an obscure part of their Anti-Terrorism legislation dealing with explosives and alcohol. Despite this, other chocolatiers seem to be able to offer Champagne Truffles so why can’t we? Our customers in Newbury St, Boston are always asking for them.

Second and third – there are two (un-named) government agencies who are currently weakening our export plans. They have to remain un-named I am afraid, as I am genuinely worried it would make things worse for us…

The Minister, until recently the Chairman of HSBC Bank (one of the banks which emerged least scathed by the banking crisis) was clearly very familiar with business, which is great to see in a senior politician.

Certainly came away with the strong feeling that the government wants brands and businesses like Hotel Chocolat to push hard to get the economy moving!

PS his aide has already been in touch to obtain full details of the 3 points on our hit list…

* Cocoa Tea Recipe

Per mug

50% water, 50% skimmed milk

Boil the water in a pan

Add 2 soup spoons of grated Saint Lucian Cocoa Beans to the boiling water and whisk in

After 30 seconds of fast boil, remove from heat and add the milk

Whisk further, then ready to serve

Cocoa Tea is:

- more like coffee than hot chocolate

- thin, invigorating with some bitterness

- very healthy

- very similar to what Samuel Pepys wrote about enjoying in 1600s London

I have wanted to do a blog for some time and consequently have a lot of pent-up things I want to share with you…

‘What sort of things?’ I hear you ask?

Funny anecdotes about things that happen inside a creatively driven business – think grizzled cocoa farmers meeting London creative luvvies!

Inside-track about chocolate making, like my controversial theory on why vanilla is really used in chocolate blends!

Sneak previews before anyone else sees them e.g. I will post the launch menu of Boucan Restaurant here first.

Reviews and tips on great places I have tested out, to eat, drink and shop in the UK, US and Saint Lucia.

I hope you enjoy,
Angus