Divine Chocolate chief executive steps down

Sophi Tranchell has left the company following Germany’s Ludwig Weinrich acquisition of majority stake in the British confectionery

On the heels of announcing that German chocolate manufacturer Ludwig Weinrich has acquired a majority stake in Divine Chocolate, the company revealed that Sophi Tranchell, its chief executive, has left the business after 21 years.

Ludwig Weinrich has manufactured Divine’s chocolate since its foundation in 1998. The German company acquired the shares for an undisclosed sum.

Divine Chocolate was co-founded in 1998 by the Kuapa Kokoo co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana, Twin Trading and The Body Shop.

Kuapa Kokoo retains its 20% of the shares and continues to have board representation.

In the UK, the company has become one of the largest suppliers of Fairtrade chocolate, a commitment that Devine’s new ownership will continue to honour.

Sophie Tranchell

A founding member of the Fairtrade movement in the UK, Tranchell received in 2017 an MBE for her services to the food industry, and gained the Real Business/CBI award for women in business in 2007, to name but a few sector recognition.

Tranchell said she is leaving the company “immensely proud of Divine, what it stands for and what it has achieved”.

Divine Chocolate published a statement including Tranchell’s farewell words. She said: “Working closely with farmers has been an absolute privilege – their lives have enriched mine and hopefully, via the farmers’ stories we have told, other lives have been enriched too. It has been especially rewarding to see the positive impact achieved for women as they are able to step up and take their rightful place in the chocolate story.

“The same goes for both the extraordinary individuals I have been able to work with who have given their support, advice and inspiration, and the thousands of people who vocally and actively continue to join us on the journey. Divine wouldn’t be here today without all of them and their imagination, courage and commitment.

“Divine’s mission goes on – there is still a lot to do – but farmers’ income is right in the spotlight, as is the urgent need for social, environmental, and economic sustainability, so there is optimism for more positive developments. The Social Enterprise and B Corporation movements are setting inspiring examples and there is now a critical mass of discerning consumers who expect more of the companies they are buying from.

“I am reassured to be leaving the company with our main manufacturer Weinrich having capitalised the business, in the knowledge that Weinrich’s CEO Cord Budde has been, and continues to be a totally committed partner, sharing Divine’s values and supporting its mission and ambitions.”