Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati N.V.

CASE STUDY: TAN BUN SKRATI N.V. CRAFTING SURINAME’S CHOCOLATE LEGACY

@Caribbeanexport

@Caribxport

www.carib-export.com

OVERVIEW Founded in 2010 by Ellen Ligteringen, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. is a micro-enterprise redefining the Surinamese artisanal chocolate making experience, transforming locally grown cocoa into premium, artisanal products for domestic and export markets. Building a “tree-to-bar” experience, the firm produces high-cocoa chocolate bars (72%, 80% and 100%), traditional drinking chocolate (Skrati), cocoa beans and nibs, cocoa butter-based personal care products, and value-added by-products such as dried cocoa pod peel. The business sources Trinitario cocoa and has steadily built an export footprint, supplying specialty retailers in the Netherlands, the United States and Spain. In parallel, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. contributes to strengthening Suriname’s cocoa ecosystem by demonstrating quality processing, supporting knowledge-sharing, and showcasing the country’s cocoa story internationally. Tan Bun Skrati has benefited from a package of support initiatives designed to help Caribbean firms compete internationally. This assistance was delivered through programmes implemented by the Caribbean Export Development Agency (Caribbean Export), with funding from the European Union (EU) under the Regional Private Sector Development Programme. The support aligns with the EU’s development cooperation priorities, promoting inclusive economic growth, private sector development, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and climate resilience.

“Our journey is a testament to the rich potential of Suriname’s cocoa. With the right support and perseverance, we’ve created a story of transformation, not just for our chocolate but for the entire

community around us.” - Ellen Ligteringen, Founder

Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati | 2026

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FROM COTTAGE INDUSTRY TO EXPORT-READY MICRO PROCESSOR Tan Bun Skrati N.V. transformed from a cottage industry operating from the kitchen to a micro processing plant, focused on primary, secondary and finished cocoa-product production. The business sources its Trinitario cocoa from Surinamese farms, while steadily building an export footprint, supplying specialty retailers in The Netherlands, Spain and the United States of America. As demand grew, the business faced the practical challenges typical of micro processors: limited production space, humidity sensitive processing conditions, inconsistent packaging and branding for export channels, and the need for specialised technical skills to expand product variety, while maintaining quality and shelf stability. From 2013, tourism and hospitality became a core part of the business, with Tan Bun Skrati N.V. offering tree-to-bar cocoa workshops. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to close its specialty chocolate shops, leading it to adopt a less volatile business model.

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EU-SUPPORT: WHAT WAS PROVIDED AND HOW IT WAS DELIVERED

Between 2013 & 2025 Tan Bun Skrati N.V. participated in a range of EU-funded support initiatives delivered through programmes implemented by Caribbean Export. The support blended capacity building, technical assistance, and market access opportunities, alongside a Direct Support Grant Programme (DSGP) award in 2020 that enabled targeted investments in equipment, training, and workspace improvements.

It also financed advanced training through

Early EU-funded capacity building included intellectual property and branding workshops, which led to follow-on technical support to improve product packaging. This assistance helped the company identify weaknesses in its original packaging—particularly its limited impact in the Netherlands market and strengthened Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s ability to communicate and protect its Surinamese origin story. Today, the brand reflects this distinctive identity through immersive imagery inspired by Suriname’s rivers , with customised moulds that create a uniquely shaped artisanal bar. As part of its market access support, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. also showcased its products at the CARIFORUM–EU Business Forum in Jamaica in 2015, and later that year participated in the Caribbean Kitchen at ANUGA Food Fair in Cologne, Germany strengthening visibility and connections with international buyers. In 2020, the company received a DSGP grant, marking a major turning point for both production and revenue. The grant supported investment in production equipment and a fully outfitted chocolate studio, enabling the business to scale operations and expand market reach.

(the Professional Chocolatier Course and Business Plan for Chocolate Makers)

+

Improving technical capabilities particularly chocolate tempering

supporting the development of new, higher-value products.

