Aelan, which means ‘island’ in Bislama, one of the national language spoken in Vanuatu, is the community brand of ACTIV Limited and Aelan Chocolate Makers, the two social responsible commercial arms of ACTIV Association.
The brand offers a wide range of agricultural products, from cocoa and chocolate value-added with Aelan Chocolate Makers, coconut products and extra virgin coconut oil, local nut oils, spices, kava and handicrafts, value-added with ACTIV Association, from numerous small-scale producers and women groups from different islands of the archipelago of Vanuatu.
A range of Aelan products are available at the Aelan Shop, Aelan Chocolate Makers and the Aelan Café: Salon de Chocolat.
The Aelan Café • Salon de Chocolat was created in February 2020 to value-add the local chocolate and other local products (fruits, nuts and root crops) into pastries and healthy food. The café, located in the Port Vila downtown proposes a range of drinks with local coffee, chocolate and fruits, real-fruit ice cream, pastries from Aelan Chocolate Makers and other local fruits and some crêpes and galettes for savoury options.
A selection of products from chocolate creations, pastries to crêpes and galettes menu is at the Aelan Café • Salon de Chocolat.
ACTIV stands for “Alternative Communities Trade In Vanuatu” and is a local charitable association registered in February 2008 with the mission on working for the empowerment of the most disadvantaged small-scale producers, artisans and women’ groups from the islands of the archipelago of Vanuatu following the principle of fair trade.
ACTIV Association has an extensive network of producers and manages several projects working for the improvement of the livelihoods of the local communities. The sales of the Aelan products supports the core funding of ACTIV Association and part of its social projects.
Aelan Mama’s Cuisine was created in February 2020 following the COVID-19 world outbreak to assist local women chefs to find an alternative to generate income to support their livelihoods.
Aelan Mama’s Cuisine is an online restaurant platform linking the local women chefs to the local community of Port Vila. Aelan Mama’s Cuisine received in May 2021 the support of Spotlight Initiative from UNDP to train 11 local women chefs and develop the present virtual restaurant. The virtual restaurant proposes a range of menu developed with the women that could be ordered online, prepare by the local women chefs and then deliver to the customers. The initiative also received the support of the Canada Funds for Local Initiative with the building of a dark kitchen at the ACTIV Centre proposing an access to a fully equipped professional kitchen to the local women chefs. The kitchen will be operational end of January 2022.
You can discover the menu of the virtual restaurant at the Aelan Mama’s Cuisine.