Ludwig Weinrich acquires majority stake in Divine Chocolate

According to the press release, the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative will still own 20% of the shares in the company and will continue to have board representation. Divine Chocolate has confirmed that Sophi Tranchell, the company’s first MD and CEO, steps down from the British-founded business after 21 years.

Divine Chocolate was co-founded in 1998 by the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana, Twin Trading and The Body Shop, and is one of the largest purveyors of Fairtrade chocolate in the UK. Ludwig Weinrich has manufactured Divine’s chocolate since the company’s foundation in 1998. The company claims that its business model of supporting cocoa farmers and producing chocolate on Fairtrade terms will remain in place, and it will “remain committed to delivering positive impact for farmers in Africa.”

A Divine Chocolate spokesperson said: “We are delighted that Weinrich, under its CEO Cord Budde, is now a key shareholder and are fully committed to our mission to empower cocoa farmers and chocolate lovers by delivering seriously good chocolate. Mr Budde and his company have proved to be exceptional partners to Divine: not only developing and producing all our delicious chocolate flavours, but visiting farmers, hosting Kuapa Kokoo in their factory, building a school house to add to a school built by Kuapa, investing in establishing Divine USA, and helping in many ways to build our business.”

Cord Budde, CEO of Weinrich, added: “To be honest, Divine has changed my life. Yes, that might sound a bit impassioned, but it is true. Divine has brought me much closer to the most important part of our products, the cocoa and the farmers, and most importantly, made me much more sensitive regarding the needs and the livelihoods of those people who are producing this wonderful cocoa.”

During her two decades with Divine, Sophi Tranchell, had been a significant influence on its policy of Fairtrade, and of women achieving equality, particularly farmers in the chocolate supply chain. As the business noted, she has consistently demonstrated that things no-one thought possible can be done – starting with creating a chocolate company that turned ‘business-as-usual’ on its head by making farmers the biggest shareholders.

Commenting on her decision Tranchell said: “Working closely with farmers has been an absolute privilege – their lives have enriched mine and hopefully, via the farmers’ stories we have told, other lives have been enriched too. It has been especially rewarding to see the positive impact achieved for women as they are able to step up and take their rightful place in the chocolate story. The Social Enterprise and B Corporation movements are setting inspiring examples and there is now a critical mass of discerning consumers who expect more of the companies they are buying from. “I am reassured to be leaving the company with our main manufacturer Weinrich having capitalised the business, in the knowledge that Weinrich’s CEO Cord Budde has been, and continues to be a totally committed partner, sharing Divine’s values and supporting its mission and ambitions.”