Whitby chocolatier recieves $10,000 DoorDash grant

A well-known Whitby chocolatier has received the latest in a long line of honours with a $10,000 grant through DoorDash’s program to support Black-owned businesses.

The delivery service announced a plan to grant several businesses across Canada with $800,000 spread between them. They selected 17 restaurants from coast to coast to receive the cash infusion.

The program is part of DoorDash’s #BlackFoodEnergy initiative in collaboration with the Black Opportunity Fund. This charitable organization “supports a  prosperous, healthy and thriving Black Canada by challenging anti-Black racism

According Statistics Canada’s Black Business Owners in Canada Report, Black male business owners earn $43,300 less annually compared to white male business owners, whereas Black women business owners earn $16,000 less annually compared to white female business owners.

The report also found Black business owners are about 70 per cent men and 30 per cent women and tend to be immigrants. Collectively they own about 3 per cent of unincorporated businesses and 1.6 per cent of incorporated businesses.

The Black Opportunity Fund responds to “long-standing underinvestment in Black communities,” the fund said, “We do this by delivering sustainable and needs-informed capital streams, managed by Black people for the benefit of  Black communities, which disrupt ineffective and disempowering contemporary funding practices.”

“Second, we work nationally to strengthen collective actions by Black organizations and leaders, helping them to create new and more impactful ways to support and advocate for our community,” the fund continued.

To advance these goals, the fund partnered with DoorDash’s #BlackFoodEnergy program

“Investing in Black chefs and Black restaurateurs across Canada who contribute to the fabric of their neighbourhood can feed meaningful change with lasting impacts in all of our communities,” said DoorDash Canada Head of Consumer Brand Marketing Delly Dyer, “Our partners at Black Opportunity Fund understand the need for platforms like #BlackFoodEnergy and we’re proud to collaborate with them to increase access to funding opportunities.”

Applications for the grants closed in July and the awardees were announced in October. The full list includes:

• 13 SUNS Ethiopian Café & Eatery (Scarborough, ON)
• Cafe Caribbean (Edmonton, AB)
• Café Caye Mangé (Yarmouth, NS)
• Classic Juice Co. (Toronto, ON)
• DELICASEY (St. John’s, NL)
• Enat Ethiopian Restaurant (London, ON)
• Global Pot Fusion Cuisine (Saskatoon, SK)
• Gutto Mothers Restaurant (Edmonton, AB)
• Honey Soul Food (Mississauga, ON)
• Mumbai Dakar Restaurant (Edmonton, AB)
• One More Cocoa (Whitby, ON)
• SHANDMAS (Montreal, Quebec)
• Souperlicious (Mississauga, ON)
• Taste of The Grille (Innisfil, ON)
• Tommie’s Jerk (Surrey, BC)
• Vansuya Restaurant Lounge (Surrey, BC)
• Zuleeats (Windsor, ON)

Whitby’s One More Cocoa adds this achievement to a long list of accomplishments. Owner Kenesha Lewis launched the business online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lewis pulled the name from a Jamaican proverb “One one cocoa, full basket,” which means taking things one step at a time, reflecting her heritage, memories, and pure love of chocolate, according to Whitby.

“The dream of One More Cocoa was born from my innate love for sugar and spice and everything nice, inspiring the creation of a sweet haven that transcends ordinary confections. What started as a mere idea blossomed into the thriving sweet factory that stands today,” Lewis wrote, “a testament to the irresistible allure of gourmet chocolate.”

She continued, “Welcome to One More Cocoa, where passion for sweetness meets the rich tapestry of Jamaican flavours. As a proud Canadian chocolatier, I embarked on a delectable journey to blend my love for chocolate with the vibrant essence of my Jamaican heritage. One More Cocoa isn’t just a chocolate shop; it’s a celebration of indulgence, creativity, and cultural fusion.”

In 2021, Lewis moved into her first brick-and-mortar location at 116 Athol Street. The store now offers 18 different chocolate flavours, handmade bonbons, popcorn, cookies and cream, and birthday cakes. They’ve also launched advent calendars ahead of the Christmas Season.

Lewis’ shop has grown from strength to strength since its founding. One More Cocoa has been featured at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and the Durham Region International Film Festival.

Last year, the shop was included in Oprah Winfrey’s “Favourite Things” and Lewis has struck a deal with HelloFresh for inclusion in their prepared meals.