Inaru

Inaru is a vertically integrated chocolate company founded in 2018 by Dominican-American sisters, Janett and Erika Liriano. The inspiration for the company stemmed from their father's cacao farm in the Dominican Republic and a desire to address systemic inequities within the cacao supply chain. Leaving their careers in New York, the sisters moved to the Dominican Republic to establish Inaru, a name derived from the Taíno word for "woman" or "feminine energy." Janett's background includes recognition on the 2019 "Forbes 30 under 30 for Manufacturing and Industry" list, while Erika has experience as a chief of staff and project manager for startups and venture funds. Together, they raised $1.5 million in seed capital to build a 7,000-square-foot chocolate factory in Nigua, San Cristóbal, creating a business model that is farmer-first.

Inaru's business model is designed to overhaul the traditional, multi-layered supply chain by removing middlemen. The company establishes direct-trade relationships and purchasing agreements with farmers, ensuring they are paid above fair-trade prices and receive a share of the profits from the final products. This approach provides economic stability through stable monthly payments and empowers growers with resources for regenerative organic farming practices. Inaru manages the entire production cycle, from sourcing organic beans from partners like Zorzal Cacao to fermentation, drying, and manufacturing finished products in their Dominican Republic factory. The company's revenue is generated through direct-to-consumer online sales of its chocolate bars and rounds, wholesale distribution to retailers, corporate gifting, and private label services for other brands.

The company produces a range of premium, single-origin chocolate products that are vegan, organic, gluten-free, and soy-lecithin-free. Products are crafted to showcase the natural seasonality and diverse flavor notes of Dominican cacao, such as berry, citrus, and floral notes, which are often lost in standardized chocolate production. Offerings include dark chocolate bars with varying cacao percentages (from 62% to 80%) and inclusions like orange, fennel, chamomile, and cranberries, as well as white chocolate varieties. Inaru also provides semi-finished products, such as cacao mass and couverture, for other businesses in the chocolate industry. By controlling the entire process from seed to bar, Inaru ensures quality and traceability while championing financial empowerment and environmental stewardship in the chocolate industry.

Keywords: regenerative chocolate, ethical cacao, direct trade chocolate, profit sharing farmers, Dominican Republic cacao, seed-to-bar, vertically integrated chocolate, single origin chocolate, women-owned business, sustainable agriculture, farmer empowerment, organic chocolate, fine flavor cacao, craft chocolate, ethical supply chain, social impact food, artisan chocolate, premium cocoa, specialty chocolate, cacao sourcing