Apoya
APOYA co-operative sells cane sugar to ASSUKKAR, a nearby mill, for processing and export.
Co-op Name: Apoya
Location: Costa Rica
Number of Producers: 63
Average Farm Size: 2 hectares
Total Area Under Organic Production: 85 hectares
Founded: 2013
Source for: Most chocolate bars and minis
Interesting Fact: Unrefined whole cane sugar goes by many different names including sucanat, rapadura, panela, papelón, chancaca, tapa dulce, piloncillo, jaggery, gur, namtantanode, sukari nguru, and kokuto depending on where you come from.
Full Profile: Although Apoya’s sugarcane is used in many of our bar recipes, they are primarily a coffee co-op. Apoya sells their sugarcane to a nearby mill, which processes and commercializes it as unrefined whole sugar. The co-operative president has worked hard to increase membership and stability in the co-op. When asked why the president seems to take on many roles, she replied, “The fact is when you visit each farm, the producers treat you like family, and it’s hard to give up. This is part of the responsibility that I have. It fulfills me, and I am doing something for their families and for my children.”
