San Rafael de Escazú, San José, Costa Rica
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to have been a project lead on this project and to learn more about sustainable cacao farming. Throughout the semester, we worked with Le Cacaotal to create a foreign market entry plan for their cacao beans. Then, we traveled to Costa Rica to present to the client and visit their farms. We got to meet Jaqueline and Geiner, who gave us a tour of the farms. They explained the entire growing and harvesting process and allowed us to taste some of their many unique cacao varieties. This hands-on experience was a rare peek into the detailed process of cacao cultivation, which is the first step in creating chocolate. In addition, we experienced the rich Costa Rican culture and saw some amazing sights, like mangrove forests and sloths in the rainforest. This experience offered unique insights into international business, sustainability, and cross-cultural connections—lessons I will carry into my future career.”
-Steffek Rainey
“Pura Vida! Travelling to Costa Rica to present our team's work to Le Cacaotal leadership was a daydream. Throughout this academic year, an expanded team comprised of the travel members and other capable peers has worked on a foreign market expansion plan for the company. The work included regulations, legal and compliance, consumer profiling and market research. As a professional consultant and problem-solver would, team members became experts in the cacao extraction and bean-to-bar chocolate industries, providing suggestions from a fresh perspective to Le Cacaotal.
In Costa Rica, we began by exploring San Jose, the vibrant capital. We then were taken on a tour to one of Le Cacaotal's 'fincas', or farms, where we learned about the firms 40 plus cocoa varieties and the supporting ecosystem its workforce nurtures to protect cacao plants. The next morning we presented to Costa Rica and France-based leadership, to whom we are eternally grateful for teaching us so much about the industry and supporting our work. Did you know that Le Cacaotal's large portfolio of cacao varieties is groundbreaking in the sector, since only a few varieties are currently used for chocolate? We did not,! and we came to see that interesting fact as one of the company's most valuable competitive advantages.
The trip continued after the presentation for all team members, and even longer for me since I decided to extend my stay and remain in Costa Rica as a solo traveler. Alone and with my team peers, I experienced a wealth of local traditions from Semana Santa (Holy Week) to an incredible party at our Tamarindo beach hotel. I explored the rainforest, swam in Costa Rica's beautiful beaches and kayaked in mangrove forests full of amazing wildlife. I met locals, expats and fellow travelers, learning something new from each. This trip made possible by SIBC and Le Cacaotal gave me the memories of a lifetime, and I would like to thank both organizations sincerely.”
-Maria Osorio
“Having the privilege to travel to Costa Rica was eye opening. We learnt about the many, many, different kinds of cacao beans (50+!) and the delicate way of growing them. Although we couldn’t feed the client in person, we still got valuable feedback on our project. After that, we found some Costa Rica tours and we enjoyed every moment of it. Zip lining, kayaking, seeing animals (sloths!!), and walking 50 flights of stairs to see gorgeous waterfall… and more adventures. I still dream about the tropical fruits everyday.”
-Joanna Zhang