Good and Green
The Good and Green Podcast, hosted by sustainability advocate Chit Juan, was created for the purpose of helping social entrepreneurs overcome challenges and grow impactful ventures that drive meaningful change. Each week, we share the tools, strategies, and stories that empower changemakers to build businesses with purpose. Whether you're launching your dream social enterprise or looking for fresh inspiration, this podcast is your go-to space for practical insights and uplifting conversations. Let's create a brighter, more sustainable future together!
Good and Green
Episode 43: How One Mom Chemist Built A Better Cacao Business with Mel Medrano
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What started as a simple search for a healthier chocolate drink for her children became something much bigger. In this episode, Chit Juan sits down with chemist and entrepreneur Melanie “Mel” Medrano, founder of Cacaomistry, to talk about how science, motherhood, and sustainability came together to create a Filipino origin based cacao brand rooted in clean ingredients, local sourcing, and social impact.
GUEST BIO:
Melanie Medrano is a chemist, entrepreneur, and chocolate maker, and the founder of Gramworth Enterprises Inc., a family-owned social enterprise behind PhOligo and Cacaomistry — the Philippines' first origin-based instant cacao mix.
Rooted in science, heritage, and sustainability, Melanie creates clean, thoughtfully made products using local ingredients, while working closely with farmers, artisans, and communities. Her work bridges food innovation and social impact, proving that businesses can grow profitably while caring for people and planet.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- Why reading ingredient labels is a powerful act of conscious consumption.
- How motherhood and science shaped the creation of Cacao Mystery.
- The difference between chocolate flavored products and real chocolate.
- Building a plant based food business rooted in local ingredients and Filipino cacao.
- Staying calm and creative during supply chain and pricing challenges.
QUOTES:
- Your kids are your best critics. —Chit Juan
- It can be healthy but it's useless when your child doesn't like it, so it has to be both. —Mel Medrano
- My greatest challenge was when the cacao price tripled. —Mel Medrano
- Entrepreneurship is a little like chemistry. —Chit Juan
- Make it a habit to read ingredients. —Mel Medrano
LINKS or RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Connect with Mel Medrano:
- Cacaomistry Website - https://www.gramworthph.com
- Cacaomistry on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Cacaomistry/
- Cacaomistry on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cacaomistry/
Listen, rate, and subscribe!
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- Subscribe to EchoNews on LinkedIn.
Purchase Brew: Cafe, Coffee. Kape at Echostore.ph.
For more information about Brew: Cafe, Coffee, Kape, visit the Food Writers Association of the Philippine Facebook Group.
