At the moment there are around 480 fine chocolate makers and manufacturers in the world, and 100 of those are based in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the Fine Cacao and Chocolate Institute. Montanos’ Chocolate Company Limited (MCCL), a family-owned and operated chocolate and chocolate product company based in Trinidad and Tobago, is one of them. It started producing chocolate bars in 2014 and in a short space of time has evolved into an award-winning business leader.
MCCL’s single origin bar is made from Trinitario cocoa beans and has three simple ingredients – sun dried cocoa nibs, cocoa butter and brown sugar. The product does not contain dairy, nuts, preservatives, emulsifiers, or mold inhibitors. MCCL director, Elizabeth Montano, says: “Our bar is an all-natural vegan snack and a healthy choice. It is made with a very highly-flavoured bean, the Trinitario, and offers a fresh alternative with a very long shelf life.
Sustainability, protecting the environment, and uplifting their community are essential elements of the MCCL brand, according to Ms Montano. “MCCL is built on a sustainable platform for business with a focus on the ‘triple bottom line’ – people, planet, and profit,” she states. We honour and support the people in our supply chain, providing jobs for our team and a livelihood for cocoa farmers who grow our raw materials. We pledge to be environmentally responsible in our packaging and the shipping of products. Our soon to be commissioned chocolate factory has been designed to conserve energy and use A/C only in minimal amounts where necessary.”
MCCL also prides itself on working alongside local cocoa growing communities to share knowledge and ultimately revitalise T&T’s cocoa industry. Trinidad and Tobago is designated a 100% fine or flavour cocoa producer by the International Cocoa Organisation. This status helps to set the country’s chocolate producers apart from the rest of the world. The coveted Trinitario bean, which MCCL uses in its chocolate, is a variety of cocoa that was conceived in Trinidad during the 18th century.
Trinitario is the world’s most exclusive cocoa hybrid, and one of the rarest, representing only 5% of all cocoa. Another 5% of the world’s cocoa production belongs to Criollo, the finest pure cocoa in the world.
Criollo and Trinitario only grow in 23 countries, eight of which are in the Caribbean. All of the cocoa exports from Grenada, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Dominica consist of either Criollo or Trinitario beans.
Another advantage MCCL has over the competition is celebrity endorsement from Caribbean superstar Machel Montano. The influence of Machel, who is a vegan, stretches far beyond the world of entertainment. Machel’s image appears on the packaging and his support for the product undoubtedly makes this brand of chocolate, where “Soca meets cocoa”, stand out from all the rest.
MCCL is now focused on expanding into international markets as Ms Montano explains: “In 2020, we invested in our own chocolate factory, with the aim of building capacity and preparing our products for export on a large scale in order to earn foreign exchange. We’ve hired a consultant, ordered equipment and are getting ready to train people to be part of the process.
“With the opening of the factory, new products will be added such as cocoa butter, cocoa nibs, and cocoa powder among other products. MCCL will also be acquiring land or estates to plant and harvest cocoa trees.” She adds: “We recently started exporting to Canada and are building relationships rapidly in Panama, Atlanta, and Chile. The company is also set to embark on a promotion drive to gain more visibility and drive more customers to our product.
