Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and social implications of their shopping habits. Those concerned about the well-being of the producers behind the various consumer products they plunk in their shopping are seeking ways to verify the claims made by organizations touting their products as better for the planet and healthier for indigenous communities.

Fair trade chocolate and organic cacao products are two popular consumer choices for those who are looking for eco-friendly sweets, regardless of the occasion. In their quest to find the perfect, eco-friendly chocolates, many turn to those items that are produced by farmers belonging to cooperatives and fair trade organizations.

What is a Fair Trade or Organic Chocolate Cooperative?

But what is a fair trade organization, and how do organic chocolate cooperatives really function? Educating yourself about how these organizational structures work is a great way to become even more engaged in the efforts to make trade fair around the world and will help you make more informed decisions. So here are some basic tenants any fair trade or organic cooperative should exhibit:

• Access to credit: Giving a producer the chance to establish themselves within the local and global company so that they can become self-sustaining is key to getting a community to become independent. Cooperatives therefore often make fair and equitable credit available to poor farmers and producers to get them started.
• Guaranteed pricing: In the free trade world economy, prices fluctuate frequently and quickly depending on supply and demand as well as other market systems. This can leave the small-scale farmer without recourse should their commodity’s price suddenly drop. Without choices, these producers are often forced to sell their products at below-cost prices, leaving them with little for their efforts and without hope. A fair trade cooperative will protect these producers by guaranteeing them a set price for their wares.
• Direct trade: Providing guaranteed pricing is often accomplished through direct trade which helps producers to sell their products directly to a co-op that then distributes the product to stores and fair trade organizations.
• Education: Many cooperatives provide ongoing education and encouragement to keep farmers and producers on the sustainable track. Helping these individuals choose eco-friendly, life-affirming systems will keep them engaged and passionate about protecting their local environment.
• Safe labor conditions: Those participating in a collective or cooperative are required to implement safe working conditions for all laborers and are required to pay employees (including themselves!) a fair wage for their time. In addition, child labor laws are strictly enforced.
• Community development projects: In many cases, fair trade workers are given a “social premium” that they are to use for supporting social and environmental projects in their community. This could include anything from planting trees to establishing a community well to setting up a public health facility. These projects help to break the poverty cycle and ensure a thriving, sustainably-run community.
• Cultural preservation: In many cases, the goods being grown or made by local producers are connected with cultural traditions in the community. Cooperatives will help to preserve these cultural traditions by encouraging and educating the local people about the value of these practices.
• Economic empowerment: In addition to all of these benefits, many collectives and cooperatives give their members an equal say in decisions effecting the organization. This gives marginalized communities input into how their local economy works.

4 Fair Trade and Organic Cacao Farm Cooperatives

So that’s how cooperatives and collectives work. To give you a down-to-earth picture of how these systems function in actuality, here are a few organic and fair trade cacao cooperative case studies.

• Grenada Chocolate Company Ltd, founded in 1999, is a start-to-finish organic cocoa farmers’ and chocolate-makers’ cooperative that produces high-quality organic dark chocolate. Situated in Grenada on over 150 acres of organic cacao farming land, this cooperative grows their own cacao pods and then processes them in their own fermentry which is just one mile from the chocolate factory. They also use their own biodynamically-grown vanilla beans to flavor the chocolate. The cacao farmer team and the chocolate-making team both profit equally from the cooperative’s success.
• Equal Exchange’s worker-owned cooperative is located in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, but the cacao farms partners are located all over the world. Every member of the cooperative is given one vote, the right to serve as leader, the right to information, and the right to speak their minds. Additionally, in order to maintain their Fair Trade cacao certification, farmer organizations must meet demanding criteria for community investment, minimal environmental impact, and democratic operations.
• TransFair USA helps to maintain hundreds of cooperatives in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Their Fair Trade Cocoa Co-Op in Kuapa Kokoo, Ghana is helping to liberalize the cocoa market in that country. Made up of village societies that elect committees and representatives at a regional level, all members are part of the National Union. This cooperative has grown since its founding in 1993 and today owns 45 percent of Divine Chocolate Ltd. and 33 percent of Divine Chocolate USA Inc., which are two popular chocolate companies in the UK and the US. Together, co-op members have established four schools, purchased equipment so that cacao farms can become independent, and orchestrated a credit and banking service for members.
• Global Exchange’s Toledo Cacao Growers Association (TCGA) Cooperative in Belize has 126 members and exists in one of the poorest districts of the country. Through the cooperative, farmers now have access to technical workshops on production, pest control, and shade management, as well as a weekly local radio program that helps them know when to plant and how to establish nurseries. They also have long-term contracts that give them a fair price for their cacao.

