Last week, I found myself perusing the chocolate selection at my local Whole Foods. The assortment was dizzying. I picked up 4 bars. Yes, 4 bars. Apparently, I was really craving chocolate that day. All 4 bars were from fair trade producers. Why buy fair trade? Honestly, I didn’t really know.
The intent of this blog is to highlight awesome companies that give back. I really want to keep this place fun and light. Sometimes, though, you can’t highlight the companies without looking at some ugly, hard truths first. In this case, despite its yummy, rich, delicious veneer, the chocolate industry is a deeply troubling place.
Two Ugly Problems in the Chocolate Industry
The majority of cocoa farming takes place in West Africa, specifically Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire. As you may have guessed, cocoa farming requires extremely hard work and is very labor intensive. You may have also guessed that the chocolate industry is very lucrative. The global chocolate market is expected to reach $161 Billion by 2024. Yet the average cocoa farmer in West Africa make less than $1/day. Without cocoa farmers, there is no chocolate industry. However, cocoa farmers live in absolute poverty. They do not benefit from the billions of dollars generated in chocolate sales.
Cocoa farming is also infamous for using child labor. As of 2016, approximately 2.1 million West African children are doing the dangerous work of harvesting cocoa. To keep costs low, the already impoverished cocoa farmer needs cheap forms of labor. Children work in dangerous and brutal conditions without pay. They are denied their childhood.
What is Fair Trade… really?
One way to help these farmers is to buy fair trade chocolate. Fair trade is an agreement to give producers in developing countries more equitable trading conditions. This arrangement typically includes fair pricing for the producers and improved social and environmental conditions for the communities where they operate.
So, how do I know if a product is truly fair trade? One way to check for fair trade certification. Fair trade certification organizations are third parties that audit companies to ensure they are following fair trade specifications. These organizations include Fair for Life and Fair Trade Certified.
Can We Please Talk Chocolate Now?
There are many fair trade chocolate brands. Go to Whole Foods and you will see what I’m talking about. Here are 4 that have been taste-tested and approved by yours truly. Someone has to do the dirty work, right?
Endangered Species has an awesome name. As far as I can tell, it has nothing to do with their amazing chocolate. Instead, they donate 10% of their annual net profits to organizations that support animals and their habitats.
Alter Eco is committed to “full circle sustainability”. They use farming practices that ensures long-term economic viability for those farms. Alter Eco is also innovating compostable packaging solutions to eliminate their emissions.
Divine Chocolate is co-owned by the 85,000 farmer members of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in Ghana. As owners, farmers get a portion of the profits and a voice in the company.
Theo was the first organic and fair trade chocolate factory in North America. They are committed to chocolate production that is ethical, sustainable, and fully transparent.
Fair trade companies are different from the typical company featured on Shop Social Good. Most companies I highlight sell great products and give back in some way. In contrast, fair trade chocolate companies sell great products, but recognize the injustice in their own industry. They are trying to right some of the wrongs, while offering a very tasty product.
Honestly, I know I have only scratched the surface on the issues surrounding fair trade. It is complex and controversial. In a nutshell, buying fair trade is speaking with your wallet. It means not supporting the exploitative practices of Big Chocolate. It means the person who performed back-breaking labor so I could enjoy this delicious chocolate was paid fairly. I’m willing to buy a little extra for that.