Its a subject close to my heart – chocolate. Over the years I have become a chocolate devotee. Dinner isn’t complete if it isn’t rounded off with a couple of squares of the dark stuff. But there can be a dark side to chocolate, excuse the pun.
I’ve made it my mission to investigate the impacts of chocolate, and while eating chocolate might take a toll on the waistline, there are a number of choices you can make to ensure your conscience isn’t weighed down.
More on the darks side of chocolate:
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According to Stopthetraffic.org over a third of the world’s cocoa comes from Cote D’Ivoire, West Africa, where cocoa production uses child and forced labour. Buy Fairtrade to avoid this.
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Many brands of chocolate contain palm oil. This may be labelled ‘vegetable oil’ but its the same thing. Clearing of rainforest for palm oil production in Indonesia threatens the survival of species such as the orangutan. Look at the ingredients or buy products you know have no palm oil.
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Many of the pesticides used in cocoa production has been banned in Australia. To avoid, go organic.
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About 70% of the world’s cocoa is grown in West Africa, with the majority being grown on small family plots. A fall in price of raw cocoa, despite an increase in chocolate sales over recent years, has forced small farmers to cut labour costs. To ensure farmers receive a fair price buy Fairtrade.
There are several brands which get the tick in terms of being environmentally and socially sustainable. We’ve researched the best sustainable choco and where to buy them. Although I am on a personal mission to test these chocolates I foundhttp://www.thechocolatereview.net/ helpful for getting the low down on taste.
Scarborough Fair was launched by New Zealand based company Lighthouse Ventures in 2004. 100% Fairtrade cocoa is imported from Peru and sugar from growers in Paraguay. The chocolates are made in New Zealand. They have just released a new range of 70% cocoa chocolates. They also have a range of Fairtrade tea, coffee and easter eggs.
Cadbury – Cadbury Dairy Milk went FairTrade in 2010 so the big brands realise how important it is to share the chocolate love. Fairtrade cocoa farmers in Ghana will benefit from the security of having a fair minimum price for their produce and additional investment for social, environmental and economic development in their communities, including new wells, schools and mobile medical facilities. The international partner certification body FLO-Cert, will independently monitor and audit the supply chain to ensure it meets internationally agreed Fairtrade standards.
Green and Blacks are a subsidiary of Cadburys. Originally organic chocolate makers, they have pledged to switch the entire range of food and drinks to Fairtrade by the end of 2011. The funding received by farmers through the Fairtrade premium will be spent on initiatives to improve quality, yields and education which will in turn increase the income for the farmers and help ensure the sustainability of the Dominican Republic cocoa industy. Green and Black’s has purchased Trinitario cocoa beans from cooperatives in the Dominican Republic for the past 10 years.
Alter Eco produces chocolate, sugar, rice and quinoa.All the products are cultivated using sustainable farming methods, use natural fertilisers and are Fairtrade.
Chocolatier Australia is a Melbourne based family owned company specialising in truffles, pralines and chocolate novelties. Some of their range is Fairtrade. For more information visit their website.
Endangered Species Chocolate. Based in the US this company buys cocoa from family-owned properties grown in the shade of rich diverse forests to help support sustainable forest farmland and the species within. The wrappers features endangered species to help raise awareness of disappearing plant and animal species. 10% of their net profits are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.
Oxfam have a large range of Fairtrade chocolate that can be bought online or in their stores.
Cocola uses Organic Fairtrade cocoa and is made with unrefined, evaporated cane juice from AlterTrade in the Phillipines. Made in Switzerland the cocoa used in Cocola is produced in Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Its available in health food and Fairtrade stores as well as Coles supermarket.
You can buy Green and Blacks at Coles, Bi-Lo, Woolworths, Safeway, Oxfam and David Jones. Oxfam also sells Alter Eco, Endangered Species, Oxfam brand, whilst Target and starbucks sells Chocolatier. Scarborough Fair is sold at Woolworths/Safeway.