It is clear that these cooperatives are giving cacao farmers new opportunities, a stronger economic footing, solutions for preserving their own land, and a fair price for their efforts. All of these benefits will help to strengthen their communities and give these producers hope for the future.

Knowing Fair Trade and Certified Organic Chocolate Companies

But if you want really great chocolate, chocolate that makes you feel as good about buying it as it makes your tastebuds feel about meeting it, there are more decisions involved than simply what flavor makes your mouth water. To make the best decisions (and discover the best quality), consider a few questions such as: Where is it grown, how it is grown, and by whom? Does the farmer earn a living wage? Are pesticides used on the cacao trees?
These are tough, but important questions. The good news is we’ve made answering them easier for you.
Most of the chocolate on grocery store shelves isn’t anything like pure, real unadulterated chocolate. Filled with high fructose corn syrup (and, therefore, possibly mercury), grown with pesticides, and sometimes including wax and other decidedly unappetizing ingredients, common chocolate pales in comparison to that made with real food ingredients. If Big Name chocolate is the only chocolate you’ve tried, I’m sorry to inform you that you’ve not really had chocolate.

Today, there are more fair trade chocolate companies and brands specializing in organic chocolate ingredients than ever. Whether you’re looking for chocolate gifts for a special occasion or a quick snack for the road, your eco-shopping trip will be much less hassle today that it would have been even five years ago.

So breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that you no longer have to struggle over where to buy earth friendly chocolate products. We’ve collected a long list of the highest quality, most ethically-sound, and most popular fair trade chocolate companies and organic chocolate brands. Give them a gander, share them with your friends, and above all, celebrate your choice to live a greener, more socially-aware life!

Alter Eco

Using only Certified Organic and Certified Fair Trade chocolate, as well as fair trade, organic sugar, nuts, raisins, and coffee beans, Alter Eco’s chocolates are also free of artificial flavors, sweeteners, chemical additives, and emulsifiers.

Dagoba Organic

Dagoba Organic Chocolate’s belief in chocolate as a sacred food (dagoba means temple in Sanskrit) is made from organic cocoa beans from a variety of countries, including Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Peru.

Divine Chocolate

Organized by farmers, the Divine Chocolate company works with small cocoa producers primarily in West Africa, to stimulate ethical trade practices. The company invests in building schools, sinking wells, providing mobile clinics, and fostering women’s income generation projects.

Endangered Species

Endangered Species Chocolate stresses principles such as reverence for life and ethical trade. Their wrappers increase awareness of species that are currently threatened or endangered. Ten percent of all net profits are given to support species, habitat, and humanity.

Equal Exchange

Working with three different farmer cooperatives in the Dominican Republic, Equal Exchange organic chocolate products are both organic and fair trade. The company also produces teas, snacks, and coffee.

Green & Black’s

Merging the “green” of organic chocolate production principles with the “black” of a decadent life, Green & Black’s is both delicious and sustainable. They choose only organic and fair trade chocolate ingredients.

Grenada Chocolate Company

For Granada Chocolate Company, it’s not enough to purchase Certified Organic cocoa beans—they must grow the beans themselves. Working with organic farmers’ cooperatives, they grow the beans and then use solar-powered machines to make the chocolate.

Ithaca Fine Chocolates

At Ithaca Fine Chocolates, the aim is to produce exquisite chocolate (using Swiss chocolatier methods) that’s also Fair Trade Certified. They also only purchase USDA Certified Organic ingredients. Their wrappers, art cards, and display boxes are made from recycled paper as well.

Newman’s Own Organics

A company founded by Paul Newman, Newman’s Own Organics carries Signature Series Chocolate which is USDA Certified Organic and made from ingredients grown on Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

Seeds of Change

Working to keep organic, open-pollinated seeds available for farmers and gardeners worldwide, Seeds of Change also produces some organic food and has recently developed a line of chocolate made from organically-grown cocoa, fruits, nuts, and spices from around the world.

Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates

Based in California, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates are Certified Organic by the Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) organization.

Terra Nostra Organic

A Vancouver, Canada company, Terra Nostra Organic Chocolate is Certified Organic and known for its magnificent taste and luxuriant finish. The company is also a founding member of Equitable Trade which strives to encourage fair trade and organic chocolate farming methods for their suppliers.

Vintage Plantations

With the Rainforest Alliance stamp of approval, Vintage Plantations chocolate is made from Ecuadorian cocoa so you know that it’s both eco-friendly and ethically traded.

Knowing where to buy fair trade chocolate

Now that you know what fair trade chocolate brands and organic chocolate companies to look for, you may also need some help knowing where to buy organic and fair trade chocolates (some artisans and producers don’t sell their wares online). To help you out, here are some tools to help you know where to buy eco-friendly and ethical chocolates:

• Global Exchange carries a wide range of Fair Trade Certified products, including chocolate, coffee, tea, crafts, clothing, jewelry, and more.
• TransFair USA maintains a list of national cafes, restaurants, and retailers carrying their Fair Trade Certified food products.
• The Chocolate Room carries some fair trade and organic chocolate bars.
• You can find Vintage Plantations fair trade chocolates at World Wide Chocolate online.

Choose Earth Friendly Chocolate for Gift Giving

Holidays throughout the year are popular occasions for buying chocolate as gifts. But this year, as you shop the isles or search online, keep earth friendly chocolate gifts in mind, especially when you come to the events here:

Valentine’s

Treat your sweetheart to a box of chocolates that are Certified Organic or that have the Fair Trade Certification seal.

Christmas/Hanukkah

Stock up with Hanukkah Gelt that’s Certified Organic and look for advent calendars and stocking stuffers for Christmas that are Fair Trade Certified.

Mother’s Day

Surprise your Mom with a bouquet of chocolates that are healthier for her and that ensured women around the world were treated with dignity and respect. Fair Trade is the only way to go for this occasion.

Father’s Day

If your Father has a sweet tooth, give him a real treat by purchasing organic chocolates that were produced using cocoa beans raised on farms that are pesticide and fertilizer-free. These will hit the spot without hurting the farmers.

Easter

Don’t let the Easter bunny bring your children chocolates that were made using child slave labor! Choose Fair Trade Certified chocolates instead.

Halloween

Send trick-or-treaters home with sweets that won’t create health problems for them later. Organic chocolates that are toxin-free are a great alternative to conventional treats.

Weddings

If it’s your time to plan a spectacular day to celebrate your love, do so with favors that are ethical to add a green, socially-conscious flare to your day. Look for the fair trade and organic seals for your cake, too!

Chocolate is a timeless gift exchanged by lovers on Valentine’s Day. Elegantly wrapped gourmet chocolate gift boxes make wonderfully romantic Valentine’s Day presents. Chocolates are not only mouthwatering treats, their powerful aphrodisiac qualities can help set the mood for an even more romantic experience.

Chocolate has been considered an aphrodisiac since the days of the ancient Aztecs, who called cacao “god food.” Montezuma, the last Aztec emperor, was known to drink up to 50 golden goblets of cacao every day to increase his sexual prowess in order to properly service his harem!

Chock full of mood-boosting, titillating ingredients such as feel good endorphins and aphrodisiac phenylethylamine, chocolate is the perfect way to get your sweetheart in the mood for romance and passion. Organic chocolate that’s created without the health-harming agricultural chemicals found in your average chocolate bar makes for an even happier Valentine’s Day for you and your loved one, especially if it’s Fair Trade Certified, too. Get a whiff of these delectable certified organic fair trade chocolates and you’ll be flyin’ high, too.

The Best Heart Shaped Organic Chocolate Gift Boxes

Below are some stunning heart shaped gift boxes filled with tantalizing organic chocolates – enough to melt your sweetheart’s heart.

Large Velvet Heart

38 pieces of our finest acclaimed chocolates. Show your love just how much you appreciate them with this special edition heart box adorned with a hand tied bow in platinum ribbon. To view the flavor profiles of the chocolates, please scroll down.

