The situation on the ground

Senegal is known to many for its wrestling culture, cashew exports, Sadio Mané, or its abundant natural gas reserves. But, of course, Senegal has much more to offer. And we are actively working to ensure that the unique taste of Senegalese chillies also becomes world-renowned!

A lot of good things are happening in Senegal – it's no coincidence that more and more renowned organizations like the UN are opening their offices in the capital, Dakar. However, this positive change does not reach all residents.

Outside of the major cities, the problems for people are severe, as approximately 60% of Senegal's rural population lives in financial poverty. Compared to the urban population, this distribution is almost twice as high.

Without financial resources, people lack the basics for a self-determined life, which hinders future-oriented decisions.

Source: Knoema, 2017

What growing chilies has to do with change

It was always clear that with SOCHILI, we would found a company with a clear purpose. This means in plain terms: Instead of launching the next product that nobody needs, our product should offer good solutions for actual problems.

And growing chilies in Senegal is perfectly suited for this: We advocate for fair trade, open up new markets for farmers, establish long-term business relationships, and promote sustainable cultivation methods. 🌱

For this, we work with the farmers of the 'Ferme Hallier' farm. Together, we have developed a recipe to produce a delicious chili mash, which is the base for all our chili sauces. We chose to collaborate with the farm in the rural village of Sipane for many reasons, two of which stand out: The chilies are organically grown, and the permanent and day laborers are paid fairly. 'Ferme Hallier' is certified for both.

And soon the time will come: Our Senegalese chilies are almost ripe! This means specifically: In the summer, the chilies will be harvested by a women's collective and processed into a mash on-site, so we can cook our unique chili sauces from it! Then we will reach a huge milestone, because with that, we will for the first time put a product with African instead of Spanish chilies on the shelf!