MIA launches Ghana Gold with official distribution with Empire Bespoke Foods Ltd

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Ethical chocolate company MIA, short for Made In Africa, is set to be the only brand in the world to produce bean-to-bar chocolate in two African countries, expanding its impact and offering consumers a unique new range of flavours.

MIA was founded on the belief that communities across the African continent can improve their livelihoods by creating delicious value-added food products. In 2017, the brand launched a range of single origin and bean-to-bar chocolates in Madagascar, targeting specialty stores with unique vegan flavours that won five Great Taste Awards. The addition of the Ghana Gold, made start to finish in Ghana, gives MIA a unique position in the world of ethical chocolate as a pioneer of the made-in- Africa model.

Ghana Gold features a combination of classic dark bars, dairy milk flavours and vegan m!lk chocolate alternatives. The vegan m!lk chocolates feature cashews, a rare dairy substitute in the chocolate industry that normally uses oat or rice powder.

Co-founder Sarah Lescrauwaet explains, “Our goal is to join delicious flavours with extraordinary impact. Cashews are prized for their rich taste and farmers in Ghana grow the crop, allowing us to keep more value in the country. This combination of flavour and impact made cashews the perfect ingredient to create a silky smooth vegan m!lk chocolate.”

Ghana Gold will be made in partnership with ABOCFA, a Fairtrade and organic farmer cooperative in Suhum, and a local factory in Tema to craft chocolate with freshly harvested cocoa while keeping the entire value chain and chocolate in Ghana.

Co-founder Brett Beach reflects on the significance of the brand’s second made-in- Africa range: “As the world’s second largest producer of cocoa, Ghana should also be a formidable manufacturer of chocolate bars, but this is not the case. The country accounts for less than 1% of finished chocolate enjoyed around the world. We want to change this.

Cocoa farmers need to be supported, but we are not giving African communities a fair share of value if we limit our trade with them to raw ingredients. Europe moved beyond reliance on subsistence agriculture during the Industrial Revolution and we need to create trade relationships that give other nations the chance to achieve the same level of prosperity. The made-in-Africa trade model creates four times the economic impact of raw cocoa export and supports the skilled jobs in the chocolate making process. We believe this fair made model should be a new standard of Fairtrade.”

Ghana Gold will hit the market this October. Contact sales@empirebespokefoods.com  for more information.

Posted by: Edward R

Category: Product