Rosemary Pecan Rosemary steeped in fresh cream, organic dark chocolate, toasted pecan Trebbiano 12 year Balsamic, organic dark chocolate with red currants Lavender Flower Locally grown lavender steeped in fresh cream, organic milk chocolate, enrobed in 63% cacao Lemon Tisane Lemon Verbena steeped in fresh cream with milk chocolate Cacao “3″ ways Intense bittersweet ganache, enrobed in 63% cacao, crushed nibs Local Blueberry Port Local blueberry port, Peruvian dark chocolate, whole blueberry Grapefruit Confit Fresh brewed Kenya coffee, candied grapefruit rind, organic dark chocolate Vanilla Flake Salt Caramel Vanilla bean caviar infused in fleur de sel caramel, 63% cacao, Australian flake salt Chipolte Ginger Chipolte Chile infused 68% cacao, candied ginger, bourbon vanilla bean Noisette Organic dark chocolate, Frangelico liquor, toasted hazelnut Molokai Kaffir lime leaf infusion, toasted coconut, crushed macadamia nut Champagne Truffle Veuve Cliquot Champagne…and more

Guy’s Valentine’s Dream

Organic Truffles in a Burgundy Heart with black accent wraparound ribbon and a gold stretch bow. Simple, yet elegant – great for the chocolate-loving MAN in the family. We picked this heart so the GAL has something to give the CHOCOLATE-LOVING GUY! Wives can give it to husbands (and that’s happened), girlfriends or fiances can give it to their boyfriends. Daughters can give it to fathers. Even a son could give this to his dad! Or a brother to a brother! Great for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion for anyone! Included in our Nuts About You Assortment are: Organic Peanut Butter Balls, Organic Almond Butter Balls, Organic Almond Bark, and Organic Cashew Clusters. If sent to a guy, we use the black ribbon, if a gal, we use the white ribbon. Box substitutions may be necessary due to limited quantities, but a black ribbon/bow will always be used with a red box to add a masculine touch.

Organic Edible Rose Heart Box

Totally edible, this beautiful and colorful two-piece heart-shaped box with roses on the lid also contains three mini-truffles inside. Mini truffles could be an assortment of balls, vanilla bean cremes, dark chocolate or raspberry truffles.

This beautiful box is totally edible, yet says “I love you” with roses. For Valentine’s Day, we’ll do the roses in red and/or pink. For Mother’s Day, we’ll do the roses in a variety of pastels, including, pink, yellow, blue, lavender or red. Comes wrapped in cello with a bow, color-coordinated with the color(s) of the roses. Everything is organic white chocolate. Also makes a great gift for any occasion – birthday, anniversary, or wedding shower!

Cameo Heart Box

This beautiful and nostalgic two-piece heart box is totally edible. For Valentine’s Day, we make the lid’s cameo with either pink or red non-FD&C colored cocoa butter and white chocolate. Say “I love you” with style, with class and good taste! Everything is organic!

This beautiful and nostalgic cameo heart box says “I love you” with history. It’s appropriate for girlfriends, mothers, wives, and fiances. It’s good for sisters and chocolate lovers of all kinds. At Valentine’s Day, we make the cameo with either red or pink non-FD&C colored cocoa butter. For other occasions, such as Mother’s Day, we make the cameo blue, yellow, pink, green, or lavender. It’s totally edible, made with organic white chocolate. It’s a gift that keeps on giving after the holiday is over. Most people don’t the whole thing in one sitting. It’s very rich, both in taste and texture.

Other Fair Trade, Organic Chocolate Gift Ideas

1. Dip your way to a blissful Valentine’s Day with Robin’s Chocolate Tropical Dark Chocolate Sauce. Use this decadent sauce to dress up your morning waffles, or dip some fruit in it, fondue-style. Whatever your preference, this chocolate is sure to impress everyone’s palates.

2. If your lover likes a good boost of energy, then try out these powerful Pacari Organic Dark Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans. Made with the finest of organic ingredients sourced from Ecuador, Pacari chocolates are rich and hard to resist. They also implement several fair trade practices to protect local farmers and their ecosystems.

3. Looking for a bit of variety in your Valentine’s Day gift? Then look no further than the Givens & Company Natural Organic Snacker filled with a wide selection of delicious treats. From dried apples to organic almonds to a shortbread cookies and chocolate bar, these heart-healthy delights will have your sweetheart smiling in no time.

