How Sweet It Is – Doing Good Has Never Been So Delicious

This is the third time I’ve written about chocolate since mid-October. Hmmm…. I do love chocolate, and consider it a necessary ingredient for a balanced diet, and even for a not-so-balanced diet. And the ever-increasing number of studies documenting its health benefits makes it all the more appealing – and less guilt-inducing. A recent Swedish study has found a link between high chocolate consumption (more than 45 grams per week) and a 20% decrease in stroke risk for women. Now that’s my kind of news!! (Not that I ever needed convincing.)

But there’s chocolate and there’s chocolate.

Photo Credit: Henrik Ipsen and Robin Romano

The cocoa farming industry is, sadly, well known for its human rights abuses, especially forced child labor. If this horrible practice is to be eliminated, we must become more discriminating when it comes to our chocolate purchases. One easy way to ensure that the chocolate you’re enjoying wasn’t harvested by slave laborers is to choose only fair trade chocolate.

Fair trade chocolate was not always readily available, found primarily in specialty shops and upscale food markets. But this is changing. Sure, the “conventional” alternatives still outweigh the fair trade options, but shelf space for fair trade chocolate – as well as for other fair trade products – is consistently increasing to meet the growing demand.

Credit is due all the chocolate companies working to make a difference in the world by ethically sourcing their cocoa products. But there are two companies that, in my opinion, are real stand-outs: Divine Chocolate and Theo Chocolate. These companies are pioneers in the industry, leading the way for other companies by setting a beautifully high standard.

Divine Chocolate is the world’s only fair trade chocolate company that is at least partially owned by the farmers – 45% ownership in the case of Divine. So farmers not only get a fair price for their cocoa, but they also have a say in how the business is run. They receive a piece of the profits, and receive additional income for community improvement projects. Who wouldn’t support a company with these values?

And the products? Simply “divine.” The company offers a range of chocolate goodies, from the tried-and-true to the more innovative ingredient combinations, as well as seasonal specialties. Try the dark chocolate covered salted caramels, or the limited edition dark chocolate bar with hazelnuts and cranberries. I have never been disappointed in any of their products. Divine is certified Fair Trade by Transfair USA, the largest fair trade certifying organization in the United States. And Divine is growing. Beyond the United States, their products are available in Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, and across Scandinavia.

Enter Theo Chocolate. The name comes from the Greek name for the cocoa tree, theobroma cacao, aka “food of the gods.” Theo is a growing enterprise, headquartered in Seattle, Washington. And talk about raising the bar! Theo has changed their certification from Transfair to IMO Fair For Life, so not only is Theo an organic, fair trade chocolate company, but a certified socially responsible one as well, ensuring compliance with all labor rights issues throughout their supply chain, and including their own business practices. This makes Theo the first fair trade certified factory in the United States – in addition to being the first fair trade chocolate maker in the United States. Wow…we are duly impressed.

(Hershey, are you listening?)

Theo offers an incredible – and delicious – array of products. Traditionalists will find no shortage of those chocolate indulgences we all know and love. But, in addition, Theo offers products with mouthwatering and creative flavor combinations, such as a Coconut Curry milk chocolate bar or a Fig, Fennel and Almond dark chocolate bar. Making a choice is no easy task with so many yummy options.

         Theo…food of the gods.       Divine…need we say more?

       So go ahead. Make it chocolate and make it fair.

             Doing the right thing has never been so easy or so delicious.

Tags: cacao production, child labor, chocolate, Divine Chocolate, fair trade chocolate, forced labor, human trafficking, shop ethically, slave-free, stop human tarfficking, Theo Chocolate