COLDBUSH ORGANICS
"Coldbush Organics prioritises environmentally-sustainable farming practices in chocolate production"
For Coldbush Organics Limited, creating the highest quality locally made dark chocolate is at the core of the company’s mission. Priding themselves on creating the best naturally infused products with varying ingredients, incorporating sustainable farming practices in its bid to make an impactful contribution to the agriculture industry, are major driving factors in the company’s operational structure.
Led by a forward-thinking CEO and founder, Hellen French, the company’s officially branded Mount Pleasant Farm Chocolatiers line of products utilise Jamaican grown products from their farm to produce these sweet treats. “We saw the need to create something healthy that Jamaicans would enjoy and that is how this venture was born. We have seen customers from all ages and parishes enjoying our products. Ensuring that we are constantly improving our formula is key as well as offering a range of flavours that appeal to a wider cross-section of persons. Our pride and joy goes into the production of every stage of the chocolate making process, from a seedling to the wrapped bar, ” French passionately expressed.
With cocoa grown at the western end of the Jamaican Blue Mountains, French saw an opportunity to create a product that was both delicious and environmentally friendly. She shared, “One of the biggest issues I have recognised in global farming is the slashing and burning of trees to make products like paper. I wanted to be a thought leader and hopefully inspire other persons to find sustainable ways to package their products. In October 2020, we opted to use biodegradable recyclable cotton material for our packaging. We collaborated with an environmental advocate and designed packaging that is eye-catching and classic and we have received great feedback from our customers. Customer satisfaction is of great importance as it gives us useful insight in developing our Company’s growth plans.”
As the Company looked for ways to expand its product line and impact on consumers both Jamaica and regionally, this led to French’s participation in the RevUP Caribbean virtual business Incubator Programme. French shared, “Being a part of RevUP has helped us to achieve our vision of making a positive impact on our customers.
We knew that being a part of the programme would give us more motivation to drive us to continuously improve our quality, presentation and distribution. We are better able to transform our business from the accelerated training, global industry-leading mentorship, and incubation we received. I know that having been a part of RevUP, I am better equipped to take my business to new heights and I am excited for the growth we are poised to experience”
As Coldbush Organics Limited continues to expand, the Founders hope that their chocolate products will become Jamaica’s top choice for healthy dark chocolates. French went on to add, “We really want to penetrate the export market and get our products to as many countries as possible. We also want to ensure that we remain environmentally friendly and keep sustainability at the forefront of everything we do. Eventually, we want to fully install a recycling water system, develop fertilizers from our farm waste , and create an energy efficient way of manufacturing. Another goal is to expand our farmer scheme project that promises to improve the support amongst farmers. We cannot wait to transform how farming is done in Jamaica and to solidify our position as movers and shakers in the agriculture industry.”