Season 4, Episode 04: Co Chocolat – Truly, Healthy Chocolate
Co Chocolat was founded in Dubai by two sisters, Iman and Luchie Suguitan. They struggled to find healthy chocolates despite their many travels. Together, with their mother who was 68 at the time and is experiencing diabetes, they traveled to the beautiful island of Mindanao, Philippines to learn more about cacao.
It was there that they learned how to plant, prune, and harvest from cacao trees and ferment its beans. They became friends with the local farmers, agriculturists and government workers who also opened their eyes to the realities of cacao farming. This inspired them to leave their jobs and start an agricultural social enterprise, OFW para sa Magsasaka, or OPM (Overseas Filipinos Supporting Filipino Farmers), that supports and educates cacao farmers in the Philippines.
Today, they have 42 impact investors from the UAE, Philippines, Singapore, Qatar, Kuwait, Great Britain, Brazil, and the USA supporting their farmers and healthy chocolate creations. Through their passion and leadership they have co-created an agricultural blueprint, community and way to support the farmers who provide the cocoa for their beautiful chocolates.
Join Pam for this episode of Dia-Logue: The Diapoint Podcast as she spends some time with Iman in the beautiful cafe of their new factory that has just opened in Dubai. Iman shares the story of their journey and more about their lovely, inspiring business and delicious chocolates.
Connect with Co Chocolat
Learn more about Co Chocolat at their website and follow them on Instagram.
You can also learn more about their social enterprise, OFW.
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Iman Suguitan is the co-founder of Co Chocolat, a healthy chocolate business which she created with her sister, Luchie.
Driven by a desire to find healthy chocolates, both for themselves and their mother – who lives with diabetes – they traveled to the beautiful island of Mindanao, Philippines to learn more about cacao.
It was there that they discovered the realities of cacao farming. This inspired them to leave their jobs and start an agricultural social enterprise, OFW para sa Magsasaka, or OPM (Overseas Filipinos Supporting Filipino Farmers), that supports and educates cacao farmers in the Philippines. Together with 42 angel investors, Iman and Luchie rolled out supporting twenty hectares in 2016.
Iman is a former physical therapist with a family history of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and stroke. This further stoked her determination to create sweet treats that focus on natural sweeteners such as fruit, coconut sugar, and dates, which are packed with superfoods, antioxidants and healing ingredients. Every chocolate is made with the intention to score low in both GI index and GL index, making them the treat of choice for people with diabetes and other chronic illnesses, and everyone else too!
Show Notes and Links
Disclaimer: It should go without saying that the Diapoint podcast is not intended as or should not be used as personal medical advice. You will hear us interview medical experts and others, but please always always ask your qualified doctor, diabetes team or other expert about your health. What works for one person does not always work for another person. What you should always do when you discover any new health information is ask YOUR doctor about it. This information should empower you to have a discussion with your healthcare providers about it. Diapoint, our guests, sponsors and business partners are not here to replace that advice. Living a full, healthy life means taking the proper medical advice from your qualified physicians, diabetes team or other healthcare providers.
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About Dia-Logue: The Diapoint Podcast and Pamela Durant
Pam Durant is a diabetes thought leader, entrepreneur, healthcare expert and wellness coach. She is the Founder and Managing Director of Diapoint – The Place for People Touched By Diabetes.
Her successful healthcare management career was turned upside down when her 20-month-old son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes over a decade ago. Not only did this challenge Pam as a parent, it also challenged everything that she believed and understood about healthcare and the provider-patient relationship. As she went on to tackle the steep learning curve of diabetes to support her son to grow and thrive with this condition, she soon realized the great need for change in healthcare and in diabetes management.
She was inspired to create Diapoint, a company that focuses on people with diabetes through events, education, advocacy and products to support them.
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