Previous packaging

New packaging

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EU-FUNDED SUPPORT SUMMARY

2025 Programme: RPSDP3

Intervention Type: Capacity Building Activity: Leveraging the CARIFORUM– EU Economic Partnership Agreement: Expanding Trade and Accessing Finance for Growth

2023 Programme: 11th EDF Intervention Type: Capacity Building Activity: Leveraging CARIFORUM Trade Agreements

2020 Programme: 11th EDF Intervention Type: Grant Funding Activity: Direct Support Grant Scheme (DSGS)

2015 Programme: 10th EDF Intervention Type: Market Access Activity: Caribbean Kitchen at ANUGA Food Fair

2014 Programme: 10th EDF Intervention Type: Technical Assistance Activity: In-firm Design and Branding Grant

2014 Programme: 10th EDF

Intervention Type: Capacity Building Activity: Webinar / Workshop on Design and Branding

2013 Programme: 10th EDF Intervention Type: Capacity Building Activity: Workshop on the Use of Intellectual Property as a Tool for Enhancing Export Development

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HOW THE SUPPORT ENABLED RESULTS

Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s sustained engagement in EU-funded initiatives implemented by Caribbean Export translated into tangible business gains. Beyond participating in these activities, the company’s progress was amplified through strategic visibility support: Tan Bun Skrati N.V. was featured in at least two Caribbean Export publications “Cultivating a Caribbean Specialty” (Primed for Success, Volume 3) and “7 Caribbean Chocolate Brands: From Cocoa Bean to Bar” helping to raise awareness of its brand and products both regionally and internationally. The EU-funded support translated into results through three linked pathways: Capability: Technical training improved chocolate tempering knowledge, enabling consistent quality, improved shelf stability, and more diverse product development (notably bonbons and pralines).

Capacity: Equipment investment and a purpose-built studio increased production capability and reduced bottlenecks, allowing the business to meet buyer requirements more reliably.

Competitiveness: Branding, packaging and mould improvements strengthened product presentation, reinforced origin storytelling, and supported stronger market positioning in specialty retail channels.

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KEY RESULTS With support from the EU-funded Direct Support Grant Programme (DSGP), Tan Bun Skrati N.V. achieved measurable gains in production capacity, revenue performance, product development, and workspace upgrades. By 2024, the company reported a 600% increase in annual revenue, a decisive turnaround that strengthened business continuity and enabled the firm to surpass pre-COVID-19 revenue levels. This performance reflects not only recovery from the pandemic’s disruption, but also the company’s improved ability to produce, market, and sell higher-value products more consistently. Product quality and innovation also advanced significantly. Through Ecole Chocolat training, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. deepened its technical understanding of cocoa and chocolate tempering, supporting the development of a broader product range with improved consistency and greater shelf stability. These improvements were reinforced by upgrades to custom moulds to strengthen branding, along with better sealed multilayer packaging that maintains product quality during the shelf-life period. The grant further enabled diversification through targeted equipment purchases that supported new product development. A standout example is the Cocoa Lip Balm sticks, which are directly attributable to grant-funded equipment and demonstrate a successful expansion into value added cocoa-based personal care products.

Development Indicator

2018

2020

2024

2025

Change

Annual Revenue in USD

Resilience in post-COVID-19

10,500

2,500

17,500

13,000

Yearly % in Export Sales

International Market Expansion

8.5%

14.5%

31.6%

6.3%

Export Markets

Increasing access and product offerings

The Netherlands

The Netherlands

The Netherlands

The Netherlands

The United States of America

The United States of America

Spain

Cocoa Pods Processed

Supporting Value Add

5,698

4,240

6,070

6,752

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RESULTS AT A GLANCE The charts below visualise key business trends captured in the indicators. The revenue trend (quoted in USD) shows the COVID-period decline followed by a sustained recovery after the 2020 grant, while the dried bean production trend illustrated changes in throughput overtime.

Revenue Trend (2018 to 2025)

20,000 18,000 16,000 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0

17,500

13,000

13,000

10,750

10,500

6,700

Revenue in USD

2,500

1,500

2018

2019

2020 2021

2022 2023 2024 2025

Dried Beans Production Trend (2018 to 2025)

250

200

19 3

17 3

163

154

150

100

94

85

71

Dried Beans (Kg) 50

56

0

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

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EXPLORING EXPORT MARKETS AND ADAPTING TO CONSTRAINTS As EU-funded support strengthened Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s production capacity, product quality, and competitiveness, the company intensified its focus on market research, buyer engagement, and export pathway testing. In 2024, for example, founder Ellen Ligteringen conducted hands on market research in Barbados, visiting specialty retailers to assess demand, pricing, and product fit for artisanal chocolates and cocoa-based lip balms in a tourism-driven market. The findings reinforced the importance of refining the company’s market access plan to better align with buyer feedback and the realities of each target market.

This evidence-based approach has supported a steady expansion of the company’s international footprint.

