Our long-time partner in fair trade goodies, Equal Exchange, debuted new chocolate bars this month. Here are two of our favorites and why they are special.
Total Eclipse Dark Chocolate
With 92 percent cacao, the Total Eclipse may be the darkest chocolate bar in our stores. It’s also special because it includes cocoa made from cacao from West Africa, a market Equal Exchange has been working to enter since 2002.
Although 70 percent of cocoa comes from West Africa, the area has widespread child labor issues that have prevented Equal Exchange from buying cocoa there. They’ve worked to change the system, though, and are now partnering with the small farmers of the Scoops Procab and Scoops IKPA co-ops (founded in 2013 and 2018, respectively) and Gebana Togo in Togo, West Africa. These co-ops include more than 850 small farmers who are producing organically certified cocoa. Inside the bar’s wrapper is a photo of Komi Awessou, one of the farmers.
And remember, with such a high cocoa content, the chocolate is super high in iron: half the bar includes 45% of the daily requirement! It’s perfect as an after-lunch snack or to melt into your hot cocoa.
Organic Chocolate with Coconut Milk
For the milk chocolate lovers who want to avoid milk: this bar uses coconut milk and coconut sugar. It’s creamy and delicious, and also vegan.
Around the world, Equal Exchange has enabled small farmers to reach new markets and control their own destinies. The farmers democratically run the co-ops, deciding themselves how best to invest in their communities. Inside each wrapper is a map showing where Equal Exchange buys ingredients. Cacao from Central and South America, and now Togo. Sugar from Paraguay. Vanilla from Madagascar. They’ve now added coconuts to the map, sourced from Sri Lanka and Indonesia!
About Equal Exchange
Equal Exchange is an employee-owned cooperative that markets food from farmer cooperatives. Equal Exchange builds long-term, economically fair partnerships with the farmer co-ops. They work to benefit both the farmers and consumers, as well as the environment. This fair trade model challenges traditional trade models. Fair trade and worker cooperatives contribute to a more equitable, democratic, and sustainable world.
Want to learn more? Check out the Equal Exchange website’s chocolate page: https://equalexchange.coop/products/chocolate. Read about their farmers, learn the steps in turning cacao from the tree into cocoa for chocolate bars, watch videos, and get recipes.