Gourmet chocolates make great gifts and what better gift than one that is socially responsible. Chocolate makers have gone beyond just traditional milk, dark and white chocolate candy to produce chocolate treats made from organic and fair trade chocolates.
Making Organic Chocolate
According to the World Agroforesty Centre, cocoa is grown in humid, rainy areas near the Equator, such as Africa, Asia and South America. Cocoa trees actually grow better in small areas, where they can be planted in the shade of larger trees such as banana trees. This makes an ideal crop for a small farmer who can grow a variety of food items.
To be certified organic, the cocoa must be grown without chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Organic chocolates must also include organic ingredients such as milk, sugar and lecithin that go into the final product.
Fair Trade Chocolate
Fair trade standards benefit the farmers and workers that participate by guaranteeing minimum commodity prices and fair working standards. This helps encourage farmers in developing countries to produce coffee, cocoa, and spices. To be fair trade certified, products must meet the following standards of environmental sustainability:
- the use of genetically-modified organisms is banned
- soil fertility is improved through integrated farming
- the use of harmful chemicals is limited in favor of environmentally-friendly and sustainable methods
Specialty Gourmet Chocolate Companies Using Organic and Fair Trade Chocolate
Dagoba Organic Chocolate offers gourmet chocolate bars, drinking chocolate and baking chocolate that are entirely organic. Their line of chocolate bars offers several unique flavor combinations. Dagoba insures that all of the ingredients used in their chocolates are organic.
Endangered Species Chocolate uses organic and fair trade chocolate in all of their products. The company also donates 10% of their proceeds to endangered species. Organic chocolate bar wrappers include information about an endangered animal and ways to help. Products include chocolate bars, wedding favors and Halloween chocolates.
Personalized gourmet chocolate bars are a new concept from German company, chocri. Their website allows users to design a custom chocolate bar using ethically-produced fair trade dark, milk or white chocolate. Toppings include unusual ingredients such banana chips, gummi bears and jalapenos along with tamer choices like peanuts and almonds.
Where to Buy Organic and Fair Trade Chocolates
Online retailers such as Chocosphere offer a range of organic chocolate products. Grocers like Whole Foods and Fresh Market also carry various chocolate, particularly during large candy-buying holidays like Halloween and Valentine's Day. They make great treats for those socially conscious friends or family members.
Melissa Murfin - Melissa is a physician assistant in endocrinology with a further specialization in thyroid and parathyroid disorders. She is also a ...
