Mayagoldbelize

Our enterprise is unique because we have applied a radical convergent model to an old problem that keeps world cocoa production on the economic margins. II. III.

In order to fund the additional start-up costs to we will launch a crowdfunding appeal to augment what has already been invested. Once the funds are in place we will acquire a suitable site for the development of a large organic cocoa estate in the Maya mountains of Belize. As soon as the site has been acquired we will move on to the next stage of the programme and build an estate lodge and caba

nas. When these have been built our crowdfunding supporters will be offered the opportunity of a free stay on the estate, these would have been pre-booked perks as a return for the funds raised. Our guests will be able to participate in an educational course that will teach about cocoa farming and ecologically friendly farming techniques in the tropics. Tourist activities will also be offered. Once the programme reaches the right stage of development, our supporters will also be welcome to contribute their skills and time to help grow the business. They will be invited to work on the estate in return for free food and accommodation. The programme’s long-term objective is to grow the business from growing and selling cocoa to our own brand of refined value added chocolate products for export and demonstrating that viable cocoa business can be pursued and replicated internationally. To develop a large scale organic cocoa growing estate within a wider plantation, harvesting, fermenting, roasting and producing for export high quality cocoa beans. We will create the platform to develop confectionary products for domestic and export sales. By cultivating one hundred hectares over ten years we will have a major impact on production in Belize. We will produce a range of branded cocoa products from cocoa beans grown on our own estate. With a highly developed organic chocolate marketplace creating a growing demand for cocoa, particularly the high quality Criollo and Trinitaro bean, we can achieve a higher price by adding value. Vertical integration (by producing chocolate and confectionery and cocoa powder drinks) will enable a higher return than the basic commodity price obtained from exporting beans. The profits that will be generated in the long term will be ploughed back into developing our social enterprise model and also to benefit out society [supporters]. We will achieve this by;-

I. Developing our business model, creating our website, begin marketing and promoting our plan and preparing for our crowdfunding campaign in Jan 14. Assess the outcome of our crowdfunding campaign and begin to plan accordingly. Procuring the identified site and begin to carrying out the required planning, design and any necessary authorisations required followed by the infrastructure works. IV. Building of the guest accommodation for members of our society to stay as part of our rewards/perks strategy whilst they choose to help with the planning and development stage of the initial projects in the programme (infrastructure, design and build project). This will be built to accommodate 12 people in a lodge construction and three double roomed cabanas a maximum of 18 people. V. Setting up of all of the kitchen gardens for provisions, the agricultural planning projects and the creation of the work projects that guests will contribute to. VI. The building of the seeding sheds for planting cocoa seedlings and the building of the cocoa fermenting and drying sheds
VII. The second build project will be a, “Green Eco-Tourism Lodge”. This will be the basis from which we will generate the primary income stream from the visitor route to cover fixed costs and the anticipated high labour costs for the cocoa planting and fermentation phase. The lodge will be built as a high quality lodge with a maximum of ten room or cabanas. It will be located away from the cocoa estate on the plantation and operated as a commercial eco destination with facilities for yoga and health tourism. VIII. Responsible clearing of land to build the storage and fermentation facilities necessary to process beans as well as build a seeding facility to grow and develop young plants. IX. Introducing the Trinitaro bean and planting cocoa seedlings under the existing forest canopy. X. Carrying out all of the fermentation, drying, quality testing, bagging into sacks and storage facilities. XI. The plantation will grow other commodity that grows alongside cocoa under the forest canopy. This will provide a proof of concept of sustainable large scale cocoa farming that can protect the tropical rainforest from encroaching soya agriculture or logging. Ultimately it will sustain existing farmers and encourage younger spouses to remain on their estates as cocoa becomes more profitable to grow. XII. The use of boichar fertilizer the natural fertilizer of choice as it has positive C02 emission qualities alongside the discarded cocoa pods. This will enhance productivity and provide a natural organic recycling of pruned cuttings.

Arawak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

06/11/2014

Learn about the Arawak Indians and the origins of our cacao.

Arawak - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of South America and historically of the Caribbean. Specifically, the term "Arawak" has been applied at various times to the Lokono of South America and the Taíno, who historically lived in the Greater Antilles and northern Lesser Antilles in the Caribbea…

06/11/2014

To all out friends and supporters please find a link below to order your free sample.
http://www.arawakpurecacao.com/

Arawak - Free sample - Pure cacao Try one of the healthiest super foods in the world, cacao. Made after a Mayan recipe, our 100% cacao bars are unique! Try a free sample now.

