Virunga Origins is a social enterprise located in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its mission is to produce delicious, superior quality goods and create lasting societal change through sustainable agriculture, working practices, training, and employment opportunities. As part of the larger Virunga National Park family, Virunga Origins also helps to conserve rainforests, biodiversity, and endangered species, such as mountain gorillas, through sales of its locally produced chocolate and other delicacies.
As a social enterprise, Virunga Origins manufactures products locally where the bean grows. This goes for its other products too, like
chia seeds, coffee and vanilla. Virunga Origins help families to generate more income, which enables them to send more kids to school. Through the use of green energy, its production process has little environmental impact, and through our traceability process, we ensure our farmers are treated fairly.
Virunga Origins factories are based on the outskirts of
Virunga National Park in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to some of the world’s last remaining mountain gorillas.
A CHOCOLATE MASTER IN THE MAKING
Originally From Lubero, North Kivu,
Roger MUHINDO MARORA studied chemistry and agricultural industries at UNIGOM University in Goma. Roger's fascination with cocoa began in childhood, marveling at the transformation of cocoa into exquisite chocolate right outside his home. His self-taught chocolate-making skills, fostered through online resources, marked the beginning of an extraordinary path. During the challenging times of the 2019 Ebola epidemic in DRC, Roger's commitment to community health led him to Médecins Sans Frontières in Butembo. It was here that he discovered the
Mutwanga chocolate factory.
Eager to contribute, Roger journeyed from Goma to Butembo, by his own means, to attend the factory’s launch. His tenacity paid off, and he began as a trainee under the guidance of Dominique and other experts. With his incredible motivation and energy, Roger quickly took the lead of the team to become the production manager of the factory, honing his skills and emerging as a true Congolese master chocolatier.
EXPERT BELGIUM CHOCOLATIER
Dominique PERSOONE has trained the Virunga Origins team in the fine art of chocolate making with his singular focus on quality and taste. When it comes to flavours, textures and attitude, Dominique has a reputation of thinking outside the chocolate box. For a passionate chocolatier like Dominique, making chocolate where cacao actually grows is a dream come true. With Virunga Origins, Dominique and the team receive the beans right off the cocoa tree before transforming them into our amazing chocolate.
No comments:
Post a Comment