Regenerative Chocolate Foundation with Antoine Ambert of Alter Eco
Regenerative agriculture is a game-changing solution that can reverse climate change while empowering farming communities. Today we speak with Antoine Ambert, Alter Eco’s senior director of sustainability, whose company is pioneering regenerative agriculture practices. In the first part of our conversation, we unpack Alter Eco’s brand evolution. While exploring their marketing strategy, Antoine reveals how sustainability has become a concern among consumers. A dominant theme this episode, we then dive into how Alter Eco is transforming the chocolate industry by converting monoculture cacao farms to a regenerative agroforestry model. Finally, Antoine shares insights into the benefits and limitations of organic certification. Tune in to hear more about how one company is changing the world, one chocolate bar at a time.
Key Points From This Episode:
How Antione got his start at Alter Eco.
Antione shares his motivation to make an impact when building businesses.
What Antione learnt about sustainable farming from his time in Peru.
Ways that regenerative farming helps reverse climate change.
Hear about the evolution of Alter Eco’s brand and its promotion of sustainability principles.
Alter Eco’s challenge in communicating their value proposition to consumers.
Why Alter Eco puts their values at the forefront of their products.
We discuss Antione’s new role at the Alter Eco Foundation.
How the Alter Eco Foundation is implementing more regenerative farming practices.
The dangers of adopting monoculture farming practices.
How non-organic farming methods can be detrimental to farming communities.
Antione talks about the issues around getting your products certified as organic.
How becoming B Corp certified has affected Alter Eco.
Antione reflects on Alter Eco’s next big challenges.
What Antione and Alter Eco do to keep pushing forward.
Why a holistic approach to Alter Eco’s supply chain leads to a bigger environmental impact.
Tweetables:
“It felt true to where I was coming from. We were sharing stories about the people who we were working with rather than pure marketing about what our consumers wanted to hear.” — Antoine Ambert [0:11:16]
“The market has evolved around topics of sustainability and consumers care — climate change is in the news and people can’t disregard it. Brands need to act and be part of the solution.” — Antoine Ambert [0:12:58]
“Maybe it wouldn’t have worked four years ago but now we put our values at the forefront of our packaging. It’s the best decision that we could have made.” — Antoine Ambert [0:20:11]
“My passion comes from visiting our farmers year after year in Peru and Thailand. And understanding what else we can do to have a better impact on them and the planet.” — Antoine Ambert [0:21:06]
“With the move away from monoculture, we’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re promoting practices with proven efficiencies. It’s advocacy work and giving a platform for communities who have shown that it works.” — Antoine Ambert [0:31:40]
“When you’re in debt and when you’re sick and you’re spraying pesticides, there’s no way you’ll think to plant other crops to see if the soil will get better.” — Antoine Ambert [0:36:50]
“Becoming B Corp certified confirmed everything that we had been doing. It confirmed the idea that, as a business, you could have a positive impact all along your supply chain.” — Antoine Ambert [0:44:30]
“Regenerative agriculture has the potential to reverse climate change. A healthy soil captures so much more carbon than a depleted soil.” — Antoine Ambert [0:54:30]
“Any great solution to reverse climate change is not a six-month solution. It takes time. That’s what makes Alter Eco so special — the ten-year horizon doesn’t scare us. We’re not here for quick returns.” — Antoine Ambert [0:57:55]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Antoine Ambert on LinkedIn
Alter Eco
Alter Eco Foundation
Fairtrade International
Fair Trade USA