4. For something unique and interesting, try out Swoonbeams Cranberry Cacao Nib Bark. This healthful, dark bark is handmade by drenching dried cranberries and cacao nibs in Certified Organic, Fair Trade chocolate. It’s also vegan and gluten free.

5. Add a little Zen to your Valentine’s Day with the Oliver Kita Organic Vegan Woodstock Chocolate Buddha. This solid statue is made with organic dark chocolate 72% USDA Certified that’s also Fair Trade Certified. The company follows the Tao of Cacao which embraces the daily appreciation of chocolate through mindful tasting for self awareness and joy without regret.

6. Bring a swirly, crunchy touch to your sweetheart celebration with Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company’s Milk Chocolate Covered Mini Pretzels. The combination of sweet and salty will bring a delicious twist to Valentine’s Day, and the Fair Trade Chocolate that envelopes the mini pretzels will add a sustainable angle, too.

7. If you’re a gal buying chocolate for your guy, this Guy’s Valentine’s Dream by Smith Organic Chocolates is the way to go. It’s been specifically designed for women looking for something for their chocolate-loving boyfriends, fathers, fiancés, or husbands. Filled with Organic Fair Trade Chocolate with abundance.

8. Too many choices? If you’re having a hard time choosing from the many selections, try out an assorted package of organic chocolates such as this Organic Vegan Collection Valrhona Grand Cao box. It contains a treat suitable for every palate, including double-dipped crystallized ginger, almond Grand Marnier, organic peanut butter chew, almond praline, pistachio almond marzipan, and more. Each bite will have you experiencing a unique, luscious taste sensation and will be a pleaser regardless of your sweetheart’s tastes. Made with Organic Fair Trade chocolate ingredients.

Valentine’s Day is a time when we can express love for our loved ones. Giving organic, fair trade chocolate gifts are a way to extend this goodness to the Planet.

What is artisan chocolate?

Artisan chocolate is that style of making chocolate that often considered an art form. Chocolatiers who specialize in artisan chocolate making pride themselves on using only the best ingredients, taking their time making small batches, and choosing flavors and presentations that are unique, interesting, and innovative. Time and care are the two most important aspects of making artisan chocolate.

Artisan chocolate vs industrial chocolate

But how does artisan chocolate compare to industrially-made chocolate? Generally speaking, the time taken to prepare commercial chocolates and the tools and ingredients used to make these chocolates are vastly different.

In commercial chocolate preparation, huge machines are used to produce enormous batches of chocolates in a very short period of time. The name of the game is to produce the most chocolate possible to an exacting recipe. And the finished product must appeal to the masses, so it is often overly sweet and lacking the interesting flavors that are inherent in true artisan chocolates.

Artisan chocolates, on the other hand, are usually hand-made or with very small machines in relatively tiny batches over longer periods of time. Flavor and presentation are of the utmost importance, and these chocolatiers do their upmost to bring out the best of each region’s beans in each of their creations.

4 Innovative artisan chocolate companies

Making the jump from commercially-prepared chocolates to something a little more refined and interesting will mean a bit of a higher price tag, but if you take your time to truly enjoy each morsel in all its complexity, you’ll get your money’s worth, without a doubt. Here are a few interesting artisan chocolate makers you’ll definitely want to try:

Rechiutti

Working to painstakingly select each ingredient and combine them in unique ways, Rechiutti prides itself on sourcing their chocolate building blocks in the local San Francisco farmer’s market. Flavors include lavender, tarragon, lemon vergena, and more.

Tcho

The story behind this company: hunting down flavor itself. Sourcing beans for around the world, these chocolatiers worked to test their product for the perfect flavor before releasing the final result. They use the purest expression of flavors inherent in cacao, including chocolatey, fruity, nutty, and citrus.

Vosges Haut Chocolate

If you want a truly unique chocolate experience, try out Vosges’ Bacon + Chocolate Bar. This chocolate will engage your five senses, so close your eyes and inhale the applewood bacon scents and the milk chocolate tastes. Also comes in dark chocolate varieties.

Chocolate Gecko

This artisan chocolate company creates chocolate with integrity, creativity, quality, and fun. Making artisan chocolates is a family affair for this company. They blend together distinctive flavors, using ethically-traded ingredients and organic chocolate that’s at least 78 percent cocoa solids. Try the Komodo Crunch, the Helderbergs, chocolate dipped fruit, and hand rolled truffles like their Poodles and French Kisses.