Lamphun, in northwestern Thailand, is renowned for its rugged natural beauty. The verdant hills and valleys are home to Sanguan Farm, near Nai Meuang village.
Best friends Art, and Arm grew up farming traditional crops, but their passion is everything chocolate. This set them on a four-year quest to learn and master the art of making chocolate products.
Initially, they partnered with two local smallholder cacao farmers who supplied them with dried beans. Growing the business meant they needed more dried beans and expanded their supplier network to ten local farms.
Art and Arm help farmers with post-harvest processes to improve bean drying and realize better yields. Every month, they purchase 100kg of dried cacao beans and produce 100kg of chocolate.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, half of their output was sold in Bangkok, the other half at special events. Since the pandemic, they’ve introduced new processes to ensure consumer safety. And in 2021, the duo opened a retail outlet in their hometown Lamphun, Tarm Chocolate Shop.
Art and Arm are always looking for ways to improve their chocolate quality, flavour and taste to broaden the distribution of chocolate and other products. They want to grow their brand and help improve farmers’ lives and the Thai chocolate market. From next year on, Art and Arm plan to enter international contests with chocolate from select local producers. This enhances engagement and encourages improved quality.
Re-Think Sustainability
Regarding sustainability, Art and Arm told Linda that sustainable farming techniques are not well known in Lamphun. As a result, they are introducing the concept to local farmers and supporting sustainable farmers.
Tarm Chocolate’s ultimate goal is to create a sustainable label and sell in international markets. To enable local smallholder cacao farmers to earn a fair daily wage, they have pegged a reasonable price for dried cacao beans, depending on quality. In July 2023, Tarm Chocolate took part of the Thai Chocolate Fest'23.
It’s great to meet cacao farmers and producers like Sanguan Farm, who share the same values as ECOSHIFT. We look forward to collaborating with them and strengthening our network.
ECOSHIFT can help you achieve higher quality cacao, more robust yields, better pricing, and long-term contracts. Our supply chain management tech platform captures and verifies each production stage so you meet EU regulations.
Let’s grow better farms and happier families sustainably.
ECOSHIFT – re-think sustainability
by Tim Morch
Tarm Chocolate: 1217 Mukda Rd, Nai Mueang, Mueang Lamphun District, Lamphun 51000
Website: https://tarmchocolate.wordpress.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarmchocolate/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TARMchocolate