18/02/2014

Come on everyone 30 days to go! Come and contribute, buy your very own cocoa tree, buy a cheap holiday to Belize and much more visit http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/mayagoldbelize

Mayagoldbelize A socially responsible enterprise: reinvents the economic development model by earning income through the export of cocoa and eco-tourism to relieve poverty

07/02/2014

Lets meet here for a chat

Indiegogo: An International Crowdfunding Platform to Raise Money

07/02/2014

$5USD - Perk
Mayagoldbelize Member
Gets you a personal email from the founder and a place on our website thanking you for your support as a founding member. Also receive our monthly newsletters keeping you up to date with everything that we are doing.

Estimated delivery: May 2014
BUY VIA www.indiegogo.com

Indiegogo: An International Crowdfunding Platform to Raise Money Indiegogo is the world's largest global funding platform. Founded on the principles of opportunity, transparency, and action, anyone with an idea – creative, cause-related, or entrepreneurial – can create a campaign, offer perks, and fund their passion.

04/02/2014

Who We Are

We are a group of talented and committed individuals with an excellent range of skills located in the Whitstable Kent and London in the UK. Our team is diverse and multicultural spanning a spectrum of ages, genders and life experiences. Crucially we are being supported by an increasing membership to our society whose skills we continue to draw upon. Apart from diligence, passion and a sense of humor we are united by our commitment to the belief that this programme can be successful at creating a haven for the members of our society while at the same time delivering wide ranging benefits to the local economy, the local people and the environment.

The Team
• Colin Stanford-Francis (the founder)
• Marie-Therese Webb
• Gabi Preston
• Sara Gaye Spencer
• Nathaniel Henry
• Phillip Henderson
• Nicholas Golub

Special Contributors
• Jeffery K Edwards - Our heart felt thanks to Jeffery for the use of some of his stunning photographs www.jefferykedwards.com.
• Nikki Baker - Thank you for your amazing art work for our facebook banner. www.luniacdesigns.co.uk
• Henri Preston - Thank you for lending us” you sharp mind” and giving us your bright ideas.
• ICCO - A thank you to Moises Gomez and Micheal Segal at the International Cocoa Organisation London.
• Klaudia Golub-Francis - Without your support and hard work none of this would be possible.
• iCrowd - Thanks to all of the advice and support from members www.iCrowd.com
• Alin and Vlad - For their work on this website and for supporting our vision above and beyond the call of duty.
• Julian Levy - Thank you for your help and the work that you are doing as part of our Society.

How We Arrived Here
Over thirty five years ago I asked myself why my grandparents had to toil so hard growing cocoa on their estate for so little return.As a young boy the implications of why had not really hit me as yet. As I got older the experience of the holidays that I worked alongside them on the plantation in the intense sun of the tropics remain in my blood like a virus for the rest of my life. I spent the following intermediate years travelling towards a point in my life when I would finally be able to take practical steps towards escaping the trappings of the modern existence in my yearning to return to those simpler and more fulfilling days. My quest has been a long and tedious search to create a model of living whereby you can have a good quality of life enjoying the simple things that life has to offer but also working towards a worthy goal. In my case this goal has always been connected to cocoa. Through MayaGold Belize I would like to work towards extricating cocoa farmers from the same strenuous work for small rewards that the large producers call fair trade for an organic product. Everyone I spoke to about this from private business to,Charities,the large cocoa commodity companies,and Governments all agreed that this problem was approaching crises and that a range of models and paradigms need to be applied. Twenty five years later and with the help of a committed group of like-minded people we are ready to test our model to increase the betterment of all those people around the world like my grandparents. Our collective skills set and experience will enable us to begin the most exciting challenge to date.

Sincerely yours,

Colin

http://www.jefferykedwards.com/

31/01/2014

redirect page

29/01/2014

To all our friends and supporters,

Now that you have seen our video, page and possibly even our website, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries about this project. We look forward to hearing from you and will be happy to answer questions.

It won't be long now till we go live on Indigogo ... so keep watching and keep supporting.

Thank you.

28/01/2014

In order to fund the start-up costs we will launch a crowdfunding appeal to augment what has already been invested. Once the funds are in place we will acquire a suitable site for the development of a large organic cocoa estate in the Maya mountains of Belize. When the site has been acquired we will move on to the next stage of the programme and build an estate lodge and cabanas. Our crowdfunding supporters will be offered the opportunity of a free stay on the estate, these would have been pre-booked perks as a return for the funds raised. [www.mayagoldbelize.co.uk/the programme/the proposal]

27/01/2014

Find us on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mayagoldbelize&sm=3

mayagoldbelize - YouTube Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

27/01/2014

Watched it? Loved it? Share it!

27/01/2014

The moment we've all been waiting for, here it is, the MayaGoldBelize video, enjoy :)

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Location

London

Website

http://www.mayagoldbelize.com/, http://www.mayagoldbelize.co.uk/

Address

London