Paul and Jeanne Johnson are the co-founders of Caribeans, a bold and community-rooted chocolate venture based in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica. We recorded our conversation with them on the jungle coastline above Puerto Viejo, just before heading out on their immersive chocolate tour—one that traces cacao from soil to soul. 

Paul and Jeanne’s story begins far from here, in the Midwestern U.S., but it quickly finds its heart in this place. What started as a small café evolved into something much more: a regenerative chocolate company grounded in justice, sustainability, and a deep commitment to local community. 

Their journey is equal parts entrepreneurial, ecological, and deeply personal. Along the way, they’ve learned what it means to build with—not for—a place and its people. They speak candidly about flavor as justice, and the messy beauty of creating a model that works outside traditional supply chains.