As a young start-up, last year was all about sustainability for us. This was true for our operations in the USA as well as Cameroon Africa, where we faced tremendous operational complexities due to social-political unrest. Our work in Cameroon is needed now more than ever and despite a long road ahead, we are tremendously proud of the strides we made in 2018.
As we excitedly look forward to 2019, we take a moment to recognize a few accomplishments of last year and honor those who made them possible. We’ve hit some major milestones in 2018 and even surpassed our own expectations. These accomplishments were made possible by all of our supporters and customers- as every bar of chocolate and every bag of coffee we sell directly impacts our mission around the globe. Its never been more rewarding to enjoy chocolate and coffee like this.
Our Impact at origin
In total, we've planted 30,320 trees, produced 6,492 days of employment, harvested 5,808 pounds of food, donated 480 trees into our Farmer Field School, and invested $75,000 into the communities. On our own farm in Cameroon, we also added 7,000 additional trees in just this year alone, while increasing job opportunities along the way. Even more enriching is our expanding community of cacao farmers who value having Moka as an on-the-ground partner. We are seeing more people affected by the growing success every day, which only fuels our enthusiasm to keep pushing harder than ever. Follow our impact at MokaOrigins.com/Impact
Meanwhile in the USA
Our coffee roastery and chocolate factory have been seeing consistent growth. We doubled our retail partnerships last year, won 5 awards, and expanded our production output. We poured, hand-wrapped and shipped you 18,000 bars of chocolate and 10,000 lbs of coffee last year. These past few months have been the biggest we’ve ever seen, and if you visit our factory now, you’ll see signs of expansion throughout our space.
Moka Box monthly subscription
In June, we officially launched our subscription product called Moka Box, which allows subscribers to receive a unique experience each month and enjoy free shipping. These subscription boxes highlight special products that pair together for a unique tasting experience. We’ve even released some super limited batch bars, such as our coveted Cameroon 68% bar, our Strawberry White Chocolate Bar, and our Single-Origin Brazil Coffee. Subscribers in December found themselves with our legendary Organic Peppermint Bark Dark Chocolate Bar.
Origin Trips
To top it all off, we've just announced our Origin Trips. These expeditions to our farmer's countries of origin are designed to make the chocolate & coffee supply chain much more transparent, while also providing service to the communities that we source from. These trips signify our commitment to transparency, quality, and beyond fair-trade relationships. This year, in June of 2019, we will be leading a group of 20 chocolate lovers to the Dominican Republic for our 2019 Rainforest Chocolate Trip- it'll be the ultimate "farm to bar" experience. You'll get a chance to meet the cacao farmers, help process cacao, and support their communities all while enjoying the beauty of the Dominican Republic including forests, beaches, food and more! Contact Jeff@MokaOrigins.com for registration details.
Thanks to you all who have made Moka Origins a part of your family. We can not be more thankful for the support and growth we have seen, which is only fueling our efforts to continue to make great chocolate and coffee - all while creating a better world.
Empowerment comes in many forms–ours just happens to be delicious.
Jeff Abella
Co-Founder, Moka Origins