Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati N.V.

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).

Case Study: Tan Bun Skrati | 2026

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