Life’s many paths are never without a twist. I had all intentions as a child to save the world—from what, I didn’t know. A career in advertising in New York City followed art studies, but it was far from my dream of joining the Peace Corps. I finally woke up in 1990. I saw that my small suburban hometown was deeply rooted in deeds for those in the “club,” and I considered that an opportunity to bring positive changes. I ran for, and was elected Mayor, a deeply rewarding and humbling experience to serve the people. With a focus on our environment and infrastructure, our administration enacted changes that have stood the test of time.
After these two high-energy careers, I retired the gavel in search of a sweeter life. “Follow your passions” was the mantra for this next chapter. Chocolate was always there as a comfort and a mystery. But where did it come from? Was it from Hershey Pennsylvania or the Swiss Alps? Each new discovery brought me closer to its roots of nobility.
Ultimately, a trip to the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, where I harvested cacao and witnessed first-hand how a cacao pod transforms into a chocolate bar. The Kichwa people welcomed me into their small community, where they serve as stewards of the rainforest, living off the land with a profound respect that goes back thousands of years. This 900-family cooperative share in the profits of their heirloom cacao. A sustainable outcome for all to enjoy here in America in the form of a chocolate bar.
My “green” mission and higher purpose is to bring a wider awareness of the indigenous people that create chocolate from tree-to-bar, of how cacao helps the rainforest, of the health benefits of this wondrous plant, and to demonstrate how to mindfully savor every morsel for your well-being.
Roxanne Browning
Chocolate Sommelier
