Nichoa Chocolate & Farmer Empowerment
Our guest contributor, Rintri Pardede, wrote this article.
There are many ways to contribute to our homeland. Andri Setyowati chose to contribute by establishing a social enterprise.
Andri and her team focus on farmer empowerment, especially cocoa farmers. The product was named Nichoa Chocolate. The term Nichoa comes from 2 words: nibs and chocolate. Nibs itself means cocoa beans.
Andri explained that the name Nichoa Chocolate was easily pronounced by both Indonesians and foreigners. She hopes Nichoa Chocolate can develop in the domestic and international markets.
Andri’s journey to establish Nichoa Chocolate began with his experience working as a midwife. She was stationed in a remote area and faced a high infant and mother mortality rate.
Andri was really concerned about this problem. She wanted to make a healthy product, rich in nutrients and safe for consumption by pregnant women. Her answer was born in the form of chocolate products.
Even though Andri has an educational background far removed from the industrial and business world, it didn’t dampen her enthusiasm. She held the principle of providing benefits with available resources and continuing to learn to create a good business.
A good business always tries to answer the problems around them for Andri and the team.
With a noble goal, which is to provide healthy products for others, Andri also tries to help the problems of local cocoa farmers.
Indonesia is the third largest cocoa producer in the world, yet its domestic from-bean-to-bar processing needs many improvements. Andri is determined to provide a solution connecting Indonesian cocoa farmers to consumers needing their products.
We want to contribute to the people and the planet, not just solely looking to gain profits.
Andri Setyowati, NICHOA CHOCOLATE
Nichoa’s vision is to become a processed chocolate producer that focuses on sustainable production and empowers local farmers using raw materials from them.
Currently, we use cocoa from local farmers in several areas in Indonesia. And for the planet, we support the Sustainable Development Goals program, one of which is limiting the use of plastic in our packaging.
Nichoa Chocolate did not grow big all of a sudden. Its journey started from a boarding room and grew slowly. In 2019, Andri found a partner, Gizigo, who is also developing the Nichoa product.
Gizigo is responsible for helping Nichoa’s Research and Development process, making formulas, doing scientific studies of supporting raw materials, and doing lab analysis for its ingredients.
The collaboration between Nichoa and Gizigo produced healthy chocolate products that are friendly for people with diabetes, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers.
In 2020, Nichoa concocted an even more specific formula, namely chocolate, that is safe for consumption by older people.
Nichoa didn’t stop there, as in 2021, Nichoa was developing its plant-based products. All the ingredients used are dairy free, so the products are safe for lactose-intolerant consumers.
Challenging times have spurred Andri to improve Nichoa’s systems, raw material control, and marketing strategies. Every Nichoa product has to undergo an extensive Research and Development process and a test market process. After listening to the opinions of consumers, only then do the products get mass-produced.
Nichoa’s Product Development
Nichoa’s development is always based on consumer needs and the principles and values that Nichoa believes in. Nichoa’s action is always based on consumer needs and the principles and values that Nichoa believes in.
Because some consumers want to reduce their daily sugar intake, we created a Diabetic Friendly variant. So our consumers can consume chocolate without worrying about too much sugar.
Andri Setyowati, NICHOA CHOCOLATE
The cycling trend increased after the pandemic. So we released the Energy Bar, an alternative snack product that helps replace energy for people who exercise.
To contribute more to the farmers, we have big hopes for Nichoa Chocolate. We want to empower and assist more farmers so that we can participate in their welfare and introduce the diversity of Indonesian chocolate to the world.
We also want more people to know about Nichoa Chocolate so that Nichoa can exist in both the domestic and international markets.
Not only that, we want people to be educated about the benefits of chocolate for health. With Nichoa, we create an impactful and healthy chocolate culture.
Nichoa continues its journey to becoming a healthy chocolate brand and fostering local cocoa farmers with big aspirations.
A good business is about how it can be a hope for many people, able to adapt and innovate to survive for a long time. Nichoa wants to continue to grow with the farmers, his team, and consumers and make a real impact and contribution to Indonesia and the world.
