Why are the bars sold here not Fairtrade certified?

For good reason. The fine bean to bar chocolate industry thrives for better than Fairtrade certified. That may surprise many people, especially if you are new to the concept of fair trade certified products. One may think “how can you be more fair than Fairtrade certified?”

Many consumers have the assumption that Fairtrade certified products are made with fair trade ingredients, whereas non-certified products are not made with fair trade ingredients. This is not the case. Some consumers even worry that if their chocolate bar does not have a “fair trade” type certification on it, that it was somehow associated with slave labour. This is not true within the fine chocolate industry. In fact, the cacao beans used to make nearly all the bars sold here are often purchased at much higher costs than Fairtrade certified cacao beans. Then why are there no fair trade certifications on the bars sold here?

Keep in mind there is the Fairtrade trademark, but there are also many growing yet less well-known organizations whose goal is also to ensure fair trade practices. Here I am speaking of fair trade certifications in general, not just the more well known Fairtrade certification. Also keep in mind that many fair trade certifications also include other aspects such as working conditions and environmental impacts.

Fairtrade certifications on chocolate bars also allow you, the consumer, to quickly locate and purchase fairly traded products or products made with fairly traded ingredients when you’re shopping. You have trust in the certifications, and if it means the growers get compensated more for what they grow, then you will favour chocolate bars with those certifications. Seems fairly straight forward.

However, no system is perfect. What may have started as program with good intentions has grown into a business in itself not without major problems. Some of these problems seem to counteract their intended goal in the first place which was to monetarily help those who grow the product. I will not go into detail here on what those problems are, but if you wish to learn more please read my post of a research article on the fair trade system. It focuses on coffee, since this is where the fair trade idea grew out of, but the same concepts apply to other foods including cacao and chocolate today.

Now keep in mind that all the bars sold here, and the nearly all (I cannot say all because I can’t trace each company and each cacao source myself) bean-to-bar business on the app I created, use high quality fairly traded cacao. Someone once asked me if I can distinguish on the app which companies use fair-trade cacao. I said it would be quite the challenge to find one that is not!

So here I will go over reasons why I do not carry Fairtrade or fair-trade certified chocolate bars on my site.

Fair Trade Cacao Versus Fair Trade Chocolate

Let’s clarify a couple of things first. When it comes to fair trade in chocolate, we are talking about chocolate made with fairly traded cacao beans. Obviously, other ingredients in the chocolate such as the cane sugar can be fair trade as well (certified or not). Cacao beans are the seed produced within the fruit of the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao). Cacao beans are not a cash crop, in that they require a great deal of effort to grow, harvest, ferment, and dry. This is done where the cacao trees grow. Cacao trees grow in South and Central America, Caribbean, Africa, South East Asia, and Oceania. This is where the cacao beans are harvested and cured before they are shipped to other regions where they are turned into chocolate. Although some cacao growing regions can and do produce their own chocolate as well with the cacao they grow, it is usually quite rare and make up a very small percentage. Most of the chocolate in the world is manufactured in “Northern” or more developed countries. The idea of fair trade is to offer the people who grow and cure the cacao a better price for the crop they grow and the effort they put into it. Fairly traded chocolate is made with cacao that was purchased at a higher than market value price, and intended to be purchased at a price that both the buyer and the grower (or seller) agree upon. Not just a price dictated to the growers by the market and those who control it.

However, a chocolate maker can use cacao that is Fairtrade certified, or certified by another fair trade organization or company, without them having the ability to use any sort of certificate or logo on their product. The world market cost that cacao is purchased at changes, but for simplicity sake it is often sold around $2 USD per kilo, sometimes a bit less. Fairtrade certified may be purchased for slightly more. However, the cacao used for the fine chocolate industry costs most manufacturers around $6, $10, or even $15 per kilo depending on many factors such as the cacao itself, logistic costs, scale of the manufacturer. When I make my micro-batch fine chocolate, my cacao will cost me around $12-$15 CAD per kilo. Some of these costs go to the co-op, the farmers, and in some cases cacao distributors and buyers. This is the main reason why fine craft bean-to-bar chocolate is so expensive. The cost they pay for their cacao can be at least 3, 4, or 5 times the cost of commercial chocolate makers who purchase bulk cacao.

