BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND BUSINESS – IS THAT POSSIBLE? LET´S FIND OUT TOGETHER!

Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza

by Fundação Grupo Boticário de Proteção à Natureza

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A new vision for the cocoa value chain in the Amazon and the first chocolate factory of Amazonas State.

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Posted by Artur Bicelli Coimbra on 24-12-2016 - Last updated on 24-12-2016

We are about to realize a great dream that began at 4 years, the dream to value the native cocoa of Amazonas, the extractivist, the rural producer and the Amazon. We are the first and only company to process this cocoa in Amazonas state, paying up to 3 times higher values for cocoa, training and increasing the self-esteem of extractivists and producers, and, above all, offering an integral, extremely healthy food besides tasty . However, we believe that the valorization of cacao várzea activity in the Amazon has an immense conservationist potential, since these plantations or patches of native cacao live in complete symbiosis with the ecosystem.

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    Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, 19/12/2016.

     

     

    Preliminary business plan

     

     

    1. Idea/ concept maturing;

     

    Na Floresta – Alimentos Amazônicos is a new company; it has at root innovation, appreciation and respect for Amazonian natural resources and the Amazon. The commitment to innovation comes in practical ways, today we are the first and only manufacturer of chocolate in the State of Amazonas, developing innovative. Our commitment and respect for the Amazon stands out when we process only local inputs, as in the case of Amazonian cocoa beans. We are paying higher values ​​than the market today are being paid to cocoa producers / extractors, in addition to transferring 1% of the company's net income to educational actions for the children of these producers.

    The technology used to produce these chocolates is a real rescue of the first forms of production, where small batches and exclusion of processes and chemical inputs in the process bring a chocolate full and rich in detail. We produce the purest chocolate in the world; we just add sugar and cocoa to our recipes.

     

    2. Work plan and timeline for implementations;

     

    Currently we are in the pre-operational phase, in January we will begin the sales of the chocolates in the local market of Manaus and send samples to possible customers in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. After this period, we intend to send samples outside Brazil from July 2017.

     

    3.     Costs forecast;

     

    Currently we have the entire structure for the production of 125 kg of chocolates/month, during 4 years of studies, planning, training, and acquisition of equipment we spend approximately R$ 90,000.00 (ninety thousand reais), our financial difficulty today is capital of turnover for the purchase of almonds and packaging for 2017, will cost around R$ 25,000.00 (twenty-five thousand reais).

     

     

    4.    Financial return anticipations;

     

    The business looks interesting when analyzing its profitability and rate of return on investment. The costs are still high, but in the short term other product lines of the company ensures to alleviate the influence of current fixed costs.
    According to our calculations, we believe that the payback time is in 11 months.

     

     

    5.     Potential associated risks.

     

    1. Non-acceptance of the product in the Market, this can happen if the chocolate is not sensorially approved by the customers;

     

    2. Coming very competitive concurrent with high financial investment;

     

    3. Failure to supply cacao, due to environmental influences and natural catastrophes.

     

     

    1.    Need: What problem does your product solve / market need does it fill?

     

    1. Nature conservation, we believe that the producer gets more for his cocoa, they will lose interest in other critical natural resources of nature. Cacao plantations in the Amazon are integrated into the forest, they are natural agroforestry systems, that is, they are productive forests. In these system animals and other species of fruit trees are connected and live in symbiosis.

    2. Increase self-esteem of forest man. Our company cares about the quality of life of our suppliers, we believe that our relationship with our suppliers of self-esteem, for example, in the packaging of our chocolates are like photos of our producers, on our website have a history of their lives. That is, our products are revealed, and it is free to communicate and establish relationships with other companies.

    3. The Amazonas state has never produced a chocolate bar, in January 2017 we will inaugurate a first, we want to reach a day when we buy a whole production of the Amazonas state, so that the product is always as valued as you are doing today, paying two Times More Amount paid by the local market. We believe that the inhabitant of the state of Amazonas is proud to feed himself with a chocolate in his land.

     

     

    2.    Market: How big is the market for your product?

     

    Who does not like chocolate?  Healthy and sustainable chocolate? “And future organic”?
    These markets are the ones that are growing the most.

     

     

    3.    Revenue: How will your company make money now and in the future?

     

    We plan to work on model B to B, distributing chocolates to supermarkets, airport stores, shopping malls, restaurants and in the future to create branded stores to market other forest products in addition to chocolates.

     

     

    4.    Defensibility: What are the barriers to entry for your competitors and new market entrants?

     

    Unfortunately we do not have strategies for this, we believe that pioneering is worth a lot. Few companies in our state work with Amazonian foods as we intend to work, with strong social and environmental responsibility. Offering pure and natural food. We believe that the world wants to consume the flavors of the Amazon and so there is space for others. However, if there are competitors, and in this case the biggest beneficiary is the Amazon, we will be happy.

     

     

    5.    Team: How is your management team uniquely positioned to execute on this idea?

     

    There are currently no employees, located within a Brazilian university in a business incubator program, have research projects for new products such as an açai wine, which are being developed by professors and students of the course of food technology . In January I intend to hire a student to assist in the production, this student participated in research for the development of this chocolate and now will work in production. I studied biology, did master's degree in environmental sciences and sustainability, has researched and extended for 10 years in the Amazon with hunting, fishing and agriculture, I worked 2 years in Mozambique in the implantation of an experimental farm of agriculture and in the last 4 years I dedicate myself To this company.

     

    6.    Exit: How does the investor achieve liquidity?

     

    We believe that food products have fast liquidity, added to a sustainable product, with great taste and healthy the probability of good sales are high.

     

    7.    Impact: How does your business benefit mankind?

     

    1. Environmental Responsibility
    Influencing sustainable extractives, buying only cocoa from agroforestry systems;
    Investing in organic certification;

    2. Social Responsibility
    Paying higher values for these products;
    Photo of the producers in the packaging and web site;

    3. Healthy products
    Producing chocolates only with cocoa and low sugar;

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