On April 17th of 2026, our Enactus team attended the Enactus USA Competition Exposition to compete and present two projects: Cacao Crunch and Boho Conversion. Among thirteen other teams, ours made it to the final four for the second year in a row! This meant presenting once more on April 18th on the big stage. Our students did great; they presented well and fielded questions skillfully. We did not end up advancing to Internationals but we’re still proud of the work we did and the impact we made.
So what did our team present?
The Cacao Crunch Bar was created to combat the rising costs of cacao, shipping, and tariffs. Mirna Rojas, owner of Chocolate Doña Pancha and our chocolatier partner, suggested incorporating amaranth, an ancient grain used in Mayan culture. It is hearty, locally sourced, protein-rich, and light weight. The incorporation of amaranth not only reduced the weight of this new chocolate product but it also increased nutritional value as well as differentiated the product from our other normal eating bars. Once it was time to officially launch the product at the Morton Arboretum Chocolate Market, we were able to bring Mirna to the United States for the launch. Due to Mirna’s presence there was a lift in sales and demand for her products. The impact of the Cacao Crunch Bar is wide, allowing Mirna to expand her network in the United States and her revenue from us increased 336%. The sales from the Chocolate Market event had a 92% increase, hitting a record $8,508. Almost 400 customers learned about direct trade and our team of students gained hands-on experience of product development, taking the product concept to customers.
If the Cacao Crunch project was about problem solving, BoHo Conversion was about expansion. When North Central’s new dining service, Parkhurst Dining, took over in 2023 we were able to slowly introduce our beans across campus. Beginning in catering, then Kaufman dining hall, Cardinal Corner, and even the Admissions office. Our beans were everywhere except the campus coffee shop The Boilerhouse, or more commonly known as BoHo. Over the summer of 2025, we began testing different roasts and strategizing pricing. In August of 2025, BoHo was finally using our beans for espresso, iced and drip coffee, as well as cold brew. This process required us to work closely with local Parkhurst leadership, Bill Langlois the General Manager and Kyle Mayer the Director of Retail. Both joined us in Guatemala in December of 2025 to strengthen our collaboration and alignment with them. BoHo Conversion had a great impact as well. By speaking with the farmers association, we now know that every 300 pounds of coffee beans purchased, creates demand for one farming family. By now supplying BoHo coffee, there are nearly two additional farming families supported and consistent demand was established for our farming partners. From this partnership, we were able to introduce two new products to Parkhurst, generate over $6,000 in new recurring revenue, and the carbon footprint was reduced through local sourcing.
Although our Enactus team did not make it to Internationals this year, we are no less proud of the work we’ve accomplished. We plan to continue to push forward to continue creating a place for partners to build sustainable livelihoods, customers to support an ethical marketplace, and students to gain hands-on entrepreneurial experience.
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