I Just Gotta Tell Ya
- Americans spend 13.7 billion per year on cocoa/chocolate products
- 46% of Americans say they can’t live without chocolate.
- Ghana, Indonesia, Nigeria, Brazil, Ivory Coast, Cameroon are the 6 largest Cocoa Producing countires.
- 40% of Ghana exports are cocoa
- Ivory Coast produces 43% of the worlds cocoa.
- An estimated 284,000 children are working on cocoa farms, with machetes and pesticides.
- Many of these children were sold into slavery to work long hours and no schooling.
- 64% of the children are under 14 years
Cocoa Trivia
- Cocoa Beans were first consumed by the Olmec’s in Mexico (1000 BC)
- Christopher Columbus may have been the first European to sample cocoa
- Montezuma drank 50 golden goblets of hot chocolate everyday.
Why Fair Trade
- Fair Trade Certified production guarantees farmers a fair and sustainable price
- Creates direct links from farmers to buyers (no middleman)
- Stricter working standards for healthy working conditions (no child labor)
- Children under the age of 18 not allowed to use machetes or apply pesticides
- Cocoa farmers receive about a penny for a candy bar selling for 60 cents.
- Allows Farmers to experiment and assure higher quality of beans
The Good News
- According to Reuters, Fair Trade Cocoa Products rose 24%. (about 1% of the worlds market)
- TransFair began certifying Fair Trade chocolate and cocoa in September, 2002, and in the first year licensed 16 companies to offer Fair Trade Certified semi-finished and branded chocolate products. Already, Fair Trade Certified hot cocoa and chocolate bars are offered in over 1600 retail locations around the US, including several Safeway, Tully’s, and Whole Foods stores.
Where to Go
- Green & Black’s Maya Gold Hot Chocolate
- Global Exchange
- Coffee, Tea, Etc.
| Chocolate.com | A global chocolate marketplace offering unique fair trade products – perfect for a gift or your own enjoyment. | |
| Coco-Zen | Deliciously decadent chocolate truffles handmade from only organic and Fair Trade certified chocolate. Discover Coco-Zen and experience oneness with chocolate. | |
| Dagoba Organic Chocolate | Chocolate bars, baking chips, chocolate syrup, hot chocolate, and baking cocoa (non-alkali) | |
| Dean’s Beans | Organic hot cocoa and baking cocoa, also kosher | |
| Earth’s Sweet Pleasures | Luscious, creamy and rich dark chocolate fudge, certified organic and fair-trade. Your purchase helps support cacao farmers in Central and South America.” | |
| Equal Exchange | Organic hot cocoa, baking cocoa (with alkali) and fair trade, gourmet chocolate bars | |
| Ithaca Fine Chocolates | Organic chocolate “Art Bars.” | |
| Kate’s Caring Gifts | Earth Friendly Gift Sets featuring Organic and Fair Trade Chocolate | |
| La Siembra Co-Operative | La Siembra, a worker owned Co-operative, was the first to import Fair Trade certified cocoa into North America. Their Cocoa Camino products are sold only in Canada. | |
| Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates | Chips, bars and baking supplies all Fair Trade and organic | |
| Sjaak’s Organic Chocolates | All organic and fair trade chocolate bars, gift boxes, holiday items, vegan selections | |
| Theo Chocolate | Organic, fair trade premium chocolate | |
| Yachana Gourmet | Chocolate, tropical fruit spreads and other food products made from organically grown raw materials from the Amazon rainforest region in Ecuador |
Resources
- Transfair – has list of manufacturers, certification, profiles, how to list
- Cooperative Grocer-
- Fair Trade
- Cost Comparison of Fair Trade Pricing and Exchange Pricing
- Chocolate Trivia