Colombia’s Cordillera Chocolate has confirmed that it is set to embark on an expanded Atenea cocoa programme supporting women seeking to join the industry, writes Neill Barston.

As Natalie Quintero Zuluaga (below) revealed at this year’s World Confectionery Conference last month in London, its venture supporting female participation in the sector has been greeted warmly within its native homeland, and it is now due to continue in January 2027.

Building on the first 200 women graduates of the initiative to date, two new cohorts will join the programme, with Cordillera working with cocoa-growing communities to shape the training around participants’ needs.

Cordillera Chocolate was among presentations at this year’s World Confectionery Conference. Pic: Hugo Philpott

As the business explained, its scheme has been developed to help the complete value chain of Colombian cocoa production – which was a theme very much explored at this year’s World Confectionery Conference via the company’s presentation. 

The initiative has helped rural women gain  develop practical skills, establish enterprises and take a greater role in decision-making – it also supports five 
 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: No Poverty; Quality Education; Gender Equality; Decent Work and Economic Growth; and Partnerships for achieving Goals.

Notably, according to the company, in the region of  six cocoa-farming associations are expected to participate in the programme, which will run for approximately 12 to 14 months.

The expansion follows the graduation of more than 100 women cocoa farmers from Atenea’s second cohort in Córdoba earlier this year. Since its launch in 2023, the scheme has continued to prove an inspiration to those who have engaged with it, as well as the wider communities in which they live.

Furthermore, participants in the previous Córdoba cohort came from four cocoa-producing associations and received training in chocolate entrepreneurship, financial management, leadership and sustainable cocoa production.

During the October consultation phase, the Atenea team is meeting women cocoa farmers, community representatives, and other local stakeholders to identify participants’ priorities and decide what to include in the curriculum.
“It’s not about us. It’s about them. So, it’s essential to first understand their reality in order to evaluate the relevance of what they will discover and how it will impact their lives over the year,” said Jorge León, Sustainability Manager at Cordillera Chocolate (see our exclusive recent vide with him about his own passion for the sector and delivering sustainability below).

The findings will inform the training delivered from January. By running two cohorts simultaneously, Cordillera aims to extend ATENEA into more cocoa-growing regions and support women cocoa farmers across Colombia.
The programme is delivered in partnership with the Procurement and Agricultural Development Department of Compañía Nacional de Chocolates.

Building on Success in Córdoba
According to the company, the second edition delivered 376 hours of training to women from four cocoa-producing associations in Córdoba. These associations supply cocoa beans to Compañía Nacional de Chocolates, the parent business behind the Cordillera Chocolate brand.

SENA, Colombia’s National Learning Service, and Développement International Desjardins (DID), a Canadian organisation specialising in financial inclusion, supported the programme.

Under the scheme, training has covered four areas:
Chocolate Processing and Entrepreneurship: A 288-hour module delivered through SENA’s Emprende Rural programme with Cordillera’s team of chefs. Participants developed skills in baking, pastry, chocolaterie, food safety and quality management. The module supported the development of eight business ventures, while participants also attended national events including Chocoshow in Bogotá in November 2025.

More Atenea graduates will be invited to exhibit alongside Cordillera at the 2026 event. Financial Education for Rural Women: Training tailored to rural women covered income management, production costs, expenditure, savings and access to credit. A financial fair brought together 13 local and national organisations, and 110 participants graduated from this module.

Leadership and Women’s Empowerment: Two workshops and a leadership gathering helped participants address barriers to education and income while identifying opportunities for personal, family and professional development.
Sustainable Agronomic Management: Six practical sessions covered plant-material production, Good Agricultural Practices, biodiverse agroforestry systems, cocoa physiology and pruning, integrated pest and disease management, and crop nutrition.

More than 100 graduates attended the closing ceremony for the Córdoba cohort. During a panel discussion led by León, participants spoke about their achievements and the programme’s effect on their families and communities.
Sayuri Roqueme, a member of the Activa G10 association in Tierralta, Córdoba, said: “With Atenea, we discovered that we, as women, have the strength to provide for our families, improve our livelihoods, and above all, create a better future for our communities and territory”.

Olga Osorio, a member of the Integrasinú association in Tierralta, said: “Atenea awakened me. I no longer aspire just to grow and sell cacao. I can contribute to the environment, unite my family and continue the steps of transformation”.