![[Redefine business models] From cacao to community: Creating impact across the value chain](https://images.beamly.com/fetch/https%3A%2F%2Fd3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2Fpodcast_uploaded_episode%2F44464617%2F44464617-1761733336016-8fff2910551d.jpg?w=365)
What if every step in the value chain could regenerate communities, empower women, and restore the planet?
Theme: Redefine business models
Topic: Regenerative business
Language: English
In this episode, we explore how regenerative business can turn local challenges into global opportunities. From surplus cacao in East Timor to sustainable sport balm, one founder’s journey shows how creativity and social entrepreneurship can build bridges—connecting farmers, local communities, and young women—through purpose-driven innovation.
You’ll learn:
How regenerative business models create social and environmental impact from the ground up
Why collaboration across the value chain is key to meaningful, lasting change
How entrepreneurs can transform challenges into opportunities for regeneration
Key Quotes:
“I remember talking to farmers who had been growing cacao for eight years—they had absolutely no idea what chocolate was, or what it tasted like. It blew them away.”
“Cocoa butter is an ingredient from the gods. It’s incredibly good for the skin, protecting against rashes and blisters. And it puts more money in the hands of smallholder farmers.”
“By choosing RooGoo, customers are choosing a product that is pro farmer, pro village, pro community, pro survivor of violence.”
Guest Bio:
Dave Kelly, Founder, RooGoo
Dave Kelley is the founder of Roogoo Sport Balm, turning surplus cacao into sports balms while supporting local farmers and empowering young women in vulnerable communities. With a background in law and international development, he combines creativity and social entrepreneurship to drive real impact. His work highlights how involving people across the value chain builds connections, creates opportunities, and benefits everyone involved.
Host Bio:
Digna Akkermans, Founder, Value Chain Voices
Digna Akkermans is the founder of Value Chain Voices, a storytelling platform shining a spotlight on the people driving change behind the scenes. Her mission is to bring these stories to life and inspire collaboration across organizations, communities, and industries. With a background in cultural anthropology and sustainability reporting, she knows that numbers alone can’t capture the human impact of value chains. Through storytelling, she shows how real connections create meaningful change.