At Tri-Island Chocolate, our journey is a heartfelt return to roots, a celebration of Grenadian heritage, and a dedication to crafting exceptional chocolate from the ground up. We’re more than just a chocolate factory; we’re a vibrant expression of our island’s rich bounty and cultural spirit.
What began as a small bean-to-bar venture quickly blossomed into a thriving tree-to-bar chocolate factory in Beaulieu, St. George. For Aaron, it wasn’t enough to simply import beans; he wanted to be intricately involved in every single step. This means we participate in the entire process: from planting and nurturing cocoa trees, to meticulously fermenting and drying the beans, all the way to crafting premium chocolate products right here in Grenada.
Our cocoa sourcing is the heartbeat of Tri-Island Chocolate, centered around relationship-building, transparency, and local empowerment. We champion a Direct Trade Approach, bypassing middlemen to work straight with local Grenadian farmers. This guarantees they are paid fairly and promptly for their exceptional cocoa, and in some cases, we even source from Aaron’s own small cocoa plots.
We stand firmly with our farmers. During challenging times, such as Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Tri-Island Chocolate demonstrated unwavering support through continued purchases, actively highlighting their struggles and needs. Furthermore, we are deeply involved in Education & Collaboration, offering knowledge-sharing sessions and fermentation training. We passionately advocate for local value addition, helping farmers understand the benefits of transforming their beans into finished chocolate products.
Our commitment extends to sustainability. Aaron actively promotes agroforestry and regenerative practices, ensuring the health and longevity of Grenada’s precious land. We are also transitioning our factory towards solar-powered operations to significantly reduce our environmental footprint. Our ethical framework goes beyond mere certifications; it’s about transforming cocoa into a powerful tool for local resilience, empowerment, and deep-seated pride across Grenada.
Tri-Island Chocolate was founded by Aaron Sylvester, a Grenadian-British entrepreneur driven by a deep-rooted passion for ethical chocolate making and empowering his community. After a fast-paced career as a music executive, representing global artists like Joss Stone, Usher Raymond, U2, and fellow Grenadian Estelle, Aaron felt a powerful pull back to his ancestral home.
His childhood summers spent visiting grandparents, Fitzy and Veronica Sylvester, in Grenada instilled a profound connection to the land. When he and his brother later inherited a small plot filled with cocoa and spice trees, Aaron saw an incredible opportunity. He envisioned combining Grenada’s exquisite fruits and spices with its world-renowned fine-flavored cacao, trailblazing a path in ethical, value-added chocolate, much like the late Mott Green of the Grenada Chocolate Company. His idea was simple yet profound: to reconnect with his heritage and add immense value to Grenadian cocoa, ensuring its true potential was realized right here on the island.
Every bar, bonbon, and experience from Tri-Island Chocolate is deeply rooted in Grenadian terroir. The very essence of the island, its land and its people, is infused into our creations.
Grenadian Cocoa: Our cocoa beans are sourced from Grenada’s rich volcanic soil, often from smallholder farms in vibrant regions like St. Andrew, St. David, and St. Mark. Our ambitious company goal is to ultimately source cocoa from every single parish in Grenada, showcasing the unique nuances of each region. Grenadian cocoa is globally prized for its deep, fruity notes and beautifully balanced acidity.
Spices & Fruit: Many of our factory products feature Grenada’s signature spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and bay leaf, alongside tropical fruits such as soursop. These are either dried and infused directly into our chocolate or used to inspire our unique flavor profiles, all locally grown and harvested.
Honey & Cocoa Tea: We craft unique products that celebrate Grenada’s rich agricultural heritage. Indulge in our bee pollen-infused chocolate, rich honeycomb chocolate, or a comforting traditional cocoa shell tea – each one a testament to the island’s natural bounty.
Cultural Influence: The immersive experiences we offer at our factory, such as our “Make Your Own Chocolate Bar” workshop, are intentionally set among fruit and spice trees. They are thoughtfully tied to local stories, cherished rituals, and even Rastafarian traditions, making our products not just consumables, but genuine vessels of cultural storytelling.
Ultimately, every creation from Tri-Island Chocolate is a vibrant celebration of Grenada’s land, its people, and its rich heritage – a true origin product in every magnificent sense.
