Mexico Launches Well-Being Chocolate to Support Small Farmers

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that the new Chocolate for Well-Being is now available in Well-Being Stores, with the launch of Coffee for Well-Being expected soon. María Luisa Albores, Director General, Food for Wellbeing, explained that the new chocolate bar contains 45% cacao, 10% cocoa butter, 10% milk powder, and 35% cane sugar. Priced at MX$14 (US$0.73), the product contains no artificial sweeteners, flavorings, colorants, or preservatives.

Alboraes says that the cacao is sourced directly from small-scale farmers in Tabasco and Campeche. “After we buy the product, we transform it. As you know, we currently do not have our own agro-industrial processing plant, so we are contracting external manufacturers to produce it,” she says.

President Sheinbaum announced that the Food for Well-Being agency, a merger of Diconsa, community stores, and Mexican Food Safety (SEGALMEX), would focus on acquiring cacao, coffee, honey, and corn from Mexican producers. “We will buy cacao from Mexican producers and transform it to create well-made chocolate at prices accessible to the people,” she said.

Regarding coffee, President Sheinbaum emphasizes the goal of providing an alternative to traditional instant coffee. “This involves processing to create a substitute for commonly sold soluble coffee that ensures the product is made from real coffee,” she said.