GIFT: Divine Fair Trade Chocolate
|
Most of the world’s farmers live in poverty. They’re forced to accept whatever brokers want to pay them for their crops.
Fair Trade ensures that farmers are paid fair value for their crops. This affords a minimum standard of living, money for adult (instead of child) labor and the ability to farm with sound (sustainable) agricultural practices. Fair Trade is the trademarked term of nonprofit organization that audits transactions between U.S. companies offering Fair Trade Certified products and the international suppliers from whom they source. It is one of several organizations working all over the world to certify fairly traded goods. Here’s more on Fair Trade. In the case of the the world’s greatest chocolatiers, an elite group, Fair Trade is a moot point. The chocolatiers are already paying top dollar to secure the limited supply of the world’s ultra-finest cacao beans. But there’s a lot of chocolate, even in the premium category (not the mass marketed bars), that comes from farmers who sometimes have to sell their crops for less than it costs to grow it. |
Special holiday flavor bars and foil-wrapped dark and milk chocolate coins. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE. |
|
|
If only all farmers had the ability to emulate the Kuapa Kokoo farmers’ co-op in Ghana. The name means “good cocoa farming.” Instead of exclusive ownership under a corporate board of executives or a family who has handed down the business from generation to generation, the business is actually owned partly by the 40,000 small farmers who grow, harvest and partially process the cacao. The cooperative works at improving the social, economic and political well-being of its members. Women cacao farmers play significant roles at all levels of the organization, and the co-op encourages environmentally sustainable production. |
||
 Christmas tree boxes filled with chocolate Christmas trees. Photo by Elvira Kalviste | THE NIBBLE. |
And, their cacao beans are used to make the Fair Trade Certified line, Divine Chocolate.
DIVINE CHOCOLATE FOR THE HOLIDAYS This very reasonably priced line, beautifully packaged, offers a nice choice stocking stuffers, teacher gifts or office gifts. Each purchase supports these farmers and their excellent mission. If you like, you can use the gift to teach your family, friends and colleagues about supporting Fair Trade, and. They’ll feel good about every bite. There’s something for every chocolate-lover in Divine Chocolate’s collection: |
|
|
There are savings with the purchase of multiple pieces of the same item, as well a gift baskets with an assortment of products. See all the holiday specials and the entire product line at Divine Chocolate.com. —Steven Gans
|
||