Keep in mind that some chocolate makers are sourcing cacao directly from farmers or co-ops themselves. I have spoken to some makers who refused to pay their cacao farmers less when buying greater volumes of cacao. Keep in mind that in this case, they are still paying above Fairtrade prices, but since they are working directly or with less middlemen, they have no certification to go with it. All they have is their word.

Therefore the chocolate sold here and nearly all chocolate produced by makers on the Bean To Bar World App are made with cacao that was fairly traded. In most cases, the cacao is more “fair” and even certainly more transparent than Fairtrade certified cacao. For instance, Ucayali Peru Co-cop produces wonderful cacao beans. They even have a website that you can visit. You can see that there is information not only on their cacao, their farmers, but even the brands who purchase their cacao as well. This includes brands sold here such as Sirene and Goodnow Farms. So not only do the makers make it clear of where their cacao comes from, but the source of where the cacao comes from is letting you know who purchases their fairly-traded high-quality cacao. This is not something you would see with larger fair trade certification organizations.

So understand that there are chocolate manufacturers who care about maintaining a fair and sustainable business relationship with their cacao growers, but in most cases they don’t tell you by buying to certifications necessarily, but by being honest and transparent about their cacao sources. You can learn from this on their website.

Fair Trade Does Not Guarantee Better Quality Cacao

Another reason why you don’t see more well known certification logos on fine chocolate bars is because fair trade is not synonymous with quality. This does not mean that farmers who grow cacao that is not fair trade is necessarily poor quality, but it is often a standard commercial quality. It is of a quality intended for large manufacturers such as Lindt, Nestle, Hershey, Cadbury, Callebaut, and even other medium-scale manufacturers.

When it comes to fine chocolate, the type and quality of the cacao matters, just as the type and quality of coffee beans to the fine coffee industry, or the tea leaves within the fine tea industry, or the quality of the grapes for winemakers. Fine chocolate is expensive because the cost of the cacao. And the cost of the cacao is much more because it requires more work to grow fine cacao beans. As well, if the cacao beans are to be certified organic, that also adds to the cost of growing them.

Cacao beans (and other products) do not have to be considered “fine” or high quality to qualify for fair trade certification. Fairtrade in particular does not focus on the quality of the beans, but on other aspects that have nothing to do with the actual quality of the food grown. Nearly all Fairtrade certified chocolate are not high-end fine chocolate bars. It doesn’t mean they are necessarily bad or low quality, but they are not up there with makers such as Qantu, Cacaosuyo, Luisa Abram, and others. What makes fine chocolate different from commercial chocolate is the fine flavour that can only be achieved when starting with fine cacao.

This is also true for Organic. Organic certified foods are a good idea. The idea of having food that isn’t laced in chemicals that harm us and other living things is something that should be encouraged. However, organic does not necessarily indicate higher quality produce or food. You can have the same commercial grade type of cacao that happens to qualify as organic, but not necessarily be any better than the cacao that Nestle or Hershey uses in their bars. Keep in mind that many of the bars sold do actually use organic cacao, but the product itself is not certified.

Therefore, if you were to purchase chocolate and use “fair trade” (or even “organic”) as the first filter to determine a bar or brand, you will actually be filtering out nearly all the finest chocolate bar brands in the world. Sounds a bit grand for me to say, but it is true. As I said, fair trade certifications do not take into consideration the quality of the product. You can have high quality fine cacao that is fairly traded (certified or not), and you can have mediocre to poor quality cacao that is fair trade certified. If you only go by fair trade as your first filter, you may find some nice chocolate bars you enjoy, but you won’t be delving much into the fine chocolate world.

The fine chocolate world wants to ensure that the rare and fine varieties and strains of cacao are preserved. Therefore, this should be their first priority when it comes to choosing a source of cacao. As I said, nearly all fine bean-to-bar chocolate makers also want to encourage fair trade and sustainable relationships, and so also ensure the cacao is sourced from co-ops or farmers who are getting better bang for their buck.

No, Fair Trade Certification Does Not Automatically suggest unfair or slave traded cacao

Some people do assume that if a chocolate bar is not fair trade certified, that it is likely somehow associated with slave and/or child labour. This is not the case for the fine chocolate world. Most of this stems from the treatment of those in the Ivory Coast and surrounding countries. West Africa, mainly Ivory Coast and Ghana produce most of the commercial cacao for the world. Ivory Coast in particular struggles a great deal with corruption, which finds its way into the cacao industry. The large companies who purchase this cacao also do not always help the situation. Many young men, and even children from not only Ivory Coast but surrounding countries such as Burkina Faso are sometimes kidnapped to work in Ivory Coast, including in cacao plantations. This is where much of the negative attention has stemmed from, and it has been going on for many decades if not longer. Keep in mind that this isn’t all Ivory Coast cacao and plantations. It’s easy for many to paint a black cast over Ivory Coast, and deem everyone there is involved in some sort of slave-trade cacao agreement. This is not the case. However, it’s difficult to trace the cacao there, and to know which is coming from where.

However, as I mentioned earlier, cacao is grown around the world. As well, fine cacao and bulk/commercial cacao are grown in the same countries worldwide. Some people believe that only specific countries grow fine cacao, but the truth is that any region that can grow cacao trees can grow fine cacao, and many do. Ecuador can grow some of the finest, and some of the worst cacao in the world. Some countries in West Africa such as Ivory Coast and Ghana pump out mostly just commercial grade cacao that produces that typical chocolate flavour. Whereas, Tanzania in East Africa grows some incredible fine cacao used by many fine chocolate makers.

Fine cacao beans come at a price, not only because they are fine, but because of the effort and work involved to grow them and the logistics to attain them. Although I would like to see the situation in Ivory Coast regarding these practices, but it doesn’t mean they don’t happen in other parts of the world as well, even if at a much smaller scale. I’m sure if farmers had a real voice, instead of always being interviewed only and have someone speak for them, you may hear a very different idea of the world of cacao farmer. There is also no reason to believe that countries like Ivory Coast and Ghana cannot grow very fine cacao. The problem is not the soil or climate, but the varieties of cacao that have been brought there and which are grown for profit rather than quality. Obviously this happens in most cacao growing countries in the world, as most farmers want to earn a decent living, and growing commercial cacao is more sustainable for them. However, the stigma associated with Ivory Coast also deters most fine chocolate makers from having a Ivory Coast origin, even if it is easily traceable. That is unfortunate. It’s unfortunate to see some people in the fine chocolate world throw their nose up at Ivory Coast and avoid the problem instead of wanting to improve it. But I digress.

Most cacao farms in the entire world are small independent or family run farms. Many farms are well maintained provide a good living for growers and workers around the world, regardless of whether they grow commercial or fine cacao. However, most, and especially the poorest, don’t have the resources to be paying for any sort of “fair trade” or “fair practice” certifications. With commercial cacao and chocolate, that does not trace where their cacao is coming from, there is more reason to be suspicious of their cacao sources. However, within the fine chocolate industry you would be hard pressed to find a source of truly fine cacao that does not come at a premium price.

Fair Trade Certification Takes Away Funds From Those Who Need It Most

takes away from the growers

As I mentioned, most farms are small-scale family-owned cacao farms. Even with those who grow fine cacao, and being paid a fair price for it, still can’t necessarily afford or see the need to become Fairtrade (or other fair-trade) certified. For some, being Fairtrade certified may work, but for the most part, it does not. Keep in mind that many farmers or co-ops who do grow fine cacao are already compensated well by the buyer/distributor or makers themselves, and so have no real reason for themselves to become certified. As if being a farmer is not one of the hardest and least appreciated jobs in the world, adding on more cost and more paper work to appease a sector of the market in another country probably isn’t on their to-do list. Many makers who are considered trailblazers in the industry built their own fair-trade relationships with growers and co-ops that do not require going through a larger organization to achieve the same if not better means to an end.

takes away from the small-scale small business craftsman

In order to sell a fair-trade certified product it requires much more time, money, and work. Keep in mind that nearly all fine craft chocolate makers in the world today are very small scale. They are no where near the large or medium chocolate manufactures of the world. Many are the size of your local bakery or pastry shop, and run by a dozen or less employees. They too do not have the funds to pay for these certifications. They can probably buy fair trade certified cacao for even cheaper than the non-certified fine cacao they purchase. However, the goal for a fine chocolate maker is quality, not cost. The reason why many companies go the route of certifications is because it is good for marketing, which is good for business. It doesn’t actually improve the quality of the product. There are many companies who can brand themselves well with all the right certifications, beautiful packaging, yet fall flat when it comes to flavour and quality of their chocolate products. The general public likely won’t always know the difference right away, but those who appreciate fine chocolate certainly do.

