ABSTRACT
Los Chiles is a rural region located in northern Costa Rica. It is considered one of the most vulnerable areas in the country because of its low development rates. Cocoa production in this region has increased recently with the rise in the number of small entrepreneurs interested in value-added cocoa products. In this study, our objective was to co-create a food product that would help a local entrepreneur and his group of consumers to build a commercial dynamic that met both actors’ needs and desires. The methodology consisted of three main components: 1) understanding context and people, 2) collaborative generation of ideas and concepts and 3) food product prototyping. This exercise allowed us to bring together the key actors to speak the same creative language and to build a product proposal that fitted their common vision for a more sustainable commercial future.
