Frederick
The Heart
Frederick - Ashland, OR
Frederick Schilling dropped out of college to ski, make music and work as a chef in Colorado. It was here he was introduced to chocolate and started experimenting in his kitchen with herb infused chocolates. Determined to create exceptional, innovative chocolate that would benefit people, planet and industry, he created Dagoba Organic Chocolate which is a transparent, “full circle sustainability” company. Six years later, it had grown rapidly from its humble beginnings to become one of the world’s most respected manufacturers of premium organic chocolate. Besides numerous tasting awards, the company received the EPA’s “Green Power Leadership Award” and the OTA/OFRF “Spirit of Organics Award” and the coveted “Lorax Award.” It is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation and Schilling is a featured speaker at their annual conventions about sustainable cacao farming. In 2006, to mixed reviews, he sold the company to Hershey. Schilling argues that the sale brings organic principles to thousands more people than Dagoba would on its own. He currently sits on the board of an international investment fund that focuses on sustainable agriculture development in tropical ecosystems, reforestation, and consulting with cocoa producing countries to create value added internal supply chains.
As a partner in Big Tree Farms in Bali he continues his commitment to reforestation, preservation of heirloom varietals and sustainable, profitable practices. With a philosophy that balances ecology with economy and values the power of education as the precipitator of change, Big Tree Farms has become not only a successful green business, but also a successful leader in the empowerment of local communities. World Resources Institute recently listed it as one of the ten most exciting rising social ventures in the world. This summer Schilling decided not to renew his contract with Hershey, where he continued to work as a consultant after the purchase. He decided instead to devote his time to helping Big Tree Farms continue to grow, further his reforestation efforts and partner with Diego Badaró to create the first source to retail chocolate factory in Brazil, which will help transform the region.
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