On the West Coast of Africa, where most of the world’s cocoa is grown, the 11 million farmers who make chocolate possible see few of the benefits from this huge market. But since 1997, Divine Chocolate has been putting power in the hands of these small farmers. Divine is part-owned by the Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers’ cooperative, with members from over 1,000 villages in Ghana’s cocoa growing regions.
In 2006, M+R helped Divine Chocolate launch its new presence in the U.S. and its D.C. headquarters through a dynamic media campaign built around Valentine’s Day, which focused on bringing Divine’s unique story to socially and environmentally conscious chocolate-lovers across the country. M+R planned and coordinated a kick-off event and chocolate tasting at the capitol city’s oldest restaurant, Old Ebbitt Grill, where pastry chef Marion Pitcher – born and raised in Ghana – created the “Divine Double Chocolate Torte” in honor of the launch and just in time to make Old Ebbitt’s Valentine’s Day menu. Comfort Kumeah, a Ghanaian cocoa farmer and an elected member of the Kuapa Kokoo farmers’ union board, traveled to D.C. to share the Divine story.
M+R secured more than 150 press hits online and on TV, print, and radio, from Wall Street to Texas to South Africa. M+R also helped Divine Chocolate plan and promote its participation in the 2007 Green Festival in Chicago, the world’s largest environmental expo.
