Problem We Aim to Solve
The Biggest Bottleneck is Fermentation
Smallholder farmers produce 80–90% of the world’s cacao, yet earn as little as 3–6% of the final chocolate value. In Thailand, thousands of smallholders face the same challenge: high effort, low reward.
Raw cacao pods sell for just 8–12 baht/kg ($0.25-0.37), while properly fermented beans can reach 180–300 baht/kg ($5.55-9.25). Fermentation determines nearly all flavour and value, but it is a complex, scientific, and high-risk process involving microbial activity that most farmers are not equipped to manage.
As a Result
- Without the right tools, one mistake can ruin an entire harvest. Knowledge is hard to access, quality is inconsistent, and most farmers are forced to sell raw pods at the lowest price, while the real value of cacao is created beyond their reach.
- This traps farmers at the lowest point of the value chain and limits the growth of Thailand’s cacao industry.
GOcacao was founded to break this barrier.
