Mulukakao Hattiesburg

Mulukakao makes chocolate and coffee from cacao and beans grown by smallholder farmers in Nicaragua. The company takes its name from Mulukuku, the Nicaraguan town where the founders' family farm is located, and the name is said to mean the place of cacao. Noel Montoya, a Nicaraguan native, and Anjie Price, a former Peace Corps volunteer from Mississippi, started the company around a shared love of chocolate-making.

Mulukakao roasts and transforms its beans at its own factory, and the founders stay involved in every step of the supply chain. Products are sold online and through the Hattiesburg location, and the company says it works closely with farmers to meet its standards for quality and sustainability.