Valentine’s Day may now be behind us for the year, but here is some important information on our beloved delicacy chocolate that I want to share.

From http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/ the Not for Sale website:

“Did you know…. 70% of the world’s chocolate is produced in West Africa, where an estimated 12,000 children are currently in slavery. That’s right, over two-thirds of all of the chocolate we consume every day. Without a screening process that ensures child and/or forced labor was not used, we have no guarantee that the chocolate we buy is not promoting modern slavery. So, what can you do? 

This Valentine’s Day, we’re calling you to give love and spread justice by purchasing your chocolate Fair Trade.

“Here are two examples of the best Fair Trade Chocolate we’ve found! I encourage you to support these companies this Valentine’s Day when you do your chocolate shopping. And keep a look out for Not For Sale’s Conscious Consumer Campaign, coming soon! We’ll be offering you ways to get Fair Trade chocolate into your local stores. All part of Free2Work… launching in late February!”

-       Kilian Moote, NFS Program Director

THEO CHOCOLATE:

“Because Chocolate Grows on Trees!”

Theo Chocolate, the first and only organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory inside the United States, carefully screens all its ingredients to ensure they meet their standards for social and environmental responsibility. As a wholesale producers inside the United States Theo Chocolate offers competitive wholesale prices.

What Makes Theo Unique:

Using only pure ingredients that are grown sustainably. They source their ingredients locally whenever possible, and ensuring that their growers are earning a liveable wage and have access to education for their families.

Click HERE to find a Theo chocolate supplier near you, or click HERE to visit Theo’s online Chocolate store. Yum!

EQUAL EXCHANGE:

Equal Exchange’s organic fairly traded chocolates offer consumers a delicious way to support small-scale farmers and their communities. As a leading U.S. purveyor of organic Fair Trade chocolate, all of Equal Exchange’s bars and cocoas support a sustainable and just supply chain.

To be Fair Trade Certified, Equal Exchange has followed numerous regulations, including adhering to International Labor Organization Conventions 29, 105, and 138 on child labor and forced labor.”

To learn more about modern human slavery and what you can do about it, visit:

http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/

 I also encourage everyone to read the book Not for Sale by David Batstone. This book has literally shaped my life passions and inspired my educational and future career path. 

For delicious Fair Trade chocolate, click HERE to visit Equal Exchange’s online store! For information on purchasing wholesale, contact Equal Exchange at 774-776-7333 or email: orders@equalexchange.coop”