Professor Hummels meets alumna Tissa
Professor Hummels meets Tissa Aunilla
Harry Hummels, the first Dutch professor in Social Entrepreneurship at Utrecht University, visited the chocolate factory of alumna Tissa Aunilla for a UU alumni event in Jakarta. Inspired by her mission to make delicious chocolate AND turn the world into a better place, he looks forward to them working together.
Jakarta, 29 April 2017
“Indonesia is the third largest cocoa producer in the world according to the FAO. The country has a rich history in producing cocoa beans – with the first plantations being introduced in the 16th century. East Java is known for its Cacao Java, while on many of the other islands cocoa plantations were successfully started with their own characteristics. Cocoa beans from Bali have a distinctively different flavour than those originating from, for instance, Flores, Java or Aceh.
Much of the Indonesian cocoa production is traded on the international markets. Increasingly there are Indonesian companies that see economic, social and environmental value in producing chocolate at home. One of these companies is Pipiltin Cocoa. The company was founded in 2013 by Utrecht University alumna Tissa Aunilla and her brother. Tissa, a corporate lawyer in Mergers & Acquisitions, had a passion for chocolate and baking chocolate cakes. What started as a hobby ultimately became a profession.
Pipiltin Cocoa is part of a growing movement of social entrepreneurship
Pipiltin is not just a chocolate company producing delicious chocolate. Tissa built her company on the principles of high quality cocoa bean production, sustainability, and buying directly from local cooperatives. So, all the beans are organically grown, while Pipiltin works with the farmers to help them improve their production process and increase the yield. This leads to an increased income for the farmers and their families. It, for example, allows them to improve access for their children to better education, as you can see in this short movie.
Pipiltin Cocoa is part of a growing movement of social entrepreneurship. This movement refers to business activities and processes that involve the innovative use of resources to pursue societal change or address societal needs in a sustainable way. Pipiltin works with local cooperatives, it embraces a clear sustainability agenda and has the ambition to increase the welfare of the local population by improving the value chain and growing the business. By adopting a “from bean to bar” concept, the company and its suppliers add more value to Indonesian communities instead of international markets.
The conscious chocolate industry is not at all new to me. In my research I cooperate closely with Tony’s Chocolonely, a company that also aims for improving the economic and production conditions for smallholder farmers. Such collaborations between business and academia are of great value; it can help foster social and business progress. I will continue to talk with Pipiltin Cocoa about the ways in which our research and education can help the company grow and achieve its business and societal objectives. UU can support Pipiltin, inter alia, in improving its understanding of international value chains, measuring the benefits the company generates for society, the reporting on its societal achievements, research the conditions for entering new markets and Pipiltin’s marketing and communication in those markets, or liaising with other social entrepreneurs. This story is to be continued.”