A Sweet Symphony of Collaboration and Impact

EHF Fellow Oonagh Browne found her calling in chocolate after a soul-searching journey that led her from corporate London to the heart of cacao farms in the Pacific. Driven by a mission to uplift Pacific cacao farmers, Oonagh collaborated with EHF Fellows Donna Morris and Tesh Randall to launch Weave Cacao - a venture focused on revolutionising the chocolate industry's impact on Pacific communities, and inviting change for the global chocolate industry.

The Weave Cacao team: Simone Downey, EHF Fellow Oonagh Browne, Mike Renfree, EHF Fellows Tesh Randall, and Donna Morris

Oonagh's journey began with a vision to address the imbalance in the chocolate industry, where cacao farmers often live in poverty despite growing one of the healthiest superfoods, the cacao bean. A bean that also makes one of the most globally loved foods, chocolate. “From the first time I stepped on a farm, in Fiji during 2009, everything in me changed … a strong vision and passion opened for making a core change in the whole chocolate industry”, she explains. “Sadly, the farmers who grow cacao live in poverty, and more often they do not know how to consume the cacao bean they grow for others because they were never shown.”

She is dedicated to creating a sustainable, ethical supply chain, ensuring fair prices, volume commitments, and mentoring for Pacific communities. The focus is not just on creating a product but on initiating a positive, lasting change in the lives of cacao farmers.

“We get on the ground with our farming communities and we do training with them, showing them how they can have their own cacao in their village. I want them to know that they’re a part of this story, purpose, and vision - it’s not just about a price. It is so important for them [the farmers] to be seen and valued, and honoured.”

Oonagh’s connections with others in the local craft chocolate industry have also been critical to her journey. In 2022, Oonagh crossed paths with Mike Renfree and Simone Downey from Raglan Chocolate, at the Pacific Cacao & Chocolate Show in Auckland. It was through this meeting that the spark of the Weave Cacao vision was ignited. Sharing Oonagh’s recognition of the need for meaningful impact beyond the craft chocolate industry, Mike and Simone joined forces with Oonagh to help bring the vision to life. They have played a major role in refining Oonagh’s vision and recipe development.

Oonagh and Mike (from Raglan Chocolate) spent a lot of time in Papua New Guinea, meeting the farmers and factory workers who are helping them to craft their premium couverture chocolate

Oonagh's dream for Weave Cacao received a further boost during an EHF Fellows’ Welcome Experience, where she delivered a brief pitch about her project to a room full of Fellows. It was here that Fellow Rajesh Kurup expressed his enthusiasm and belief in Oonagh's venture, vocalising a desire to support and invest in her vision. Although investment didn’t transpire from the follow-on discussion of the proposition, Rajesh’s strong belief in Weave Cacao played a crucial role in turning Oonagh’s vision into a tangible reality. “Even though the financial investment didn’t eventuate, I’m so grateful for Rajesh’s vote of confidence from the beginning. The fact that he stepped forward and gave value to my idea has played a great part in propelling me forward”, she says.

This early support not only validated her dream but also fueled the momentum of the project, setting the stage for the collaborative efforts that followed with other EHF Fellows Donna Morris and Tesh Randall. Donna, leveraging her proficiency and expertise in accounting and systems, played a pivotal role in structuring the venture. Her contributions, including the establishment of a protective Trust and the implementation of a long-term vision, were instrumental in safeguarding the project from potential corporate takeovers.

“We wanted our company to be long-term, to ensure change in the industry and for the farming communities, and so that we couldn’t be bought out and used for greenwashing. So as part of that, we established a Trust (Ū Cacao’s Charitable Trust), and Donna really helped to get that nutted out. She helped us to be very clear on our values and vision, and helped us to set it up in a way that was so robust, it can never be bought out in that way.”

Simultaneously, Tesh, co-founder of Raglan Food Co, inspired by her dream of being part of a chocolate company, joined the project as a shareholder, infusing the project with her branding and marketing prowess. “Tesh has helped us to come up with a very bold, hip, happy brand - because that’s what chocolate should be. And behind the branding, people can see the story, in terms of our authenticity. Our brand is not about pointing fingers, or what’s been done wrong in the past, it’s about inspiration of what’s possible in true sourcing, in true food sovereignty,” Oonagh explains. 

EHF Fellows Tesh Randall (red hat) and Donna Morris (far right) have both played integral roles in the acceleration of Weave Cacao’s launch

The involvement of EHF Fellows Donna and Tesh Randall has been transformative, unlocking a range of possibilities for Oonagh. Together, this dynamic collaboration has accelerated the project's progress, enabling it to swiftly navigate challenges, capitalise on opportunities, and launch within a year of early conception. Oonagh says, “I’ve been working hard on establishing the supply chain, and the relationships with the farmers in the Pacific, so there’s already a strong ground there. But because Donna and Tesh came on board, bringing their mastery and passion, we’ve been able to move swiftly. If I did this on my own, there’s just no way we’d be at this point; it would be such a longer project. I’m confident we can go big, fast, because we’re starting with the right infrastructure. We have a product ready for launch, with the ability to do it in volume, that is world-class, and can change the chocolate industry, all because of the magnificence of each of the Fellows involved alongside Raglan Chocolate.”

Tesh adds,

“We all share a drive to do something meaningful for the farmer communities, and I think that has powered us along at pace! The collaboration has flowed smoothly - we spent time together in Raglan shaping our vision, values, and brand, and it was very affirming to see how aligned we were in our purpose.This alignment stems from our desire for collective impact through the Fellowship.” 

Donna echoes this,

“We have an innate trust in the process that we all went through to become a Fellow and we know the individual is working for the greater good of all.  So the trust between this collaboration flowed easily, and we were able to rest comfortably within each person’s area of expertise. We understood that our key motivators were to change the paradigm of chocolate, honour the farmers, and ultimately connect the source of the cacao bean to the end user - a full cycle of good.”

Oonagh and Mike with farmers from a Papua New Guinea village

Partnering with Raglan Chocolate, Oonagh’s vision for Weave Cacao has just launched. The beans are sourced from communities in Papua New Guinea, emphasising Oonagh's dedication to ethical and responsible sourcing. The manufacturing process unfolds in a local factory and is shipped direct from factory, ensuring a reduced global footprint and supporting the communities at the very heart of the cacao cultivation. This commitment to transparency, fair pricing, and the establishment of enduring relationships underscores Oonagh's mission to foster positive change at every level of the supply chain. The stage is set for Weave Cacao to emerge as a beacon of sustainability and ethical business practices. “Success would be that the chocolate industry starts to change; where we start to see other chocolate companies follow our model. We don’t want this to be a secret, we want others to see it’s actually possible to do it,” she adds.

Weave Cacao is not just a premium couverture chocolate brand; it is a sweet symphony of collaboration, passion, and impact. Oonagh, with the support of Donna, Tesh, and the EHF Fellowship, has turned a vision into reality, sparking positive change - a testament to collaboration's transformative power for a better world.

Visit the Weave Cacao website at weavecacao.com