I have been working in the cocoa and chocolate world for more than twelve years. My path has never been typical, and that is exactly what shaped the way
I work today.
I bring together real field experience with a strategic and entrepreneurial mindset. I have built (and sold) companies, managed projects across supply chains, and worked with farmers, factories and buyers
around the world.
What drives me is simple: creating value where others see limitations. I happily take on the challenge!
I do not come from a corporate background. I have always worked as an entrepreneur, curious, practical and not afraid to get my hands dirty.
I have always worked as an entrepreneur throughout my career, with the past twelve years fully dedicated to cocoa entrepreneurship. My path has never been typical, and I believe it is my biggest strength.
I’ve always been curious, independent and not afraid to work hard for what I wanted. When I was a child, I picked walnuts from my grandparents’ garden in a small Dutch village and sold them on the street, together with my sisters and cousins. With the money, we took the whole family to a theme park. The drive to create value, to move, to make things happen was already there.
I have always worked as an entrepreneur throughout my career, with the past twelve years fully dedicated to cocoa entrepreneurship. My path has never been typical, and I believe it is my biggest strength.
I’ve always been curious, independent and not afraid to work hard for what I wanted. When I was a child, I picked walnuts from my grandparents’ garden in a small Dutch village and sold them on the street, together with my sisters and cousins. With the money, we took the whole family to a theme park. The drive to create value, to move, to make things happen was already there.
After finishing my master’s in Human Rights in Utrecht, I felt the need to see the world from another perspective. I moved to Cameroon in West Africa, driven by a sense of justice, adventure and curiosity about how things really work on the ground. I worked in women's communities and in prisons, setting up small projects that helped people earn an extra income and give a sense of hope and inspiration for what was possible. I bought a small piece of land, and one day someone showed me a cocoa tree and said, “This is where your chocolate comes from.” It was the beginning of a
new chapter in cocoa.
Cocoa became the thread that connected all my values: fairness, opportunity, freedom, and the belief that change starts by doing.
Cocoa also brought me back to the Netherlands, to Amsterdam, the biggest port for cocoa beans in the world. I started working as an advisor for cocoa and chocolate companies on sustainable sourcing, leading projects, developing proposals and writing tenders. I helped companies strengthen their supply chains, connect with cooperatives and design programmes that link sustainability with business.
Around that time, I co-founded Gaia Cacao, a sourcing company focused on quality cocoa, mainly from Latin America. Mariana and I worked directly with farmer cooperatives, trained producers on improving their post-harvest practices and exported fine flavour cocoa to European makers.
That experience taught me to understand the full chain, from bean to bar, and how quality, transparency and fairness can truly shift value.
Around 2017, a conversation with a farmer about cocoa pulp opened my eyes to another missed opportunity. Most of the fruit was simply thrown away. I thought, “This is wrong. Let’s do something about it.” I founded Pacha de Cacao, a start up that turned cocoa pulp into drinks and ingredients, proving that every part of the fruit has value. I built the supply chain from scratch, worked with cooperatives and researchers, led international teams, raised investment and brought products to market in Europe and the US. I also
Through this work I also gained deep technical experience in manufacturing and processing. I learned how to manage product development from pilot to production, optimize costs and quality, and translate technical constraints into commercial opportunities.
Alongside Pacha, I worked on projects under DRG4Food, an EU funded Horizon programme that develops digital tools to improve quality, transparency and trust in food systems. With partners such as Wageningen University, Prague University and cooperatives in Ecuador, we designed traceability systems, data protocols and a digital quality valuation tool that provides instant insights into the composition and genetics of cocoa batches. These innovations help farmers strengthen their negotiation position and give companies
a more accurate and transparent view of their
supply chain.
Pacha will close at the end of 2025, but the mission continues. I still see opportunities everywhere: to valorise side streams, improve quality and make supply chains smarter and fairer.
I’m gearing up for a new chapter. I want to use everything I’ve learned as an entrepreneur
and in life.
I believe a human perspective and a commercial mindset belong together. I like to stay ahead of the curve, turning ideas into action and creating systems that work better for everyone.
I’m at my best when there’s movement, challenge and enough space to grow. Building companies that make sense, human, fair and are full of energy. If you share that mindset, I’d love to connect and explore how we can work together.
I believe that integrity and impact belong at the centre of every business decision. Real change happens when people act with purpose, take responsibility and build things that last.
Over the years, I’ve founded several companies and learned what it takes to turn ideas into reality. Each business taught me how to build from scratch, connect people and make ideas work in practice.
With Pacha de Cacao, I created a brand and supply chain around circularity, proving that waste can become value. I also co-founded Gaia Cacao, focused on quality sourcing and farmer value creation at origin. Reach out to Gaia’s team if you’re looking for specialty cocoa.
“I’ve known Marika for about ten years and have seen her grow through every stage of the cocoa and chocolate chain. Her energy, consistency and understanding of both farmers and markets make her stand out. The cocoa sector is in a time where professionalisation and transparency are crucial, and through alliances with people like Marika we can create real, lasting impact. She connects ideas with action – and people with purpose.”
“I’ve known Marika for about ten years and have seen her grow through every stage of the cocoa and chocolate chain. Her energy, consistency and understanding of both farmers and markets make her stand out. The cocoa sector is in a time where professionalisation and transparency are crucial, and through alliances with people like Marika we can create real, lasting impact. She connects ideas with action – and people with purpose.”
“I’ve known Marika for about ten years and have seen her grow through every stage of the cocoa and chocolate chain. Her energy, consistency and understanding of both farmers and markets make her stand out. The cocoa sector is in a time where professionalisation and transparency are crucial, and through alliances with people like Marika we can create real, lasting impact. She connects ideas with action – and people with purpose.”
If you want to work together or have a suggestion, I’d love to hear from you.
