9 Ethical Chocolate Brands for Your Delight
Chocolate: it’s the cornerstone of any good diet. But did you know that many conventional chocolates are produced under unethical social and environmental standards? The cacao plant that is eventually processed into your chocolate bar is regularly harvested by child laborers and slaves and often times on unsustainably managed land, contributing to deforestation and habitat loss for many species. However, the market is changing and there are now many chocolate producers who value human lives and decency and support sustainable agricultural production from their inception. Learn more about how these brands are sustainable on the ConsiderBeyond app.
1. Tony's Chocolonely
Attributes: Eco-packaging, Support Environmental Projects, Fair Trade, Responsible Supply Chain, Ethical Labor, Local Community and Farmers, Certified, Impact Reporting
Certifications: B Corp, Fair Trade Certified
Tony's Chocolonely was founded in 2004 as a result of the Dutch television program that exposed the issue of modern slavery and illegal child labor in the cocoa industry. A Dutch journalist who investigated child slavery in West Africa was so committed to making a difference he started producing 5,000 fair trade chocolate bars that sold out immediately. Since then, the brand has been collaborating with traditional chocolate brands and manufacturers to change the whole industry. Tony's Chocolonely is active in educating consumers about the behind truth of the chocolate industry. To read more.
2. Theo Chocolate
Attributes: Fair Trade, Responsible Supply Chain, Ethical Labor, Local Community and Farmers, Certified, Impact Reporting
Certifications: USDA Organic
Theo Chocolate, founded in 2005, has been long on a mission to create a more compassionate world by making delicious chocolates through a responsible supply chain, fair wages, and high-quality ingredients. One of the founders, Joe Whinney, had experience supplying organic cocoa beans but jumped into his own business to make a difference in the farming communities he met. They transparently communicate about the impact they are making by releasing an impact report yearly.
3. Alter Eco
Attributes: Certified, Impact Reporting, Non GMO, Ethical Labor, Responsible Supply Chain, Fair Trade, Local Community and Farmers, Organic, Clean Ingredients, Eco-packaging
Certifications: B Corp, USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Climate Neutral Certified
Alter Eco was created with a social mission from the start. Releasing their first range of products in 2008, they have been at the forefront of demonstrating social entrepreneurialism. They source from farmer-owned coops practicing sustainable agriculture and actively implementing sustainability from all angles. Alter Eco is another B corporation, fair trade certified, climate neutral certified and publishes an impact report. No GMOs, no artificial flavors, organic, and gluten-free!
4. Divine Chocolate
Attributes: Certified, Fair Trade, Local Community and Farmers, Responsible Supply Chain, Ethical Labor, Women-led, Carbon Footprint Measure
Certifications: B Corp, Fair Trade Certified
Divine Chocolate, born in the United Kingdom, is a global social enterprise where the majority shareholder of the company is Kuapa Kokoo Farmers' Union, a co-operative of 100,000 cocoa farmers in Ghana who grow the finest quality cocoa. Divine Chocolate has been here since 1998 by a co-operative of cocoa farmers in Ghana that voted to set up a chocolate company. Their chocolate is made with high-quality natural and fair trade ingredients, 100% pure cocoa butter, no artificial flavors, no palm oil, and no GMOs.
5. Raaka Chocolate
Attributes: Certified, Fair Trade, Local Community and Farmers, Responsible Supply Chain, Vegan, Non GMO
Certifications: USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Certified
Raaka Chocolate, started in Brooklyn, publishes a detailed report on their transparent trade of cacao. The report shares information on how the company purchase cacao, who they buy it from, the price they paid and the comparison to the commodity market and fair trade prices. Raaka Chocolate works with cooperatives and organizations that focuses on cacao quality and pays higher prices to farmers for the high quality.
6. TCHO Chocolate
Attributes: Certified, Fair Trade, Local Community and Farmers, Responsible Supply Chain, Organic, Vegan
Certifications: B Corp, USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified
This certified B Corp makes premium vegan chocolate that is fully fair trade and traceable. They are transparent about their factories and partner cooperatives around the world. TCHO Source is their unique program for partnering with cacao producers and research institutions worldwide to create a better cacao bean, because better cacao means better chocolate.
7. fairafric
Attributes: Ethical Labor, Fair Trade, Local Community and Farmers, Responsible Supply Chain, Organic, Non GMO
fairafric is a German-Ghanaian social enterprise that aims to take fair trade to the next level by not only sourcing from Ghana, but leaving the entire production chain in the country of origin of the raw materials. fairafric aims to support Ghanaian farmers by providing them fair wages, access to healthcare, investing in education, and other ways to improve people's working and living conditions.
8. Beyond Good
Beyond Good produces single origin chocolate and vanilla from Madagascar. Operating a direct trade business model means that there are zero middlemen between the farm and the factory. They source from 93 farmers in Madagascar and produce the chocolate and vanilla bean products in a factory within the country.
9. Montezuma's Chocolate
Montezuma's is a British chocolate brand that makes all types of chocolate goods that vary in flavor and also cater to plant-based customers. They partner with a number of suppliers to ensure that all sourced chocolate meet stringent ethical criteria and certifications. Made without palm oil and plastic packaging, Montezuma's is striving to improve their environmental impact and transparency by seeking B-Corp accreditation.
