Who doesn’t like truffles? Those wonderful, lovingly handcrafted chocolates that melt on the tongue with evocatively scented centres that tease the tastebuds. One company taking the truffle to whole new levels is entrepreneur and chocolatier, Selassie Atadika, founder of Midunu Chocolates in Ghana.
LoA learned more about this unique Ghanaian chocolate brand that is a true taste of Africa in truffle form.
What does your company do?
Midunu Chocolates are artisanal handcrafted chocolates. Made with Ghanaian cocoa, they feature the flavors and essences of Africa.
"These truffles are a chef-scripted love story to our continent in every bite."
What inspired you to start your company?
After over a decade of travel throughout the various corners of Africa, I distilled the essences of the African continent and now offer them to the world in Ghanaian chocolate. The inspiration for the chocolates comes from different parts of the Continent. This is reflected in the name given to each truffle. We have named them after different African women who have inspired the truffles. Women like Aicha, Novisi, and Akuyo are culinary custodians throughout the continent. These truffles are a chef-scripted love story to our continent in every bite.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
With a cocoa heritage dating back to 1879, Ghana is renowned for both the quality and quantity of its cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. The traditional method of fermenting cocoa beans in plantain and banana leaves instills a unique flavor. Simultaneously, the country’s quality control system provides consistency. Midunu chocolates take the taste buds of culinary adventurers on an expedition across the African continent. Our truffles present subtle infusions of continental bounty – teas, tisanes, and complex spice blends. These flavors represent the beautiful patchwork that is Africa’s culinary heritage. Get your taste buds ready for an unforgettable journey through Africa!
"Midunu chocolates take the taste buds of culinary adventurers on an expedition across the African continent. Our truffles present subtle infusions of continental bounty – teas, tisanes, and complex spice blends."
Tell us a little about your team
At Midunu Chocolates, we have a small team of young women who are curious about life, who work diligently, and who are attentive to detail.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Entrepreneurship is in my blood—I come from a multi-generational lineage of entrepreneurs. My grandmother was an amazing and hardworking business woman who lived in northern Ghana and Maame was able to support her family and leave behind real estate to her 8 children. My parents left Ghana due to political instability and subsequently started a legal practice in the US through their determination and hard work.
"I enhance the value of local ingredients, showcase lost or forgotten treasures, tell the stories of culinary custodians who keep our heritage alive through preserving, and share the delectable cuisine of the African continent."
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
In the coming years, I hope to extend the reach of our chocolate truffles to wider markets and to branch into bean to bar chocolate making.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
What gives me the most satisfaction as an entrepreneur is adding value. I enhance the value of local ingredients, showcase lost or forgotten treasures, tell the stories of culinary custodians who keep our heritage alive through preserving, and share the delectable cuisine of the African continent.
"In the coming years, I hope to extend the reach of our chocolate truffles to wider markets and to branch into bean to bar chocolate making."
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
It is very important to understand your ‘why’ before you begin your entrepreneurial journey. Think deeply about it and write it down. Put a reminder somewhere you will see it on a regular basis. There are a lot of twists and turns which will happen as you progress along your path. When things are going well, you won’t seek the reminders. But there will be those ‘other’ days when you will need that nudge to help you get out of bed. The real sign of an entrepreneur is falling to the ground and being able to get yourself up, time after time. It can be a bitter sweet journey, but you are the master of your destiny!
Contact or follow Midunu Chocolates
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL info@midunuchocolates.com
Why LoA loves it….
Businesses that specialize in producing one type of product brilliantly, and building their reputation and their fan base as a result, are always good to see in Africa. Selassie Atadika, founder of Midunu Chocolates, is a wonderful example of how to get specialization right. Her approach to truffle making is world class and a real celebration of Africa’s tastes and stories in a bite. This is a beautiful brand getting it right in the world of chocolate making. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa