Ethical and Delicious Unsweetened Chocolate?
Posted in: Tech Help, Tips, Tricks, & Techniques
Hey Michael-Major commodity producers such as Barry Callebaut tend to use "self certification" i.e. they make a statement for their company to abide by in terms of ethical labor and sustainability."Barry Callebaut has a long-term commitment to the economic and social development of the cocoa farming communities; to a supply chain free of the worst forms of child labor and forced adult labor and to a mutually beneficial partnership between farmers and the industry."Callebaut IS certified by Fairtrade to produce a range of cocoa and chocolate produce but most of these are already processed goods that are sold as such on the market by their purchasers. So for unadulturated unsweetened chocolate, Barry's not your man.Also, I don't know if Barry's commitment "works" in terms of the standards you are looking for. I personally have to stop and wonder, am I really promoting fair trade and ethical labor if I am purchasing a fair trade product that only makes up a small part of a very large and powerful company that is not completely devoted to the issue I am trying to press? Seems strange, you know?You are very right that not all companies participating in fair trade, organic chocolate production. For example, if the company is based in a cocoa producing nation or selling directly from the cooperative, there is no use in participating in "fair trade" thus requiring them to pay themselves more. Too complicated and expensive!I know equal exchange makes an organic dutch process cocoa powder also try Dean's Beans or Sweet Earth.