Almost a decade later expanded into North America, entering

Tan Bun Skrati N.V. entered the EU market in 2015, now supplying

In 2025, the business launched a new commercial pathway through private labelling— producing its

Two shops in the United States of America in 2024

Three Shops in The Netherlands

72% & 80% chocolate bars and lip balms for a firm in Spain

At the same time, the company’s efforts to grow exports have highlighted the practical constraints that often limit small producers. Tan Bun Skrati N.V. has explored multiple markets but encountered barriers such as shipping costs and logistics (e.g., Brazil in 2019; Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Curaçao in 2024), minimum order quantity requirements (China, 2024), shipping restrictions linked to conflict zones (Israel, 2023), and production capacity limits during demand spikes (Amsterdam, 2025). Additional markets explored include Switzerland and the United Kingdom in 2025, where the company generated leads that have not yet converted into confirmed sales.

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SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Tan Bun Skrati N.V. demonstrates that business growth and sustainable development can go hand in hand. Its work supports local communities, promotes environmental stewardship and contributes to the continued development of Suriname’s cocoa sector.

Building Local Capacity Tan Bun Skrati hires consultants to train farmers, building local capacity and supporting increased cocoa production as the business expands. Protecting Biodiversity Trinitario cocoa is sourced from biodiverse gardens, supporting sustainable farming and preserving Suriname’s unique cocoa heritage. Promoting Traceability The business showcases each cocoa harvest and chocolate batch, strengthening traceability and celebrating the origin of Suriname’s cocoa.

Improving Production Efficiency EU-funded workspace upgrades improved production conditions, strengthened quality control and reduced energy costs. Strengthening the Cocoa Sector Tan Bun Skrati supports the Surinamese Cocoa Cluster by demonstrating high quality processing standards, sharing expertise and showcasing local cocoa internationally, helping to rebuild momentum in the sector.

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CERTIFIED FORWARD OUTLOOK Looking ahead, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. is positioning itself to maintain and deepen access to European markets as regulatory and buyer requirements evolve, particularly in response to the EU Deforestation Regulation. While the company already has a basic traceability system in place, its planned expansion of the farmer network from six to fifty farmers creates both urgency and opportunity to strengthen how cocoa is tracked at source. To remain fully aligned with EU expectations and protect market access, the business is pursuing a more comprehensive traceability and monitoring system that will incorporate plot-level GPS codes and improved data collection, strengthening transparency and buyer confidence. At the same time, Tan Bun Skrati N.V. will continue strengthening its product labelling and origin storytelling, drawing on Suriname’s unique cocoa heritage and the country’s distinction as one of only three carbon-negative countries in the world. With a stronger technical base, a more stable production environment, and clearer market positioning, the company is also better equipped to expand commercial partnerships, including scaling private labelling opportunities, while maintaining the quality, authenticity, and consistency that underpin its brand. 2021 Ecole Chocolat Professional Chocolatier Course & Business Plan for Chocolate Makers Funded through EU supported programming

2022 Food Systems Thinking Course (Organised by the Netherlands Food

CONCLUSION EU-funded support has played a catalytic role in Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s evolution from a small, kitchen-based operation into an export-ready micro-processor with a growing international footprint. By combining capacity building, targeted technical assistance, market exposure opportunities, and the 2020 DSGP grant, the support enabled strategic investments in equipment, professional training, and workspace improvements, strengthening production conditions, raising product quality, and supporting diversification into higher-value offerings such as bonbons, pralines, and cocoa-based personal care products. As the company continues to build on its “tree-to-bar” tradition, harvesting cocoa in Suriname’s fertile districts and crafting and packaging finished products in Paramaribo, it is pursuing market-led growth grounded in quality and traceability. Tan Bun Skrati N.V.’s trajectory illustrates how EU development funding, delivered through regional implementing partners such as Caribbean Export, can translate into measurable business results while advancing broader development objectives, including inclusive economic growth, gender equity, and environmental sustainability across the Caribbean.

Partnership in collaboration with Wageningen University; funded externally).

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“There's more to cacao than chocolate” - Tan Bun Skrati N.V.

HEAD OFFICE: 1ST FL OOR, BAOBAB TO WER, W ARREN S, ST. MICHAEL, BARBADOS

AV. PEDRO HENRIQUEZ URENA NO. 138, TORRE EM PRESARIAL REYNA II, PISO 5, SECTOR LA ESPERILLA SANTO DOMINGO, REPòBLICA DOMINICANA