Soul Chocolate is a specialty chocolate company in Canada that focuses on producing high-quality chocolate in a fair and transparent way. While many people understand the concept of fair trade, we want to go deeper and explore what fair trade chocolate is, its history, pros and cons, and how it compares to direct trade and transparent trade.
What is Fair Trade Chocolate?
Fair trade chocolate is chocolate produced and sold under a fair trade certification program. This program aims to ensure that farmers and producers in developing countries receive fair prices for their crops and work in good conditions. Fair trade principles include fair wages, safe working conditions, and environmental sustainability.
The fair trade movement began in the mid-20th century, with the formation of the first fair trade organization in the Netherlands. It has since grown into a global movement, with fair trade products available in many countries.
Pros and Cons of Fair Trade Chocolate
There are several advantages to buying fair trade chocolate. First, it ensures that farmers and producers receive fair prices for their work, which helps to lift them out of poverty. According to Fairtrade International, cacao farmers in West Africa who participate in the Fairtrade program earn on average 16% more per ton of cocoa than those who don't. Second, fair trade programs often promote environmental sustainability and good working conditions. Finally, fair trade chocolate can also be higher quality versus commodity cacao, as producers are incentivized to produce a better product.
However, fair trade chocolate also has its limitations. For example, certification can be expensive for producers, and not all farmers have access to fair trade programs. Additionally, fair trade programs can sometimes be limited in scope and not address all the issues faced by producers.
Direct Trade vs. Fair Trade Chocolate
Direct trade is a model of trade where buyers purchase directly from producers, without intermediaries. This allows for greater transparency and traceability in the supply chain, as well as the ability to negotiate prices directly with producers.
Compared to fair trade chocolate, direct trade offers several benefits. First, it allows for more direct relationships between producers and buyers, which can lead to better quality and more sustainable products. Second, it can often be more cost-effective for producers, as they don't have to pay for certification fees.
Transparent Trade vs. Fair and Direct Trade Chocolate
Another model of trade that has emerged in recent years is transparent trade. This model involves buying from intermediaries who provide full disclosure of costs and allow for transparency throughout the supply chain. While this approach can offer greater transparency than traditional trade, it falls short of direct trade in several ways. Transparent trade still relies on intermediaries, which can make it difficult to ensure fair prices for farmers and producers. As a buyer, you are to trust the money is going where it is said to. Additionally, it may not provide the same level of support for communities as direct trade, which often involves building long-term relationships with farmers and producers. That being said, direct trade doesn’t guarantee the support for communities but those operating under the direct trade model typically choose to offer to.
What about Soul Chocolate?
At Soul Chocolate, we go beyond fair trade by focusing on both direct trade and transparent trade. Some countries where we source cacao are better suited to work with an intermediary such as Meridian Cacao or Uncommon Cacao, because of their strong relationships with farmers and producers. Other countries, such as Dominican Republic, allow us to work directly with fermentaties like Oko Caribe to source our cacao.
Both the direct trade and transparent trade models allow us to ensure quality and traceability in our supply chain, as well as support the communities where our products are produced. We believe that direct trade offers the best way to create sustainable, high-quality chocolate while supporting the livelihoods of farmers and producers and we will continue to pivot our business to this model.
Fair trade chocolate, direct trade, and transparent trade are all models for creating more ethical and sustainable chocolate products. Fair trade has been a crucial movement in improving the livelihoods of farmers and producers, with cocoa farmers in West Africa who participate in the Fairtrade program earning on average 16% more per ton of cocoa than those who don't.
Direct trade offers several benefits, including more direct relationships between producers and buyers, better quality and more sustainable products, and cost-effectiveness for producers.
Transparent trade provides greater transparency than traditional trade, fair trade and direct trade (although direct trade can also be transparent), and is becoming a great way to differentiate ourselves from the larger chocolate manufacturers.
At Soul Chocolate, we focus on a blend of both direct trade and transparent trade relationships with farmers and producers. These models allow us to create sustainable, high-quality chocolate while supporting the livelihoods of farmers and producers.
