Dylan Lauren: Founder and CEO of Dylan’s Candy Bar, visits Ecuador to explore the amazing work of Heifer International
If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy indulging in a delicious treat every now and then, chances are you’ve tasted the chocolate and other mouth-watering goodies at Dylan’s Candy Bar. But you may not know much about the woman who runs the machine — Dylan Lauren. She founded the company in 2001, and since then it has expanded all over the country and grown to include candy-inspired lifestyle products such as Ice Cream Cone Lip Gloss, colorful lollipop iPhone covers, gorgeous baby apparel and more. Yes, this is the ultimate brand that appeals to the fun-loving child within all of us.
In addition to operating this ever-evolving company, Dylan recently conducted a field trip to Ecuador where she visited small-scale cacao farmers who are supported through the work of the nonprofit organization Heifer International. We caught up with Dylan to learn about her desire to take candy to the next level, and her eye-opening exploration of cacao-processing from local Ecuadorian farmers.
Smart Girls: What inspired you to launch Dylan’s Candy Bar, and specifically to merge confectionary with a lifestyle brand?
Dylan Lauren: Ever since I was a child I have always loved eating sweets. But I also loved the vibrant colors, shapes, textures of candy and the incredible designs and packaging. To me, candy is art and magic. I wanted to share the feeling it gives me with others and show them how candy can awaken the creative spirit and inner child in all. I always knew I wanted to pioneer changing the way the world sees candy, by merging fashion art and pop culture with candy. I had witnessed my dad, Ralph Lauren, create a fashion lifestyle empire, starting with a tie. And I am inspired to do the same with candy.
In our Willy-Wonkaesque stores, we offer not just candy to eat or parties and events where candy is central to the decor and entertainment, but we also have a wide range of lifestyle product through partnerships to sweeten anyone’s day! Whether it’s candy hip flip flops with Havaianas, cool bags with LeSportSac, innovative strollers with Maclaren, colorful stationary with International Greetings or even underwear with Hanky Panky, to name only a few, there is something for everyone to enjoy and brighten their day.
SG: How do the Heifer programs support small-scale farmers? What did you learn from meeting with cacao farmers in Ecuador?
Dylan: Heifer International works to end hunger and poverty in more than 25 countries by providing livestock, agricultural training, tools and education to small-scale farmers. The tools and training allow the farmers to lift themselves out poverty and to a living income. Through my visit to Ecuador with Heifer, I was grateful to be able to witness their work first-hand. I loved seeing Heifer’s education stressing the importance of our environment and the value and respect for animals. This was particularly meaningful to me as with my own foundation, Dylan’s Candy BarN, we support organizations that help animal welfare.
I spent time at a Heifer-supported cacao farm and co-op in Calceta, Ecuador where I saw how cacao processing works, from beginning to end. It’s processed, fermented, dried and tested. Finally, the beans are then shipped to countries all around the world where they will then be transformed into delicious chocolate bars, truffles, cocoa mix and more.
Heifer connects farmers to local and global markets so they can sell their goods at a higher price, allowing them to earn more money to help support their families. It was clear that through hard work and commitment, they use the abundance of resources that Heifer provides and turn that into sustainable incomes.
What I also learned about Heifer is the concept of Passing on the Gift, a hallmark of the organization. This is when people that have seen success from Heifer share not only the knowledge they learned, but also their livestock, seeds, etc., with another family in need. Heifer empowers communities to be self-reliant, and once they achieve that goal, they are encouraged to share the fruits of their labor with other groups to then help them overcome poverty and hunger, too. I witnessed a Passing on the Gift ceremony, where local farmers handed seeds to their peers so they could diversify their crops. It was emotional, beautiful and inspiring all at the same time.
SG: How do the Heifer programs support women in particular?
Dylan: It’s amazing what Heifer International does to support and empower women. Through this trip, and by meeting with several women’s groups that Heifer supports, I saw how dedicated the organization was in its mission to increase gender equality. It’s hard for women to find jobs in Ecuador, but Heifer empowers and enables them to start businesses of their own. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), if women farmers had access to the same resources as men, more than 150 million additional people would have enough food to eat. That is quite an eye-opening fact and validates that when women join forces, there’s nothing that can stop us!
I witnessed one program in Esmeraldas, where women spend seven hours every day digging for shellfish in the mangroves, which they then normally sell to middlemen for a low return. Unfortunately, I also saw that these mangroves, a natural habit for these shellfish, are being destroyed by pollution and deforestation. Heifer International is working with these women to replant the mangroves, sustaining the way they earn an income. Heifer also helped these women build a beach-front restaurant where they can sell their shellfish for a lot more money. I had one of the best meals I’ve ever had at this restaurant — and I really mean it! We all had a common bond of running a business focused on food, and they too know how food can bring people together. We laughed together and cried together — and it was truly so inspiring to watch them. These women were some of the happiest I’ve ever seen, despite their struggles.
Heifer showed me that women everywhere, despite being in different countries and continents, making a wide array of incomes and having different opportunities at birth, face the same challenges and share the same hopes and dreams. We all want to be successful as a woman, and I have never felt that more than when meeting the women of Ecuador.
SG: How are the local sweets in Ecuador different to American candy?
Dylan: The chocolate products are delicious, but I now have a new appreciation of how premium it is, having witnessed the editing process to get the best beans. I also found the sweets healthy. The women created some of the freshest and most delicious desserts out of fruits they grew. I particularly enjoyed fried caramelized plantain, brown sugar covered sweet potato and passionfruit and coconut pudding. The mushy textures were totally up my alley!
SG: How can we get involved with Heifer International?
Dylan: Heifer makes it easy for people to be involved, and a gift to the organization is so meaningful! Through their website (Heifer.org), you can make a donation of livestock, providing hungry families with nutrition and income. Whether it’s a flock of chicks, honeybees or goats — any amount helps!
—
Do you know an incredible woman working in a field that needs recognition? Let us know via Twitter or in the comment section below.
