July 12, 2023
Cacao rongoā for Otepoti entrepreneur
A Ngai Tahu ethical entrepreneur is spreading the health benefits and chocolate goodness of tropical cacao.
Fiona Clements from Otepoti recycling collective Res Awesome makes handmade treats from cacao beans sourced from Solomon Island growers.
She says the fruit has improves her health and wellbeing and reduces pain.
She says it’s one of the highest sources of antioxidants and also has high levels of magnesium, calcium, zinc, phosphorous and iron.
“I believe that she’s a tool for this time that we’re in now, because it’s very chaotic and all over the place.. and we’re in a lot of struggle at the moment. And so, if she can help us uplift ourselves, and reconnect back to self and back to whenua – then that’s just the most potent medicine that we can have,” Ms Clements says.
She hopes to turn her cacao sideline into a thriving sustainable business.