Indulge responsibly: fair wages and ethical labour in the chocolate industry
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, and for many folks that celebration includes indulging in some delicious chocolates. But have you ever stopped to think about where your Valentine’s chocolate comes from?
The origins of your chocolate
Chocolate is a product of the cacao bean, which grows primarily in the tropical climates of Western Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Cacao trees produce large pods containing cacao beans. Farmers cut open the pods and extract the beans, which are then left to ferment for several days. Once fermented, the beans are dried under the sun before being packed and transported to chocolate manufacturers. At the manufacturing plants, the beans are roasted, ground, and processed into cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, and cocoa powder, which are used to create chocolate.
The vast majority of the world’s cacao beans come from just a few countries in West Africa. Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana alone produce nearly 60% of the world’s cocoa each year. These countries play a crucial role in satisfying global demand for chocolate. However, there is a troubling side to cocoa production that many consumers are unaware of.
Recent estimates from the U.S. Department of Labour reveal that 1.56 million children are engaged in child labour on cocoa farms in these two countries alone. This child labour usually exists due to extreme poverty, where families need their children to work and earn an income to survive. Many of these children work long hours in often dangerous conditions.
Big business with deep inequalities
Chocolate is a multi-billion-dollar industry, yet many cocoa farmers still struggle to earn a living wage. When you purchase a standard chocolate bar, only 6% of the price you pay goes back to cocoa farmers.
Nestlé, one of the largest companies in the chocolate industry, reported annual gross profits of approximately $18 billion USD in 2021. The typical African Cocoa farmer earns about $1USD per day. This falls far below the international poverty line, and below the living wage in these countries as well. In 2023 the living wage in Ghana was approximately $266USD per month. Children in many families are unable to attend school and instead must work in order to support their families. Without an education, the children working on these farms have little hope of breaking the cycle of poverty.
How you can make a difference
As a consumer, you have the power to influence the chocolate industry by making informed and ethical choices. Not all chocolate is created equal – do your research and support companies that are making an effort to improve working conditions and prioritize living wages for farmers.
Chocolate Scorecard is a great resource for investigating how different chocolate companies rank on critical issues such as traceability and transparency, living income for farmers, and child labour practices, among other issues.
Supporting local bean-to-bar chocolate makers is a great way to ensure your chocolate is ethically sourced. Bean-to-bar chocolate makers oversee the entire chocolate-making process, from sourcing raw cacao beans to producing the final chocolate bar. Unlike mass-produced chocolate, which often involves multiple intermediaries, bean-to-bar makers focus on ethical sourcing, direct trade with farmers, and careful craftsmanship. Here are a few bean-to-bar options to get you started:
Kin + Pod – small batch chocolate bars, made with beans sourced from family-run farms in South America
Hummingbird Chocolate – passionate chocolate makers that travel the world to meet, connect with and learn from farmers, and pay them well for their cocoa beans.
JACEK - sources cacao and chocolate from transparent suppliers, with a goal to foster a future where cacao farming flourishes, and farmers can their families and communities
These are just a few of the incredible bean-to-bar options available – do some (delicious) research yourself and you’ll discover plenty of passionate chocolate makers near you who prioritize sustainability and fair wages for cacao farmers. While these bars may cost more than the ones lining the checkout aisle, the difference is worth it. Not only will you receive a superior-quality bar, but you’ll also enjoy it with the peace of mind that your purchase supports ethical practices.
This Valentine’s Day, your sweet treats don’t have to come at the cost of exploitation. Take the opportunity to make a positive impact and choose chocolate that reflects not just your love for someone special, but also your commitment to supporting ethical and sustainable practices.