Ayissi Nyemba

Ayissi Nyemba is the founder of EmkaoFoods, a premium chocolate manufacturing company based in British Columbia with deep roots in the cacao farms of Cameroon. Inspired by generations of her family’s work in cacao cultivation, Ayissi launched EmkaoFoods to bring transparency, sustainability, and equity to the chocolate supply chain. Her vertically integrated model eliminates the middleman, working directly with smallholder farmers to ensure fair margins and exceptional quality from bean to bar. 

Now in her second year as a proud member of the Specialty Food Association, Ayissi is passionate about building community through food and connecting people to the origin stories behind the products they love. “It’s deeply fulfilling to share our family’s legacy and be part of a global movement toward more sustainable and ethical food systems,” she says. 

With plans to expand into the U.S. with a new manufacturing branch in Binghamton, NY, EmkaoFoods is poised to grow its mission and impact. As the company brings its organic cocoa ingredients to a broader audience, Ayissi continues to champion innovation, traceability, and opportunity, both at origin and at home.