goes to an organization all the consumer trusts so that you have an easier time buying a product

There is nothing wrong per se with organizations or companies who make it their goal to improve the life of cacao farmers. However, keep in mind that today it is essentially used as a marketing tool. If you read through the research summary I linked to at the beginning, “Quality certification, regulation and power in fair trade”, you will understand how Fairtrade and other large companies eventually defeat the purpose of why they were brought into existence in the first place. The money raised by these companies goes towards sustaining the company, and does not guarantee the cacao growers are paid a better price. It also does not encourage the preservation of fine cacao verities which is only done though the “un-certified” fine chocolate industry.

There are wonderful cacao distributors who you can find on my app, who also source very high quality cacao that is also fairly traded and regulated by themselves. These smaller companies tend to do a better job as they tend to focus on only one or two products, and have more sight and control over the cacao they are importing. However, purchasing cacao from these companies does not mean a manufacturer can have some sort of well-known fair trade symbol on their packaging. Here, the consumer is to educate themselves (by visiting the manufactures website usually) to find information on where the cacao came from, and information on the cacao, the co-op, and the farmers if available. Therefore, buying chocolate by looking for such certifications or symbols will not lead you not only to the finest chocolate, but likely not even the “fairest” either.

So What’s the Solution?

Be a discerning shopper. Get to know the brands of bars you love, and learn about where the cacao comes from. As much as you may like the idea of shopping by looking for specific symbols, keep in mind this mindset can even indirectly be doing more harm than good. Not only does buying only fair trade certified chocolate cancel out most fine chocolate, it also encourages organizations which for the most part are not actually accomplishing what you think they are accomplishing. Today, it could not be any easier. If you are shopping, and the packaging of the bar does not have all the information you need, grab your phone and visit their website to see how transparent they are about their cacao sources. If you are new to fine chocolate, start doing your research of the brands you love. Purchasing fine chocolate bars either from my site or from makers listed on my app will almost guarantee you are buying chocolate made with fairly traded cacao.

Keep in mind that buying based on certification keeps the small craft chocolate shop out of the market. It pushes them behind not only fair trade certified products, but even the non-fair trade cheaper products. It makes their products look like just expensive non-certified product. Imagine a shelf with three dark chocolate bars on it, all with the same ingredients (cacao bean, cane sugar, and cocoa butter). One brand is Fairtrade and Organic certified for $7. One is a fine chocolate bar (not fair trade certified) for $15, and one is $3 Lindt bar. Some customers may look at these bars and think, “why would I pay double for this non-certified chocolate bar, when I can purchase a Fairtrade and organic certified bar for half the price?” Another customer may think “Why would I pay $15 for a non-certified bar when this delicious Lindt bar is a fraction of the price? They both have the same ingredients.” Granted, some may purchase the $15 bar just for the fact that it is $15, but this is rare for most consumers. And those who know the brand, or understand fine chocolate are even few than those who buy based on price.

Do you want to purchase chocolate that was made with fairly traded cacao? Do you wish to help sustain the rare varieties and strains of cacao that are often being replaced by commercial cacao trees? Do you wish to enjoy chocolate with beautiful fine flavours? Do you wish to enjoy chocolate with pure real simple ingredients? If your answer to all of them is yes, then your answer is not to seek out only fair trade certified chocolate bars, but to seek out fine craft chocolate bars. Purchasing fair trade certified chocolate does not answer yes to all of those questions, and in some cases not even any.

I understand the matter is more complex than what I presented here, from both the eyes of the maker, the grower, and the consumer. However, there is much presented here that many seem to not consider, and I would hope that these ideas would not only be considered, but also tested and tried.

This article was not to make you feel bad for purchasing fairly traded chocolate, but to explain to you why I and many in the fine chocolate world don’t gravitate towards Fairtrade cacao or fair trade certified chocolate bars. They don’t encompass all of what, the fine bean-to-bar chocolate industry should stand for, and that is not only fair and sustainable trade relationships, but also fine flavour, growing and preserving fine cacao varieties, pure and real ingredients, and the rate craft of fine chocolate making.