Stories of Change: Creating Change one chocolate bar at a time

Azmiyyah A. Karim (47 years old), the owner of the Mamia Chocolate brand, was initially a private sector employee. She enjoyed cooking and baking various pastries. Eventually, in 2015, she became passionate about processing cocoa beans into ready-to-consume chocolate bars. Her business grew, and it leads her to decide to quit her job and focus on her venture in Palu. "I don't process cocoa beans myself, but I source them from the Chocolate House in the form of semi-finished chocolate," said Azmiyyah.

The Chocolate House is a Processing and Marketing Unit under the Department of Industry and Trade of Central Sulawesi Province. This unit processes cocoa beans from farmers in the region into semi-finished chocolate products that are ready to be used by food makers. "In 2018, I met Pak Ismet (GIZ staff), and he invited me to a FORCLIME exhibition," said Azmiyyah. She was facilitated to exhibit Mamia chocolate in Palembang. The experience was unforgettable. Her product gained wider recognition and spread further. During the exhibition, several foreigners even came and bought her chocolate in bulk. According to customer testimonials, the chocolate was delicious and suited the Western palate.

The assistance from the German-Indonesian project, FORCLIME, continued. Mamia obtained the biosphere reserve logo, indicating that the food is processed without harming the environment. The placement of this logo also had a significant impact. "Customers, especially for foreign consumers visiting Indonesia, they appreciate it more. There is a sense of pride when buying a product with a logo," added Azmiyyah.